mostly, they just don't like being dirty and they don't like being dry.

quote:

Originally posted by RogueJSK:



They're kind of the epitome of the "3 rounds a year Fudd gun", where a guy takes it out of the safe at the start of deer season, puts a couple rounds through it to ensure the scope is still zeroed, then puts a round into a deer, fully disassembles and cleans the rifle, and puts it

Except that back in those days no one owned a gun safe. They were kept in dad's closet, in the back. And dad didn't even buy a new box of shells unless the one he used last year was near empty. That part was kind of fun because often dad didn't even fill his pocket, he just took along a gun load and a few extra's. He usually didn't even worry about the ejected empty, assuming it did eject. That explains us finding or seeing an occasional empty while out walking.

Somebody got his deer, or missed it. We'll never know. Does anyone else ever pick up the empties they see? The most common are .30-30, with .30-06 a close second. Times have changed a bit. These days we see the offal of SKS and AKs. Those folks never pick up their waste.

Having posted an inquiry about almost exactly that make/model, and having been thoroughly convinced it would have been a bad idea...I'm proud of you for just going for it.

No, really, sometimes Loki looks the other way when one does such things on a whim. I hope your turn came up and you got a great deal on a great rifle.

Yours looks way better than mine. Mine belonged to my dad and he had two. My brother has the other one. Neither one has been shot in nearly 15 years and neither has taken a deer in probably 25 or more.

The 742 is responsible for what I'm sure is millions of dead deer. I once volunteered at my local range for "hunter sight in day" a few years ago and I was shocked to still see a couple come across the benches. Accuracy was similar to my experiences, which was about pie plate at 100 yards.

For the hunters, it was good enough for them. I have a co-worker who still hunts with a 12 pound Mauser and has the 742 as a backup. There are hunters and there are shooters. There are still lots of hunters that still use the 742.

I guess if you want to compare battle rifle accuracy with 742 accuracy, it's not hard to meet the GI spec of 5 MOA at 100 yards as acceptable battle accuracy with no accuracy mods.

Let us know how it shoots!

Tony.

quote:

Originally posted by apprentice:
Having posted an inquiry about almost exactly that make/model, and having been thoroughly convinced it would have been a bad idea...I'm proud of you for just going for it.

No, really, sometimes Loki looks the other way when one does such things on a whim. I hope your turn came up and you got a great deal on a great rifle.

What fun is it if you don't go for it sometimes? More often than not, if you walk away from something to go research or ask online, someone will buy it from under you. My advice is always put money down if you're walking away.

In the case of this rifle, the short story is above all the locking lugs are weak, so these rifles do have a relatively limited lifespan. Repair/replacement would exceed the cost. In my case, this one has seen little use. The appeal of the rifle is strong, just not its action.

No Ragrats here.

It's a nice looking rifle.

My LGS has a Remington 750 .30-06 on the rack that is being sold on consignment. It's immaculate. I was seriously considering making an offer on it, but after reading this thread and then researching issues with the 750 and its predecessors I decided to pass. Sweet looking rifle, though.

Remington used to issue a brush with 2 off sets to reach the chamber. Used to get about 1 or 2 a year with empty jammed d in chamber found the chamber rusty
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1005025528

My Dad has one that he's taken several deer with. I bought one around 1982, I joined the Navy in 83 and left it at my Dads house and haven't shot it since.

My Dad has his 742 woodsmaster with the monte carlo cheekpiece and basketweave fore end. He hasn't hunted with it in 15 years or so but that killed well over a hundred deer. It's a handsome rifle and one of only a couple of his guns that I really have sentimental attachment to and would never sell after he's gone.

Picked up a few 10rnd mags, in case of Luau. Took it apart, it is virtually new.

Had one. Loved it. NOISY!

I bought one at a DNR action in 1984, the year I got married. It was a poachers gun. Had a huge scope on it! I did some bartering with a local gunsmith and got a different scope and I was set. Sounds like I got one of the good ones. At one time I did have some trouble but then started loading only three rounds in the mag and that took care of most of it. I shoot under 2 inch groups at 100 yards so it's no tack driver but not bad.

I have three other guns for deer hunting that are more accurate but I seem to take this one out the most. Maybe because I have three boys who beat me to he safe!

Jim

quote:

Originally posted by arcwelder:
Bit jammy are they? Well, this one won't see hard use, I bought it on a whim for amusement.

Yes they would jam if not clean. The 742 was also bad to wear out rather easily according to an authorized Remington repair guy. Back with 30-06 surplus was common and dirt cheap, the 742 30-06's often got used like some use AR's now. It didn't take a lot of rounds to wear them out. Of course the average hunter would never shoot enough rounds to wear one out.