Remington 740

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marlinman93
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Remington 740

Post by marlinman93 »

A friend I worked with decades ago told me his son inherited this 740 Woodsmaster in .30-06 from his grandfather on his mom's side. Said his son didn't want it, and gave it to him, but he didn't want it either. We arranged a time to go look at it and I ended up bringing it home.
The gun was made 1955-'59 and the grandfather had purchased it new back then. They said they never knew if he ever hunted with it, as nobody recalls him being a hunter? He made a wooden carry crate to store it in, and kept it locked in it in a closet. It's seen some use of some kind, but certainly not been much use from the condition.
Not what I usually am interested in, but it's such a nice little gun that I couldn't pass it up.

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wm
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Re: Remington 740

Post by wm »

I inherited one of those .308. Not my normal cup of tea either. My father ended up with it (long, unhappy story there) and only hunted one season with it before going back to his lever action 94. And when Dad passed, it came to me. It was a good shooting firearm marred by bad memories so I gifted it to my nephew. He eventually traded to his father who had a bad shoulder and had trouble operating a bolt or lever action because of it.

Here in mid Michigan those were regarded as a status symbol back in the 60s and 70s. Only guys with a little extra could afford the luxury of self loader.

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gamekeeper
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Re: Remington 740

Post by gamekeeper »

It may not be my cup of tea either but boy I'd love to shoot it, nice find... 8)
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Pete44ru
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Re: Remington 740

Post by Pete44ru »

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Trivia:

One problem with the Remington Model 740 was that the forearm attachment screw was a single pitch thread, pulling the forearm tight against the front of the receiver.

When firing rapidly, the 2nd and 3rd shots seemed to always climb on targets, hence making the gun shoot higher with each successive shot.

Williams Gunsight Co. once made a aluminum spacer called an Accuracy Block, that went over the forearm screw and between the metal forearm liner and the gas nozzle block, tightening at the front and therefore making the forearm float at the rear.

This was made in a short and a long version to accommodate individual guns.

It was to be installed over the forearm screw, inside the forearm - and when this screw was tightened, it held the forearm secure AND slightly away from the front of the receiver.



Here's an in-depth report on the M-740: https://www.leeroysramblings.com/Gun%20 ... iauto.html


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horsesoldier2019
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Re: Remington 740

Post by horsesoldier2019 »

My FIL has the BDL version with the basketweave design on the stock and forearm. It is also a 30-06 and is very accurate. On the other hand I has a 742 model in 308 that was NOT accurate at all.
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Re: Remington 740

Post by Bridger »

Those have a reputation for beating themselves to death unfortunately. They are nice rifles otherwise. I had a 742 30-06 for a while but got rid of it by trading for a nice model 700 ehile it was still working correctly. I figure I came out way ahead.
Not that I'm insulting your rifle at all...please don't take it that way. But I would caution you about shooting it much.
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Re: Remington 740

Post by Sixgun »

Funny thing about those Remington semi autos....all their semi auto models starting with the 8.....they don't bring much money in spite of the major amount of machining that went into them, especially the early ones. I've often thought of buying one and shooting it until it falls apart

That's a nice clean example you have there. 1950's Remington's still had class about up to about the time yours was made.--6
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guido4198
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Re: Remington 740

Post by guido4198 »

I still have the Rem 740 30/06 Dad brought home, newly purchased sometime back in 1960 (or thereabouts). He put a Lyman target-style peep on it for a rear sight, and left the front alone. In the intervening 60 yrs. that rifle has gotten what I'll call "hunting use" but not year around shooting. It has held up perfectly, functions flawlessly with hunting loads and shoots very well. IMHO...the early 740's were tarred with the poor history of the 742's. I've read a lot of "issues" with 742's over the years but never experienced any them with Dad's old 740.
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OldWin
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Re: Remington 740

Post by OldWin »

I had an uncle pass away years ago. His son lives in California (maybe). He dumped a bunch of guns at our house and disappeared about 20 years ago.
Anyway, in those guns is a mint 740 in 30-06 just like that. They did install a peep sight. I've never fired it.
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BenT
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Re: Remington 740

Post by BenT »

I have my fathers 742 in 30-06. The first deer I seen shot was my Dad with that gun. We were party hunting and walking out to do a drive. I was about 8 years old. I was following him as we walked past a big log and a doe jumped up and took off. My dad took a shot and dropped it. It happened so fast.

I bought my Win 94 when I was 13 and by high school all the guys using more powerful guns. One Thanksgiving day while Dad was watching the Packers he let me take out his 742 to go do a little hunting behind the house. After hunting with that I thought what a heavy pig, I was happy hunting with my 94, which I did until I was about 30. The funny thing was that my Dad gave up on the 742 when he was in his early 60's and went back to a Marlin. He shot more deer with that Marlin than did he did with the 742.

This winter I was at a gunshow and ran across the black plastic 742 stocks for $25. I put them on the 742 along with a bipod and scope. I have the Coyler high cap mags. I have shot it a few times. Once first crop is off the field ( keeps raining) I will set up some steel plates out to 400 yards and have some fun. This is not the route I usually go with guns but at least I am shooting Dads gun.
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Re: Remington 740

Post by JimT »

When I was a Correctional Services Officer in the State Prison, we were issued the 742 in .308. In one shooting incident it was discovered the firing pin was broken, the rifle would not fire and the Officer had to go to a backup weapon. It all worked out for him but precipitated an investigation of all the rifles in the armoury. Turned out that almost half would not fire due to broken firing pins. This came from the guards who late at night had nothing to do, so some of them would remove the magazine and spend time dry firing. The 742 had a habit of popping the end of the firing pin off when this was done repeatedly.

Some time after I quit working there all the 742's were replaced with Ruger Mini-14's.
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marlinman93
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Re: Remington 740

Post by marlinman93 »

I never even thought of this 740 as a "heavy" gun? It seems so lightweight compared to every other gun I own! It's 7.5 lbs. and a Win. 94 is right at 7 lbs., so not sure I could feel that 1/2 lb. difference even if I carried it all day hunting?
Haven't checked anything on it yet, or taken it apart yet. I will do so as I do that with every gun I've ever purchased, just to check it all, and also learn how they're made. Must be some holdover from childhood when I took everything apart?
Not sure I'd ever use it for hunting, although I'm sure it would do extremely well. I've hunted with my 1800's single shots for so many years now I can't see ever going back to "modern" guns.
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Re: Remington 740

Post by Rusty »

Pete44ru wrote: Sat Jun 29, 2019 5:41 pm .

Trivia:

One problem with the Remington Model 740 was that the forearm attachment screw was a single pitch thread, pulling the forearm tight against the front of the receiver.

When firing rapidly, the 2nd and 3rd shots seemed to always climb on targets, hence making the gun shoot higher with each successive shot.

Williams Gunsight Co. once made a aluminum spacer called an Accuracy Block, that went over the forearm screw and between the metal forearm liner and the gas nozzle block, tightening at the front and therefore making the forearm float at the rear.

This was made in a short and a long version to accommodate individual guns.

It was to be installed over the forearm screw, inside the forearm - and when this screw was tightened, it held the forearm secure AND slightly away from the front of the receiver.



Here's an in-depth report on the M-740: https://www.leeroysramblings.com/Gun%20 ... iauto.html


.
Thanks Pete, that's great information. That's what I like about this site. So many people with so much information.
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FWiedner
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Re: Remington 740

Post by FWiedner »

That's a good-looking rifle.

I've got my Dad's 742. It's seen light use and is in good shape.

I've kept it clean and oiled, but it's been maybe six or seven years since it's been out in the field. As I recall, it was a good shooter.

My Dad passed in the summer of 2015, and the last time it was used hunting was to take a Red-Deer hind down in Hondo, TX back in maybe 2013.

Could be it's time to give her some exercise.

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marlinman93
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Re: Remington 740

Post by marlinman93 »

I found a 7400 for my older brother decades ago when he wanted a lighter alternative to his Savage 110 in .30-06. He said he'd use it as a "backup" to the Savage, but it didn't take long for him to switch to the 7400 full time as his primary hunting rifle for deer and elk.
It doesn't see more than sighting in and annual hunting shots, but it still looks and shoots like new after 30 years.
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marlinman93
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Re: Remington 740

Post by marlinman93 »

Pete44ru wrote: Sat Jun 29, 2019 5:41 pm
Here's an in-depth report on the M-740: https://www.leeroysramblings.com/Gun%20 ... iauto.html
That's a great resource Pete! This one is dated March 1957 and is not only D&T for scope, but also has the non dovetailed front sight base. He mentions that he wasn't sure if the 740's were D&T for scope, but this one has never had a scope on it, but has the holes with plug screws. So I assume they were D&T from the factory as I doubt his grandfather would have had it done and then never use a scope? It looks like a screwdriver has never touched those screws either.
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marlinman93
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Re: Remington 740

Post by marlinman93 »

Double post.
Last edited by marlinman93 on Wed Jul 03, 2019 8:49 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Remington 740

Post by JimK »

Hello fellows, new guy here. I grew up in SE Texas and started deer hunting in 1964. I was an 11 yr old so my single shot 20gr was my "go to" gun, #3 buck. The Model 94 Winchester was the favorite levergun in our club, followed by sporterized military rifles then the Model 740, 742s. I saw 2 Model 740s, my friend's dad had one in 30-06 and another guy had one in .280. The 742s were .308, 30-06 and the King-6mm Remington. It just took off! They were only shot when checking the zero and then at deer or hogs. "Plinking" was done with a .22 rifle. I bought a 742/'06 from my uncle in mid 70's, used it a couple years until he could buy it back. It was a "jammomatic". I killed deer and hogs with it but my furthest shot was 60yds with it! ha. My "longest" shot with my Mod 94 Classic carbine was 90 steps, and that was out on a pipeline! ha. Every deer or hog I killed with that Mod 742 was done with the first shot, so jamming was really no problem. However, I had just returned form the Army and I was/am very OCD on "reliability". :) He got it back. :) My friends dad's old Mod 740 never, ever jammed! He was deadly, iron sights, running deer with hounds.
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Re: Remington 740

Post by kaschi »

The graceful lines of these earlier 740s and 742s have always appealed to me, but heard they had reliability issues so I never picked one up. Besides, here in PA semi auto rifles were not permitted for hunting so that kinda was the deciding factor not to buy.
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Re: Remington 740

Post by JB »

Bridger wrote: Sat Jun 29, 2019 9:41 pm Those have a reputation for beating themselves to death unfortunately. They are nice rifles otherwise. I had a 742 30-06 for a while but got rid of it by trading for a nice model 700 ehile it was still working correctly. I figure I came out way ahead.
Not that I'm insulting your rifle at all...please don't take it that way. But I would caution you about shooting it much.
And resale is affected by that limited lifespan. The 30-06's were especially bad because you could buy cheap 30-06 surplus ammo and people would wear them out fairly quickly. An authorized Remington repair gunsmith once told me they weren't really designed to be repaired. Once the receivers reach a certain wear point, their life was over. But when I was a kid, a 742 was THE deer rifle to have in my area.
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Re: Remington 740

Post by JB »

Bridger wrote: Sat Jun 29, 2019 9:41 pm Those have a reputation for beating themselves to death unfortunately. They are nice rifles otherwise. I had a 742 30-06 for a while but got rid of it by trading for a nice model 700 ehile it was still working correctly. I figure I came out way ahead.
Not that I'm insulting your rifle at all...please don't take it that way. But I would caution you about shooting it much.
And resale is affected by that limited lifespan. The 30-06's were especially bad because you could buy cheap 30-06 surplus ammo and people would wear them out fairly quickly. An authorized Remington repair gunsmith once told me they weren't really designed to be repaired. Once the receivers reach a certain wear point, their life was over. But when I was a kid, a 742 was THE deer rifle to have in my area. Accuracy was sometimes not even pie plate level at 100 yards, but I have seen a few exceptions. A friend had a 742 that would shoot 1 1/2" fairly easily at 100 yards, but his was the exception.
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Re: Remington 740

Post by Pete44ru »

JB wrote: Wed Jul 03, 2019 7:43 am
Bridger wrote: Sat Jun 29, 2019 9:41 pm
Those have a reputation for beating themselves to death unfortunately.
And resale is affected by that limited lifespan.

The sad reality is than, since used Remington 740/742/7400/Model Four/etc often celebrate more than a few birthdays sitting in a gun store's used gun rack, that most will refuse to take one in trade - even if the ACV (actual cash value) to the dealer is zero $$.


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