Remington 742 ? Nothing seems to work

[highshooter]

I have been trying to make this thing shoot for quite awhile now and it seems like what ever I through at it it dont like it. Maybe I am expecting to much out of it. Will or should it shoot MOA at 100yards? I would think with the right load it should. I have tried 3 differnt powders and 150 and 165gr bullets. I usally deal with bolt rifles so I anyone might have a hint please help.

Thanks.
Eric

[Evan03]

im gona guess this is semi auto. im not up on what a 742 is

also guessn its 30.06 due to your selction of bullets in the 150-165gr range.

somebody here has got to have some hints.

id like to here more on the rifle, wether its scoped or your shootin open sites. if its glassed what kinda glass is it.

have you tried Reloader 19 this may be the powder to try if you havent yet

i dont know anything about semi autos but im gona guess that a 2" group at 100yds wouldnt be that bad.


Evan

[Gil Martin]

What kind of groups are you getting? Generally, bolt action rifles are considered more accurate than semi-autos, but that can vary. I follow the Lyman manual and use a moderate charge of IMR4350 and have been satisfied. You may or may not get MOA out of that rifle. Good luck. All the best...
Gil

[Rocky Raab]

There are so many variables that point against high accuracy in these guns that it's unusual for one to get under 2 MOA consistently.

There's the loose chamber needed for fast cycling, the usually loose front stock work, the sometimes inconsistent lockup, the battering that ammo gets when it slams in...The list can go on.

Then there are (let's be frank) differences in bench setup and shooting technique - not to mention the poor to awful trigger in the gun.

I've seen a very few that will shoot MUCH better than that, but about 2 MOA is what I'd personally expect - and settle for.

[highshooter]

Sorry for leaving out the details. Yes you were correct it is a .30-06 and it is scoped. It has a Simmons Whitetail classic scope. I will attemt 180 Nosler BT a try this weekend and see how that works. I have not tried RE19 I have been trying IMR4895 and H4831 along with H4350. These have always been very good for my other guns in the same caliber. I have also cleaned it well removing the copper fouling. After measuring (using a sinclair tool) the throught seems to be very short. The bullet must be seated in pretty far to be off the lands, maybe this is causing my problems. This rifle might end up on the sale page before long! I hate to sell a gun but if it wont shoot I aint keeping it. :confused:

[HPBTMTCH]

highshooter, the 742 is a bugger to make shoot. I have worked with a few, and thats a few to many for me. The trigger is a problem, very inconsistent pull. Try putting the front bag in different places on the forearm. Close to the action seems to work best, but not always. Shoot a 3 round group, and then pull the 4th round out of the chamber, like rocky says, it may be bent or otherwise chewed up when it got slammed it to the action. Are you shooting 3 or 5 round groups? Are there fliers,and is there a pattern? I have seen them shoot off one side of the clip, and throw double groups, which means it shoots one place when the round is loaded from the left side of the clip, and someplace else from the right side. Are the first 2 rounds closer to each other than the rest? Sometimes the first round with semi-autos is a flier, becaues the rifle has to load the round itself. As the gas chamber and barrel heat up they somtime throw fliers, try shooting 2 rounds, then let it cool completely before shooting the 3rd. IMR4350 is a good place to start with an `06. Try some sierra match kings, in 168-175 too. Semi`s are hard on brass to, i`ve had good luck switching to lapua brass, but it`s expensive, and you cry when you lose one, lol. Let us know how it goes.

[Evan03]

ive been thinkin about what id do if in yopu shoes.. firstly im not nor will i be, a semi auto rifle in a center fire hunting caliber wont ever be in my stables.

how does it shoot now, are you shootin groups bigger than 2"s????? 3-5"s?

id quit loading for it stuff some 150-165gr facotry remingont core lokts down its throat, if it shoots these into a 2-3" pattern i might keep it if the country i hunt is mostly in the range of 250yds and under.

id have to be honest and say that i wouldnt even have loaded for the rifle, it realy just wouldnt be worth my time. its basicaly wasteing powder brass bullets and time. for me that is.


good luck

Evan

[8X56MS]

I have a Remington 742 myself, a 1976 Bicentinial model. I have shot factory Remington 150 grain CoreLokt bullets almost all the time. Since you really need small base dies to reload for a Semi auto, I just don't bother. I have other 30/06 bolt action rifles, and I do some reloading for them.
My 742 has been dead on reliable, and fairly accurate with the factory ammo.
My suggestion would be to try some factory loads, and stick with the one your rifle likes.

[Dom]

I'll call it luck, but I had a load for another '06 when I bought a 7400, and tried that load in it. I wasn't looking for 1 MOA, and didn't get that, but I did get 1.5 to 2 MOA, which is satisfactory for that rifle as a drive hunt gun. Shots over 100 meters are rare, and inside that it does the job very well. That load was IMR 4350 pushing a 180gr Nosler Partition, so you may want to try 180's in that 742. You never really know what combination is going to work, so try a few variations out. Sometimes you get lucky, Waidmannsheil, Dom.

[buckhunter]

If you are lucky you might get a 1"MOA from a 742 but 1 1/2 - 2 are the norm with it. I had one with the front sling swival in the front forearm screw and everytime I shot it loosened up changing the POI and opening the group. I ended up mounting a barrel band. That helped but all I could manage was about 1 1/2 on a good day. Like Rocky sez ther are a lot of things that can effect the accuray of it.

When loading for a auto you should used a small base die. I have had my best luck with IMR 4350. Make sure you trim them after each shot.

I have a Browning BAR that is a shooter. I use 54.0 gr ofIMR 4350, CCI primers, Remington brass, and 180 gr Hornady Round Nose bullet. That will do 1" MOA out of my rifle.

Best of luck

[eldeguello]

Originally posted by highshooter
I have been trying to make this thing shoot for quite awhile now and it seems like what ever I through at it it dont like it. Maybe I am expecting to much out of it. Will or should it shoot MOA at 100yards? I would think with the right load it should.
Thanks.Eric

Basically I doubt if it will ever shoot MOA. Few if any Rem. autoloaders ever have. If you can get it to shoot five rounds into 2" @ 100 yards, yours is better than most! In my M1, I found 47 grains of IMR 4064 with the Sierra 165-grain PSPBT (and also the 168-grain Sierra Match King) and Fed. 210 primers in FA '59 Match brass to be the most accurate load - it would put 6 or 7 of the M1's 8 rounds into 1" @ 100 yards, then always threw one of the 8 out into the 9 ring! Not always the same shot of the eight either!

[Cal Sibley]

When I started reloading I had a Savage 99 in .308Win. I was determined to make it group better than the 1 1/2 to 1 3/4" it was shooting. I took a lot of pains with that rifle, finally gave up about a year later. Semi-autos, pumps, levers will do well to group under 2". If you want it for deer size game and larger at fairly close range then that level of accuracy will suffice. Let's face it, tackdrivers they're not. Best wishes.

Cal - Montreal

[highshooter]

Originally posted by HPBTMTCH
highshooter, the 742 is a bugger to make shoot. I have worked with a few, and thats a few to many for me. The trigger is a problem, very inconsistent pull. Try putting the front bag in different places on the forearm. Close to the action seems to work best, but not always. Shoot a 3 round group, and then pull the 4th round out of the chamber, like rocky says, it may be bent or otherwise chewed up when it got slammed it to the action. Are you shooting 3 or 5 round groups? Are there fliers,and is there a pattern? I have seen them shoot off one side of the clip, and throw double groups, which means it shoots one place when the round is loaded from the left side of the clip, and someplace else from the right side. Are the first 2 rounds closer to each other than the rest? Sometimes the first round with semi-autos is a flier, becaues the rifle has to load the round itself. As the gas chamber and barrel heat up they somtime throw fliers, try shooting 2 rounds, then let it cool completely before shooting the 3rd. IMR4350 is a good place to start with an `06. Try some sierra match kings, in 168-175 too. Semi`s are hard on brass to, i`ve had good luck switching to lapua brass, but it`s expensive, and you cry when you lose one, lol. Let us know how it goes. I took it out over the holidays after loading up some 180 Nosler BT. with loads of AA3100-55, 56, 57, & 58 grains. 55 and 56 were bad 3" groups 57 and 58 were good but EXACTLY like you say 2 destinct groups, I shot 3 shots the 2 should have just went with 3 and saved ammo! I will try and post some pics of the groups the both had 3 shots with less than 1" but the 2 others out together I usumed this was from the barrel heating up. but after you saying that about the clip it makes me wish I would have read this first before I went back out so I could keep an eye on that. I reckon I should acept it I is shooting well enough to take a deer at 100 yards. And that was the only goal for this rifle. I just didnt acpect to have to shoot 180's in it.
Thanks for the tips and advise from all who pitched in.

[eldeguello]

highshooter, sounds like your 742 is shooting a lot better than most of them will, BUT the 742 is better than the original, the Rem. 740. None of those could be made to shoot for SOUR APPLES!!

[Divernhunter]

I have a 760 and have loaded for several other 760/742 in 30-06 since the 1960's and found them to be good shooters after a learning what to do. Most will shoot groups that will fit into a silver doller or less at 100yds.
One of the first things to do is usually lighten they trigger and this is very easy. Contact me if you want more info(a excellent gunsmith friend showed me) at www.dougnmary@bigvalley.net
Next I have used Win760 powder(mag primers) or IMR 4350 with 125-165gr bullets. I do not use 180 as I have no need for them.
Use small-base dies.
One thing to consider is the scope. It may seem ok but cause the trouble. I have a Leupold varriXII 3X9X40 in Redfield/leupold one piece mounts. It was installed in 1970 and after zeroing it in I have never had the caps off the scope and it still shoots to the same spot(2.75" high @100yds) with the same handloads.

Before the trigger and a quality scope it shot garbage can lid sized groups. Try a different scope and check the mount/rings closely to see they are tight. The trigger makes a huge difference in the guns I have worked with.

MY 2 CENTS

[highshooter]

http://members19.clubphoto.com/_cgi-bin/getImage.pl?imgID=44101641-185e&trans=

REM 742 58 grs AA3100 180 Nosler BT




http://members19.clubphoto.com/_cgi-bin/getImage.pl?imgID=44101639-7452&trans=

REM 742 56 grs AA3100 180 Nosler BT only 4 shots


these are the groups I finaly got posted. I am going to work on the trigger and go again I will let yall know how it goes.

[8X56MS]

I think your expectations are too high. I keep hearing about Remington 742s and 7400s, that shoot MOA, but I have yet to see one in person. Despite all the talk online about guns that shoot MOA, and sub MOA, the reality is that most don't, and those that can, are usually shot by folks that can't shoot them that well.
If your 742 is turning in consistant 2 MOA at 100 yards, pat it on the stock, and keep on hunting.

[earschplitinloudenboomer]

Have owned and shot half a dozen or so Savage 99's. All were very accurate. Bought one for my father (he was a lefty, top tang safety) he passed it down to my oldest son (another lefty). Gun shoots UNDER 1" from a bench at 100 yds. with either Fed. Premium or Winchester black box. (.243 shooting 100 gr. bullets)

[Mickey Rat]

I have a 742 in 30-06 and never reloaded for it. When I bought it, I went to Wal-Mart and bought 3 boxes of Remington 180 gr Core-Lokt. I took it to the range, shot less than 10 rounds getting it set up, and never looked back. I checked it before hunting and if I get 2 within 1/2 inch i quit. The gun will shoot 1-1 1/2" groups from a cold barrel. I shoot one shot, wait about 10 minutes and shoot again. I usually get sub 1" groups (3 shot).

I gave the gun to my son, and he couldn't shoot it well. He ended up giving it back.

Try a box of the Remingtom Core-Lokt 180 grain. That load has worked for others besides me.

Keep in mind Minute of Deer is pretty big. If you want one holers, buy a really nice bolt action target job.

[Mickey Rat]

I just got a Winchester 100 in 308 that I am trying out with some surplus ammo. It shot about 1" with some 168 gr BT match loads I bought. I haven't got dies for it yet.