# Remington 742



## LostLouisianian (Oct 11, 2010)

Anyone here use a Remington 742 for deer or elk? I have an old one that I've never shot in .30-06 and just wondering if they are accurate enough out to 350 yards to use on elk.


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## KineKilla (Jan 28, 2011)

Educate me....

Is this the pump action or semi-auto model? My dad carried a 30-06 one time that was either a semi or pump (can't remember exactly) and he managed to shoot a deer with it. The distance was well under 350 but the animal died on the spot.

That is the only time I ever saw him hunt with anything but his .270Win Model 700 BDL


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## LostLouisianian (Oct 11, 2010)

KineKilla said:


> Educate me....
> 
> Is this the pump action or semi-auto model? My dad carried a 30-06 one time that was either a semi or pump (can't remember exactly) and he managed to shoot a deer with it. The distance was well under 350 but the animal died on the spot.
> 
> That is the only time I ever saw him hunt with anything but his .270Win Model 700 BDL


Semi Auto...I think this one is pretty old


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## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

It isn't going to be a tack driver but it will get the job done at 350 yards.


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## KineKilla (Jan 28, 2011)

I agree and would think that in steady hands it would be fine out to that distance. 350 is not terribly long for a 30cal rifle and Elk are pretty big targets.


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## LostLouisianian (Oct 11, 2010)

KineKilla said:


> I agree and would think that in steady hands it would be fine out to that distance. 350 is not terribly long for a 30cal rifle and Elk are pretty big targets.


I guess I will have to break it out and find out. I've read reports of some being close to MOA and reports of 3 MOA on others. Sounds like hit or miss on them. Certainly would do the job in tight quarters of woods.


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## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

Still if it is out to 3 MOA that is just a 3" group at 300 yards. Still fine for a animal the size of a deer or elk.


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## LostLouisianian (Oct 11, 2010)

Critter said:


> Still if it is out to 3 MOA that is just a 3" group at 300 yards. Still fine for a animal the size of a deer or elk.


I think 3MOA means 3" group at 100 yards


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## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

I thought that we were talking at 350 yards. _O\\


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## Christine (Mar 13, 2013)

I had a 7400 in 30-06. The 7400 is supposed to be the 'improved' version of the 742.

Mine shot 3-4" groups @100 yards. Usually four shots would be a 2-3" group but there always seemed to be a flyer. I tried different ammo, had other people shoot it. Finally a gunsmith said it was just as good as it was going to get. 

I killed a half dozen deer or so with it but the farthest shot was 40 yards. 

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Tapatalk


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## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

All you can do is to take it to the range and see how it shoots. 

Until then we all are just guessing.


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## colorcountrygunner (Oct 6, 2009)

My old man hunted with a Remington 742 in .30-06 the whole time I was growing up. He still owns the rifle, but doesn't really hunt with it anymore. It definitely wasn't a tack driver but it was good enough for him to bag a few bull elk and a handful of deer with, but the range was always 200 yards or less. Usually quite a bit less. It had an absolute crap trigger on it. I think Goob said that they actually come factory installed with a trigger that's meant for a shotgun. The barrel heats up very quickly and you can guess what happens to accuracy when this happens. In the online research I've done to them I've seen them fondly referred to as the old spray-o-matic (for it's less than stellar accuracy) and the old jam-o-matic for its propensity to jam. FWIW, I've put quite a few rounds down the pipe at the range with this thing, and I have never had a failure to feed or eject with it. For good 350 yard accuracy there are undoubtedly much better choices out there, but take it to the range and let some lead fly and you might be pleasantly surprised. Toward the end of the time my dad was hunting with it, he ended up settling on some 165 grain Sierra game king hand loads.

I keep thinking I need to take it out and find a factory load it likes and try to take a big game animal with it for nostalgia sake. MAN, the feelings of excitement I would get as a young boy when my dad, brother, and I would get out of the truck at first light and I would see him slide that glossy looking 742 out of its leather case!


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

*fix the trigger and you'll be fine*



colorcountrygunner said:


> My old man hunted with a Remington 742 in .30-06 the whole time I was growing up. He still owns the rifle, but doesn't really hunt with it anymore. It definitely wasn't a tack driver but it was good enough for him to bag a few bull elk and a handful of deer with, but the range was always 200 yards or less. Usually quite a bit less. It had an absolute crap trigger on it. I think Goob said that they actually come factory installed with a trigger that's meant for a shotgun. The barrel heats up very quickly and you can guess what happens to accuracy when this happens. In the online research I've done to them I've seen them fondly referred to as the old spray-o-matic (for it's less than stellar accuracy) and the old jam-o-matic for its propensity to jam. FWIW, I've put quite a few rounds down the pipe at the range with this thing, and I have never had a failure to feed or eject with it. For good 350 yard accuracy there are undoubtedly much better choices out there, but take it to the range and let some lead fly and you might be pleasantly surprised. Toward the end of the time my dad was hunting with it, he ended up settling on some 165 grain Sierra game king hand loads.
> 
> I keep thinking I need to take it out and find a factory load it likes and try to take a big game animal with it for nostalgia sake. MAN, the feelings of excitement I would get as a young boy when my dad, brother, and I would get out of the truck at first light and I would see him slide that glossy looking 742 out of its leather case!


Yes to all of that.

Clean the gun thoroughly and then spray the action down with dry lubricant. The 742s were a little quirky and I don't think they run that model very long. Then like Critter said go shoot it and see that it cycles OK.

The 742 had the same barrel as the 760 pump. My experience is that both firearms shot 2" groups if you were lucky using the factory trigger. The 742 trigger is the same trigger as the Model 870; a cluncky POS in a rifle.

If the thing cycles OK work on the trigger. I have installed the Timney 870 trigger fix kits in all the triggers of my Remington pumps and semi-autos (870 Actions, 7600 series of pump action rifles, Remington Model # 878, 74 series pump action rifles, 1100 series of pump action shotguns, Remington model 750 Woodmaster, Remington 742 Semi Auto Rifle and the Remington 762 Rifle) that have the 870 trigger....well maybe not my .410s and 28 guage Remingtons. :neutral:

When I was a younger man and didn't have any money I just changed the spring out on the sear to a lighter wire spring or just made the OEM spring shorter in order to make the trigger pull less and somewhat crisper. Did the same thing to my 870s I used for slug guns.

I used a short base die when reloading for the 742.

The Remington semi-autos are fun to shoot.

Good luck, keep us posted.


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## 2full (Apr 8, 2010)

I have a Remington Woodmaster semi automatic model 81 in .30 caliber that I picked up years ago from a older gentleman who was told by a judge that he had to give up all his guns.........it is in great shape. Don't think it got used much at all. He threw in 10 boxes of shells for $2 each. The boxes of shells are old but in great shape as well. I have stored them correctly so they stay nice. I have never shot the gun. 
I know the .35 is the most sought after caliber in the model 81. 
The model 81 was a update for the model 8 Remington, which was their first semi auto and the model 8 came out in around 1906. 

Has anyone shot, or have a model 81 ? If so, what is the verdict on the model 81 ?


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

*yer killin me*



2full said:


> I have a Remington Woodmaster semi automatic model 81 in .30 caliber that I picked up years ago from a older gentleman who was told by a judge that he had to give up all his guns.........it is in great shape. Don't think it got used much at all. He threw in 10 boxes of shells for $2 each. The boxes of shells are old but in great shape as well. I have stored them correctly so they stay nice. I have never shot the gun.
> I know the .35 is the most sought after caliber in the model 81.
> The model 81 was a update for the model 8 Remington, which was their first semi auto and the model 8 came out in around 1906.
> 
> Has anyone shot, or have a model 81 ? If so, what is the verdict on the model 81 ?


Alright, I dug two .30 Remingtons out of the closet.






.


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## 2full (Apr 8, 2010)

Goob,
The semi is exactly like the one I have. The one I have has a Lyman sight on it. 
Do you ever shoot yours? The reviews on them say the action is quite good on the model 81. 
Was just wondering how they perform, compared to the reviews.


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

2full said:


> Goob,
> The semi is exactly like the one I have. The one I have has a Lyman sight on it.
> Do you ever shoot yours? The reviews on them say the action is quite good on the model 81.
> Was just wondering how they perform, compared to the reviews.


I have shot the ones I own and they shoot fine even reduced loads with cast bullets. The 8s and 81 make a distinctive mechanical sound when they cycle, like a Rem 11-48 shotgun or an AK47. By the way, that sound was the last thing Bonnie and Clyde ever heard. :-|

The .30 Rem was Remington's counter to Winchester's 30-30. The only real difference between the two cartridges is that the .30 Rem is rimless. I use 30-30 recipes for .30 Rem and get about 75 fps more out of the .30 Rem as I do with a standard Model 94 30-30 because the Remington 81s and 141s have 24" long barrels.

The .30 Remington holds a special place in my heart. The stories I could tell.

If you need some .30 Rem ammo let me know.

.


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## colorcountrygunner (Oct 6, 2009)

wyogoob said:


> I have shot the ones I own and they shoot fine even reduced loads with cast bullets. The 8s and 81 make a distinctive mechanical sound when they cycle, like a Rem 11-48 shotgun or an AK47. By the way, that sound was the last thing Bonnie and Clyde ever heard. :-|
> 
> The .30 Rem was Remington's counter to Winchester's 30-30. The only real difference between the two cartridges is that the .30 Rem is rimless. I use 30-30 recipes for .30 Rem and get about 75 fps more out of the .30 Rem as I do with a standard Model 94 30-30 because the Remington 81s and 141s have 24" long barrels.
> 
> ...


*starry eyed, cross legged on the floor* We've got the time, Goob!


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

*hijacked again*



colorcountrygunner said:


> *starry eyed, cross legged on the floor* We've got the time, Goob!


In another thread someday perhaps. We're a little off topic. My apologies to Lost.

.


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## LostLouisianian (Oct 11, 2010)

Nope you're good. Let's hear about getting a monster elk with one of those old canons


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## Mojo1 (Sep 8, 2007)

Thru the years Ive had several 742's in various calibers, accuracy beyond 300 yards is hit or miss with them, depends on the gun and loads as best as I could tell. I have my daddy's old 742 -06, while I seldom use it, it groups good enough to make 350 yards shots with 150 gr Winchesters in it. ive got it sighted in 2' high at a hundred, so if you hold at the top of his back it should be in the neighborhood. I occasionally take it deer hunting but usually in the thick stuff where I'm not gonna be taking long shots, I save those for my WSM


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## 2full (Apr 8, 2010)

Thanks Goob for the info. 
I can't really shoot autos being left handed. They eject into my face........
So I have all bolts and lever rifles except the '81. Main reason I have not shot it. 

Sorry to take us off topic. I was curious as it was about a Remington auto.


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## LostLouisianian (Oct 11, 2010)

2full said:


> Thanks Goob for the info.
> I can't really shoot autos being left handed. They eject into my face........
> So I have all bolts and lever rifles except the '81. Main reason I have not shot it.
> 
> Sorry to take us off topic. I was curious as it was about a Remington auto.


Grandpa was a leftie too, I always got a kick out of him shooting ducks with his Remington 1100 and hulls flying right in front of his nose every shot.


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## 2full (Apr 8, 2010)

Been there LL......
My shot guns are all pumps, except for the 101 over/under that was my dad's. 
I don't shoot that one anymore.


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## colorcountrygunner (Oct 6, 2009)

LL, did you ever take out that 742 and see what she could do?


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## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

LL got mad at the forum here and took his ball home and doesn't want to play anymore.


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## colorcountrygunner (Oct 6, 2009)

Critter said:


> LL got mad at the forum here and took his ball home and doesn't want to play anymore.


That's strange. He never struck me as the sulky type.


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

Critter said:


> LL got mad at the forum here and took his ball home and doesn't want to play anymore.


He discovered there's 11 Liberals on the UWN. He thought there were only 5.

Flipped out.

.


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## 2full (Apr 8, 2010)

That's too bad. 
I enjoyed his input. 
I wish people wouldn't get so wound up about politics, and just enjoy the conversation.


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

2full said:


> That's too bad.
> I enjoyed his input.
> I wish people wouldn't get so wound up about politics, and just enjoy the conversation.


Yeah, no kiddin'.

.


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## 7mm Reloaded (Aug 25, 2015)

LostLouisianian said:


> Anyone here use a Remington 742 for deer or elk? I have an old one that I've never shot in .30-06 and just wondering if they are accurate enough out to 350 yards to use on elk.


I just traded an AK47 for a Woods Master in .06 that has a highly engraved receiver and I'm trying it on elk this year. Was made in 1963. shoots tight at 100. Good pine gun, lots of quick fire power. I'll have my 7 for sittin though lol. Gettin stoked!


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