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Old 10-19-2020, 04:36 PM
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Default Remington 742 Woodsmaster Cleaning

Has anyone cleaned one of these magnificent staples of the 80's? I have acquired one in 3006 and am wondering on any tips for cleaning? From what I am gathering, you should not completely disassemble but spray them out, similar to an old Auto 5.

Thoughts?
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Old 10-19-2020, 04:58 PM
fps plus fps plus is offline
 
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They are definitely not for the novice to disassemble ! At best one can pull the trigger group assembly out and wash out the trigger group and with pressured cleaner / degreaser . Can also do the receiver and bolt assembly inside the receiver the same way
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Old 10-19-2020, 05:07 PM
Positrac Positrac is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bergerboy View Post
Has anyone cleaned one of these magnificent staples of the 80's? I have acquired one in 3006 and am wondering on any tips for cleaning? From what I am gathering, you should not completely disassemble but spray them out, similar to an old Auto 5.

Thoughts?
I just picked one up myself. You’re be hard pressed to find a 742 made in the 80’s though. My dad bought his 742 new in 1964. Mine is a 1978 but doesn’t look like it was ever used.

Can’t help you on the cleaning but I’m going to pull it apart in the next month and give it a good once over.
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Old 10-19-2020, 05:48 PM
Smokinyotes Smokinyotes is offline
 
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I had a left hand 742 in 308 win when I was 16. I think I had way to much oil in the action and I called it my jamomatic. I took it apart and had to get my uncle to put it back together. After a thorough cleaning it still jammed. Sold it and bought a 700 bdl in 30-06.
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Old 10-19-2020, 08:26 PM
FellSwoop FellSwoop is offline
 
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I have one in 6mm rem, dated 1972 that has very low rounds through it judging by the rails. I have never attempted a full disassembly, basically just do what fps said. After, I add a light amount of the yellow can silicone WD40. It will fail to extract and rip the rim off the cartridge in the attempt, but it only does this at the range if allowed to get warm. My solution is to site in with 2 rounds at the start of the season and call it good. It is a backup gun that has done its duty in the past.
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Old 10-19-2020, 08:57 PM
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Thanks guys.
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Old 10-19-2020, 09:38 PM
Positrac Positrac is offline
 
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Thanks guys.
You can take the barrel markings if interested and look up the year of the rifle online. Doesn’t make a whole hill of beans difference but it’s always kind of cool to see what age it is.

You’ll also hear a lot of negative comments in regards to 740/742/7400 Rems but treat them right and they are just fine. My dad has been shooting his since the sixties without an issue and I’d hate to guess how many rounds have been down that old pipe.

And ya, I’m still talking about the rifle....
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Old 10-19-2020, 09:40 PM
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Originally Posted by Positrac View Post
You can take the barrel markings if interested and look up the year of the rifle online. Doesn’t make a whole hill of beans difference but it’s always kind of cool to see what age it is.

You’ll also hear a lot of negative comments in regards to 740/742/7400 Rems but treat them right and they are just fine. My dad has been shooting his since the sixties without an issue and I’d hate to guess how many rounds have been down that old pipe.

And ya, I’m still talking about the rifle....
I shall look it up and report back!

Edit: January 1977.
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Last edited by Bergerboy; 10-19-2020 at 09:55 PM.
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Old 10-20-2020, 08:58 AM
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I had a 6mm once. If you kept it immaculately clean, it would function. If you fired more than 5 shots, it was not immaculately clean any more. LOL. I much preferred my BAR.
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Old 10-20-2020, 09:19 AM
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I have some experience with the 742 but lots of experience with the 552.
They share a lot of design features.

Removing the trigger group is relatively simple with both but other then that I wouldn't recommend an inexperienced individual disassemble either any further.

The bolt can not be removed without removing the barrel and barrel removal should be left to qualified gunsmiths.

It's too easy to damage the gas port while removing the barrel and any damage to it can cause the rifle to malfunction.

I've never had to clean a 742 so can't comment on that.
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Old 10-22-2020, 08:48 PM
FellSwoop FellSwoop is offline
 
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The best thing about bringing a 742 to hunting camp is the comments that will be proved wrong by the end of the trip. "You brought the jammaster" , "best single shot Remington made", etc.
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Old 10-22-2020, 09:24 PM
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I was a total die hard bolt action guy and had an opportunity to by a BAR in 30-06 . It definitely changed my mind. I have that and found a Belgium BAR 300 win mag that is very accurate .
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Old 10-23-2020, 11:08 AM
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Like the others have said, remove trigger group ONLY. Rest can be cleaned up very well with a good solvent, tooth brush and Q-tips. Only take gun further apart if you need to do repairs and most of those will need a good gunsmith. The 742s I have used were accurate, reliable and functioned well if kept clean and lightly lubed with synthetic. I prefer guns that can be easily disassembled by the user, but for what they are designed to do the 742 works well. Big problem is there is no left eject version.
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Old 10-24-2020, 10:01 PM
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No offence, but have any of you that are advising him to not remove the barrel actually done it? I have a 740 (predecessor to the 742) and have taken it completely apart, it’s not that bad. It was terribly dirty in many places that I wouldn’t have been able to clean without a complete disassembly.

People say they are the worst semi auto rifles, mine just goes bang bang bang, every time.

Bergerboy, how are the rails inside the receiver? Look for a bunch of chew marks from the bolt locking lugs where they smash into the receiver rail at max rearward travel (near the two rear scope base screw holes). Once they get real chewed up it can cause reliability issues. To most that is the death of these rifles, but it can be fixed.

If you aren’t comfortable with a complete assembly make sure you clean the heck out of the chamber. If the chamber is dirty or has a coating of various oils and such it can also cause reliability issues.
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Old 10-24-2020, 10:10 PM
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I have in fact completely disassembled them. The issue is not that it can't be done, the issue is that it is not all that simple. Also, with proper cleaning there is no real need to fully disassemble them. Brake cleaner and properly cleaning chamber and gas passage means the gun should only need to be fully disassembled every few year.
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Old 10-24-2020, 10:19 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dean2 View Post
I have in fact completely disassembled them. The issue is not that it can't be done, the issue is that it is not all that simple. Also, with proper cleaning there is no real need to fully disassemble them. Brake cleaner and properly cleaning chamber and gas passage means the gun should only need to be fully disassembled every few year.
That’s good Dean2, as I said no offence, just seeing if advice was based on experience or hearsay. I agree that it isn’t something that needs to be done regularly, as you say every few years (depending on use). I bought mine very dirty, hence the complete disassembly. I couldn’t believe the difference in how the action closed before I cleaned it VS after, night and day.
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Old 10-25-2020, 01:41 AM
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Quote:
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No offence, but have any of you that are advising him to not remove the barrel actually done it?
There is only one reason to ask that question and that is to discredit anyone you disagree with.

Only three of us advised against it. Dean has made his position clear, so I'll go next.

I think I was pretty clear that most of my experience was with the 552.
What I did not say, because it wasn't relevant to the discussion was that I did not fully dissemble the 742 but I did suggest that I had not.

I also did not say that my reason for not fully dissembling the 742 was that I did not need to and because the factory owners manual advised against doing so.
Again because I don't see how that is relevant to the discussion.

And because I don't consider factory service manuals hearsay.

Next I expect you will ask about my gunsmithing qualifications.

Fair question.

I've been repairing and altering rifles and shotguns for over forty years.
I am largely self taught but have an extensive library to help me and an above average mechanical aptitude.

I do not do gun repair or alterations for pay and seldom do work for others.
The majority of my experience comes from working on my own firearms.
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Last edited by KegRiver; 10-25-2020 at 01:48 AM.
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Old 10-25-2020, 07:04 AM
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I have looked at the internal receiver rails with the trigger group removed and there is no significant wear with only the bluing removed from the surface. I knew the previous owner and this rifle has not been shot since the early 90's and may have had 2 boxed put through it at most. I have cleaned the gas tube, gas block and rotary lug with cleaner. I applied a small amount of Kroil to the locking lugs and cycled the action 20-30 times. Reading the above comments I will get a chamber mop in there and make sure its gunk free. I will let you know how it cycles when I can bang away at the range with it.
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Old 10-25-2020, 07:25 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Roamer View Post
No offence, but have any of you that are advising him to not remove the barrel actually done it? I have a 740 (predecessor to the 742) and have taken it completely apart, it’s not that bad. It was terribly dirty in many places that I wouldn’t have been able to clean without a complete disassembly.

People say they are the worst semi auto rifles, mine just goes bang bang bang, every time.

Bergerboy, how are the rails inside the receiver? Look for a bunch of chew marks from the bolt locking lugs where they smash into the receiver rail at max rearward travel (near the two rear scope base screw holes). Once they get real chewed up it can cause reliability issues. To most that is the death of these rifles, but it can be fixed.

If you aren’t comfortable with a complete assembly make sure you clean the heck out of the chamber. If the chamber is dirty or has a coating of various oils and such it can also cause reliability issues.
Yes in fact I have taken apart hundreds over the years
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Old 10-25-2020, 03:39 PM
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I have one in 30-06

Since 1969, all the cleaning has entailed was removing the buttstock, pull out the trigger group, blast with Canadian Tire tool and parts cleaner, lube, clean barrel, reassemble

The reason I remove the buttstock is the tool and parts cleaner can remove the finish on the wood.
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Old 10-25-2020, 04:09 PM
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Originally Posted by huntinstuff View Post
I have one in 30-06

Since 1969, all the cleaning has entailed was removing the buttstock, pull out the trigger group, blast with Canadian Tire tool and parts cleaner, lube, clean barrel, reassemble

The reason I remove the buttstock is the tool and parts cleaner can remove the finish on the wood.
The couple I’ve owned was pretty much the same. An old tooth brush or a parts cleaning brush and some pipe cleaners for the naughty recesses too. Brake kleen is your friend.
I used dry graphite lube for lubricant, made by Jetlube way back when, Remington‘s Dri-Lube would be good too.
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Old 10-26-2020, 11:15 AM
Kolibri Kolibri is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bergerboy View Post
Has anyone cleaned one of these magnificent staples of the 80's? I have acquired one in 3006 and am wondering on any tips for cleaning? From what I am gathering, you should not completely disassemble but spray them out, similar to an old Auto 5.

Thoughts?
I have had a few, and did smithing on a number as well. 90% of the time pulling the trigger group and spraying out the reciever/bolt will do the trick, as well as pulling the forearm to clean in under it.
If you want to get fancy and either do some of the bolt head lockig/over rotation upgrades, or really just go all out, you can pull the barrel, its more a PITA then technically challenging. Getting the barrel nut off can be a chore the first time if its never been off. I made up a few tools just to make it easier, but for regular cleaning, there is no need.
Check out you tube, tons of videos.
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  #23  
Old 10-26-2020, 12:01 PM
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This is a very nice rifle to shoot! Very mellow recoil and not an awful trigger. Seems to be a solid 2 MOA performer with is adequate for a hunting rifle. I think I am going to be on the look out for some better glass for this thing.
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  #24  
Old 10-27-2020, 06:11 AM
lyallpeder lyallpeder is offline
 
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I have used this guys videos to show me how to disassemble a couple rifles.

https://youtu.be/bvml8dV8Cq8
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