Breaking out the 742

[The Back 40]

For years I have hunted exclusively with a 12ga for deer. It works great and love my Mossburg, but decided to change things up a bit this season. I broke out my old Remington 742 Woodsmaster. I haven't fired this thing in over a decade much less hunted with it.  I figured I better give it a thorough cleaning first. 

This was my first time field stripping this thing down. Wasn't nearly as tough as I thought it would be. Watching a few YouTube videos first definitely helped.

[SportsmanNH]

Very Nice Rifle B40 !  I love my 742 Carbine . It was my Grandfather's . I killed a pile of deer with it. It is tack driver accurate . Here is an article you should read . These guns needed to be taken care of . Especially the chamber , bolt rails , gas chamber . Never use WD40 on these guns. It gums up the little springs in the bolt and trigger assembly . Take good care of these guns and they will last for generations .They were the best firearm in the woods for their time . Unfortunately many were neglected and got the bad wrap of being called the JamOmatic even though it was the owners fault and not the gun.

https://www.leeroysramblings.com/remington_740-742-7400.html

Edited September 26, 2024 by SportsmanNH

[Herd Buck]

Great gun love using the rifle over the shotgun for some reason…good luck this season!

[Doebuck1234]

5 hours ago, The Back 40 said:

For years I have hunted exclusively with a 12ga for deer. It works great and love my Mossburg, but decided to change things up a bit this season. I broke out my old Remington 742 Woodsmaster. I haven't fired this thing in over a decade much less hunted with it.  I figured I better give it a thorough cleaning first. 

This was my first time field stripping this thing down. Wasn't nearly as tough as I thought it would be. Watching a few YouTube videos first definitely helped.

Know the feeling.500A never let's me down and gun I got my first deer with..still carry it here and there but after using the mossberg 7mm-08 last year,I'm in same boat.will depend on what stand I'm sitting in.Beauty of a gun uve got there!

[BAS]

I have my Dad's 742 carbine in 308. I love that gun.

[The Back 40]

1 hour ago, SportsmanNH said:

These guns needed to be taken care of . Especially the chamber , bolt rails , gas chamber . Never use WD40 on these guns.

The gas chamber was pretty dirty, all the videos I watched said not to use oil on the bolt rails, but use grease because it helps buffer the bolt. I used RemOil on the trigger assembly.

(Before cleaning)

(greased rails)

[SportsmanNH]

40 minutes ago, The Back 40 said:

The gas chamber was pretty dirty, all the videos I watched said not to use oil on the bolt rails, but use grease because it helps buffer the bolt. I used RemOil on the trigger assembly.

(Before cleaning)

(greased rails)

Looking good B40 !  Im sure the grease is fine on the rails. When Im up in Maine I usually use Rem Oil with Teflon spray on the rail and the action slide bars when its really cold up there .Feels like a slick slippery wax.  Never used grease . Wondering if it might stiffen up when its 10-15 degrees out.  It would probably work fine too. Just never heard about using grease.

[dbHunterNY]

took your apart more than I've taken my grandfathers apart. I've never take out the trigger group. they have horrific triggers same with the 7600s and the previous models before them.

[mowin]

12 minutes ago, dbHunterNY said:

took your apart more than I've taken my grandfathers apart. I've never take out the trigger group. they have horrific triggers same with the 7600s and the previous models before them.

My nephew was gifted a 7600. He's had 3 misfires on decent bucks. I did a general cleaning, but I didn't help. He had someone that claimed to know about these do a complete cleaning. It's been ok on the range, but he's lost confidence with it in the field. 

[Rusty]

Nice gun,  best of luck with it this season!   

[dbHunterNY]

7 minutes ago, mowin said:

My nephew was gifted a 7600. He's had 3 misfires on decent bucks. I did a general cleaning, but I didn't help. He had someone that claimed to know about these do a complete cleaning. It's been ok on the range, but he's lost confidence with it in the field. 

it's funny it doesn't see a lot of rounds through it but my dad has a 7600 30-06 and he never cleans it aside from wiping off the outside. it shoots sub MOA. i think the fouling is permanent bonded to the barrel to exactly fit a Remington Cor-lokt 150gr bullet. lol the 742 woodsmaster that was my grandfather's (dad's dad) shoots maybe MOA or slightly over. with these old guns you can see where the barrel made contact with the floor of the pickup all those years with all the bluing worn off.

[mowin]

3 minutes ago, dbHunterNY said:

it's funny it doesn't see a lot of rounds through it but my dad has a 7600 30-06 and he never cleans it aside from wiping off the outside. it shoots sub MOA. i think the fouling is permanent bonded to the barrel to exactly fit a Remington Cor-lokt 150gr bullet. lol the 742 woodsmaster that was my grandfather's (dad's dad) shoots maybe MOA or slightly over. with these old guns you can see where the barrel made contact with the floor of the pickup all those years with all the bluing worn off.

Lol, yeah they gave him several older boxes of 150g Cor-lokt PTSP with the rifle.  I don't think one of my dad's old rifles has any bluing on the end of the barrel.  

[JJJWNY]

1 hour ago, mowin said:

My nephew was gifted a 7600. He's had 3 misfires on decent bucks. I did a general cleaning, but I didn't help. He had someone that claimed to know about these do a complete cleaning. It's been ok on the range, but he's lost confidence with it in the field. 

Weak spring... Had mine replaced. Apparently a known issue with the 7600. Also always dry fire before putting away so the spring doesn't sit under a load while being stored.

[The Back 40]

1 hour ago, mowin said:

My nephew was gifted a 7600. He's had 3 misfires on decent bucks. I did a general cleaning, but I didn't help. He had someone that claimed to know about these do a complete cleaning. It's been ok on the range, but he's lost confidence with it in the field. 

There are definitely some issues with the triggers if they are not kept clean. I actually used carb cleaner and compressed air to blow out the gunk before spraying a little RemOil in it and the blew it out again. Almost all of the pics I posted were before the cleaning.

[The Back 40]

1 hour ago, dbHunterNY said:

took your apart more than I've taken my grandfathers apart. I've never take out the trigger group. they have horrific triggers same with the 7600s and the previous models before them.

There are only 2 pins holding in the trigger assembly. That part was easy, it's the recoil spring and guide tube that made me wish I had 3 hands.