What do you guys know about Rem 760 mags?

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FLINT
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What do you guys know about Rem 760 mags?

Post by FLINT »

Hey guys,

I know its not a lever gun, but pump rifles are almost as cool so hopefully will get a pass.

I have a rem 760 in 30-06 that was made in '52 and looks like it wasn't ever shot much at all. I didn't get a magazine with it, and shot it a few times last year single shot. I do have a Rem 742 also in 30-06, and have read that the magazines should be interchangeable but my 742 mag won't insert at all into the 760 for some reason. The 742 dates I think to '62 and is a carbine. I figured that maybe there was a slight difference somewhere and that I should try a 760 mag. I read that the new plastic bottomed magazines don't work well in the older rifles, so I've been occasionally checking the online auction site, but prices for the magazines are pretty high. Well, last week I found one for a little less than the usual and bought it. Received it today and was very excited to try it out. It did fit in the well, but it still isn't right. I have to kind of fiddle with it to get it seated correctly, and once it does get all the way in, the bolt will contact a round, but the round doesn't tip up and into the chamber - it just pushes straight ahead and stops. SO now I'm super sad again to still not have a functional mag for the gun and am not out some cash to boot.

So what's the deal? I guess my 760 is pretty early. It's not D/T for scope mounts. are the earliest ones different? did I get a dud mag? what do you think?

oh yeah, the mag I bought is all steel and is stamped 30-06 on the side.

THanks for any help!
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GunnyMack
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Re: What do you guys know about Rem 760 mags?

Post by GunnyMack »

Sounds to me like the mag isnt deep enough. I had a 7600 years ago, I dont remember what stops the mag but you might find just a few file strokes will solve the problem.
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marlinman93
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Re: What do you guys know about Rem 760 mags?

Post by marlinman93 »

No idea why your magazine wont fit? The 742 750 7400 740 760 7600 all take the same magazine, and should fit if they're factory mags. I've had some aftermarket mag fitment issues, but factory mags always interchange. They cost 2x-3x what aftermarket cost, but they're also perfect fit and function.
Check Ebay for factory mags. They're there often.
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Lastmohecken
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Re: What do you guys know about Rem 760 mags?

Post by Lastmohecken »

It's been a while since I messed with the 742's or the 760's, but I am pretty sure that the mags are not interchangeable.
A 760 is a pump, and a 742 is a semi-auto. The 742 has a built in bolt release lever in the magazine to catch the open bolt on the last round fired. The 760 does not have the built in bolt catch lever, because it don't need it.

Now it might be possible that a 7600 which is also a pump, (newer model) might fit the old old 760 Game Master, but I am not sure. But the mags for the Remington autos, don't fit the pumps as far as I know. The pump mags are slick on both sides of the mag, like I said, while the semi-auto mags have a little lever on one side of the mag, that probably will not fit in the pump. I owned a 760 but it's been a few years.
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marlinman93
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Re: What do you guys know about Rem 760 mags?

Post by marlinman93 »

Lastmohecken wrote: Tue May 19, 2020 7:49 am It's been a while since I messed with the 742's or the 760's, but I am pretty sure that the mags are not interchangeable.
A 760 is a pump, and a 742 is a semi-auto. The 742 has a built in bolt release lever in the magazine to catch the open bolt on the last round fired. The 760 does not have the built in bolt catch lever, because it don't need it.

Now it might be possible that a 7600 which is also a pump, (newer model) might fit the old old 760 Game Master, but I am not sure. But the mags for the Remington autos, don't fit the pumps as far as I know. The pump mags are slick on both sides of the mag, like I said, while the semi-auto mags have a little lever on one side of the mag, that probably will not fit in the pump. I owned a 760 but it's been a few years.
Remington, K-Line, etc. all list the same number for mags for the 760, 742, and all their later variants. As my gunsmithing instructor told us back in the late 70's; the only difference between a pump and a semiauto is what opens the bolt. Either gas, recoil, or your hand working the pump handle.
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t.r.
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Re: What do you guys know about Rem 760 mags?

Post by t.r. »

They're not all the same. I had to try two before I found one that fit properly.

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ywaltzucanrknrl
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Re: What do you guys know about Rem 760 mags?

Post by ywaltzucanrknrl »

After the bolt contacts the round and starts pushing it toward the chamber, what stops it? Is the bullet tip hitting high, low, right or left of the chamber? Or is something in the magazine stopping it, like the magazine lips or the shoulder stop?

I may have a magazine for you. A few years back I converted some 30-06, 760 mags to use in a Savage 110--and I may have one or two left over from that.

It may be that the magazine is seating in a position that compresses the lips and won't allow the round the "freedom" to move in the magazine. Also, the magazine may be seating at an angle---either the front low or high.

I've worked on a lot of magazines and they can generally be made to work, but the key is to understand why they are not working before you make any cuts or do any permanent changes.

I'll check to see if I still have a magazine for a 760.
ywaltzucanrknrl
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Re: What do you guys know about Rem 760 mags?

Post by ywaltzucanrknrl »

Does the cartridge base side of your mag look like these pictures? Sorry for the poor pictures and also the crooked white lines.
Rem 760 mag.jpg
Rem 760 mag base 2.jpg
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FLINT
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Re: What do you guys know about Rem 760 mags?

Post by FLINT »

ywaltzucanrknrl wrote: Wed May 20, 2020 10:22 am After the bolt contacts the round and starts pushing it toward the chamber, what stops it? Is the bullet tip hitting high, low, right or left of the chamber? Or is something in the magazine stopping it, like the magazine lips or the shoulder stop?

I may have a magazine for you. A few years back I converted some 30-06, 760 mags to use in a Savage 110--and I may have one or two left over from that.

It may be that the magazine is seating in a position that compresses the lips and won't allow the round the "freedom" to move in the magazine. Also, the magazine may be seating at an angle---either the front low or high.

I've worked on a lot of magazines and they can generally be made to work, but the key is to understand why they are not working before you make any cuts or do any permanent changes.

I'll check to see if I still have a magazine for a 760.
oh wow, thanks man!

I actually contacted the seller and he was willing to refund me for the mag so I sent it back. I'm pretty sure that I typed it up in a post but I must not have clicked submit or something - my brain doesn't work lately.

It would be great if you had a magazine that would work in my gun!!!

I could show you how the 342 mag doesn't fit if that would be informative.
FLINT
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Re: What do you guys know about Rem 760 mags?

Post by FLINT »

ok, so I just tried the 742 mag again. It has similar problems with this gun as the 760 mag that I just returned.

First, here is what the 742 mag looks like
Image

and here is the back side
Image

Like the 760 mag, this one seems to fit very tight.

You have to hold in the mag release while inserting the mag or it won't even think of going in.

it also is very tight right here - but that is probably the least of the problems.
Image

Here is how the bolt contacts a round in the magazine
Image


and this is what happens when you try to slide the forearm forward to chamber a round. The picture might not show it, but the cartridge just slides straight forward and jams into the wall right below the chamber. just straight forward about a half inch and then stop.
Image



btw, this magazine works perfectly in my 742.
elmo123
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Re: What do you guys know about Rem 760 mags?

Post by elmo123 »

I have a 760 from 53 in 30-06 and the magazine has several differences than the 742 magazine.

Both sides are smooth and the rear is straight across from the where the rim of the cartridge is compared to the 742.

I don't have a camera so I can't post a picture.

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Lastmohecken
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Re: What do you guys know about Rem 760 mags?

Post by Lastmohecken »

I remember now, once trying a 742 mag in a 760 and I found the mag release on the 742 mag to be bothersome at best. While a 742 mag might work, you really need to find an original Remington 760 mag for your gun. For one thing, it won't have the unnecessary 742 mag release built into the mag. You might want to check Ebay, Gunbroker, and sometimes you can find them at gun shows but it might take a little looking, and some well stocked older (well established) gunsmiths may have one laying around.

I wonder if you could order one new from Remington?
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FLINT
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Re: What do you guys know about Rem 760 mags?

Post by FLINT »

no, sorry, I've confused everyone now.

if you read the original post. I couldn't make a 760 magazine that I bought off ebay work in my 760.

Then ywaltzucanrknrl asked me questions about the fitment of the mag, etc. but I had already returned the 760 magazine to the seller.

However, I still had a 742 mag that had similar fitment issues to the 760 mag in my gun so I posted those.

I'm not trying to use a 742 mag in my 760. that's not the point.

The point is that even a 760 mag wasn't working in it and I didn't know why.
ywaltzucanrknrl
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Re: What do you guys know about Rem 760 mags?

Post by ywaltzucanrknrl »

The magazine I took the picture of was advertised as an "extended" 760 mag. It is one of the newer aftermarket ones with the plastic base. From what I can see it is very similar to your 742 mag with respect to the placement of the magazine catch. The one I have may be narrower in the front---which might help it fit better as you said your 742 mag was tight near the front. Just looking at your pictures I would guess that either your bolt is dragging on the magazine or maybe the lips are being pinched when you insert it.
If you want the magazine, send me a pm and I'll get it sent to you.

I may have another new one also, I'll have to look. I picked them up several years ago and converted a couple to work in a Savage 110 bolt action---which was a PITA---but they did and do work.

One thought on getting the mag to work is using some Prussian Blue or similar on it to see where it's tight. The magazine catch placement is critical as if you modify it too much the bolt may override the round and if it's requiring too much force to seat it, you may be pinching the lips---this was a problem I had when converting the mags to work in the Savage 110.
If the round is entering the chamber either too high or too low, it's generally because the magazine is too low or too high in the front or rear---the magazine is tilted. If the round is hitting too far to the left or right or popping out, it's generally a problem with the lips.

I'm guessing, but I think that in order to seat the magazine catch the magazine is being pinched. Or the mag is just a bit high and the bolt is dragging on it---or the bolt cut out is just a bit small. Anyway, the magazine or magazines I have are free---so you can tinker with them if you are into tinkering.

The biggest mistakes I've made when working on magazines is making a permanent change before I really understood the issue---then sometimes the change can't be reversed...HA!

Once I studied them a bit and started to understand how they work, I've reworked many AR mags that people threw away, made a mag for an 1889 Swiss Straight pull and made magazines for an Eleiseo chassis rifle that I have, so my thoughts are just from general experience and problems I've had working them.
FLINT
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Re: What do you guys know about Rem 760 mags?

Post by FLINT »

Wow, that's amazingly generous, thanks man. I'm happy to compensate you. I'll send you a PM.
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