New to me 7400 Remington

gw44 · January 23, 2020, 07:03 PM

Walked in to a LGS and he had a 7400 like new for sale, I look it all over and ask how much, the next thing I know I am setting in my gun room holding it, how does this happen ??

gw44 · January 25, 2020, 08:10 PM

Well the weather broke here so I went to the range with the 7400, and was shocked when it shot sub-moa with H4895 & 165gr partition bullets, i read that some of them would do that, but I never had one that would till now !!!!

CarJunkieLS1 · January 26, 2020, 06:25 PM

Just keep it clean oiled and use it as a hunting rifle and not a range toy. It will last your lifetime and then some.

I see the Rem 742/7400 every year before deer season at the local range. Many of them don't shoot better than 1.5 MOA (could be shooter) but a few shoot MOA. One thing I did notice is for the internet to say they are garbage jam machines that are worthless, I've yet to see one ever jam.

gw44 · January 26, 2020, 08:17 PM

I have had a lot of Remington auto loaders from a 81 to a 7400 none of them ever jammed !!!!

**44 AMP** · January 28, 2020, 02:24 AM

Quote:

One thing I did notice is for the internet to say they are garbage jam machines that are worthless, I've yet to see one ever jam.

they had a reputation before there was an Internet. Most of the bad stuff came from people who thought that since they were semi autos they were the same as military grade semiautos, and they aren't and were never meant to be.

If you subject the 740 series rifles (including descendants) to the level of use and abuse an M1 Garand /M1A or even an M1 Carbine is built to withstand and ignore, the Remington SPORTING rifle will not perform as well.

They're designed for hunting big game (not varmints) and are generally not "one hole" shooters. If you find one that shoots 1 MOA, KEEP IT! most will do 1.5-2MOA, which is more than good enough to take deer and other big game at any normal range.

The actions are not designed or built to shoot endless thousands of rounds. They can, and with enough use, have worn out to the point of not being reparable. Rust in the chamber is something that will almost always jam them up. Most of them are only shot a few boxes worth a year and last decades, even generations used that way, and properly cared for.

Try to make it a "combat" rifle and treat it to "battlefield" conditions and you won't be happy with the result. In a somewhat flawed comparison, if you're going 4-wheelin' you don't take the family sedan and expect it to last.

The Rem semis are built to do a specific job, and do it fairly well. They do require the appropriate degree of care and maintenance. Good guns for what they are, and not very good for what they aren't and weren't ever meant to be.

rallyhound · February 23, 2020, 08:36 PM

anybody that would suggest that the the 7400 is not a piss poor rifle has never removed the bolt for cleaning.

I spent 3 years trying to get one reliable before giving up.
The magazine spring broke while sitting in the safe.

bamaranger · February 24, 2020, 03:03 PM

The semiauto deer rifle is/was a popular item in my area. The BAR was the choice for those that could afford them, but the Rem family was a more affordable choice and very common. There are many still go afield, and many are available in the used gun racks. I will say outright that the Rem gas autos are not for the folks that do not care for their rifles.

I've fiddled with quite a few trying to resolve failures to extract, and it is almost always related to a pitted chamber. That happens because the rifles would get shot, put up dirty, eventually get damp or worse put up dirty and damp, and corrosion would set up in the chamber. The gas system/hardware under the forearm needs attention too.

Kept clean and lubed, the rifles work well enough. Accuracy is hampered by the shotgun like trigger, and all the apparatus attached to the barrel at the forearm, but they have proven accurate enough for many folks.

Pahoo · February 24, 2020, 05:45 PM

Been awhile since I worked/hunted with these and that didn't last long. They seem to have their own particular set of problems. I know that some folks eventually convert them into 7600's. ……

Might want to check the buttstock surface under the buttplate. While the stock itself had a reasonable finish, this area does not. Took one raining hunting trip for me to find out. If you catch it now, you can save yourself this headache. While I hunted with it, I took many Alabama deer with it …..

Be Safe !!!

jfruser · February 25, 2020, 04:46 PM

If you keep it well-maintained it will do its part. Had one for many years. When it has jammed, it was because someone put their hand in the way of moving parts. Don't do that.

Capt Rick Hiott · February 25, 2020, 06:13 PM

Im sorry to say that the three that I owned were " jam machines"

bshefa · March 16, 2020, 01:29 AM

I have had a 7400 for many years. Mine will shoot around MOA if shot slowly. Get a chamber brush for it off eBay or wherever. I have see them as recently as a few months ago. It makes cleaning it much easier. Also, your point of impact will shift when it heats up from more than three rounds in succession. This isn’t usually an issue but it can be during hog hunting. I think they are fine for what they are... a cheaper alternative to a BAR. I have a 10 round mag (I’m not sure they still make them) for it and it has never ever jammed. There have been hundreds of coreloks sent into hogs with it

Drm50 · March 20, 2020, 09:49 AM

My first deer rifle was a Rem 8 in 35 cal. when I was 12. At the time the used gun racks were full of older deer rifles. Due to economic times (1962) a lot of WW2 guys were upgrading to new rifles. The Rem 742/760 series were big sellers. They killed a lot of deer in the woods.
They were meat guns not target rifles and 742s jammed a lot.
I busted my butt to get a 742 like the older guys had, took me 2 yrs. Worst purchase I ever made. Mine was 742c 30/06 and it was 3” gun. To get it any better you had to use 180gr bullets at 2300fps at which point you might as well use a 30/30. Not to mention jams.
That’s the only one I ever bought new although I’ve had several I took on trade. I am one who calls em as I see them. I don’t care what name is on it or how much it cost. Junk is Junk and time is to short to waste time on it. I can’t think of another rifle constructed like 742/760. If you have ever worked on them you know what I mean.
I still have my #8 Rem 35 and several other 81,14,141 Rems and never had any jam on me.
I have seen the odd rifle shoot 1.5” but most are lucky to do 3”. Most of the Deer hunters I know offed there 742s back in 70s. 760s weren’t quite as bad because the hand operation of pump wasn’t near as severe as gas operated semi. on actions.

January 23, 2020, 07:03 PM	#1
gw44 Senior Member Join Date: March 15, 2015 Location: Michigan Posts: 311	New to me 7400 Remington Walked in to a LGS and he had a 7400 like new for sale, I look it all over and ask how much, the next thing I know I am setting in my gun room holding it, how does this happen ??

February 23, 2020, 08:36 PM	#6
rallyhound Senior Member Join Date: February 23, 2005 Location: Minneapolis Posts: 271	anybody that would suggest that the the 7400 is not a piss poor rifle has never removed the bolt for cleaning. I spent 3 years trying to get one reliable before giving up. The magazine spring broke while sitting in the safe. __________________ When it's all said and done--- More will be said Free" men do not ask permission to bear arms.

February 24, 2020, 03:03 PM	#7
bamaranger Senior Member Join Date: October 9, 2009 Location: North Alabama Posts: 8,302	Rem auto rifles The semiauto deer rifle is/was a popular item in my area. The BAR was the choice for those that could afford them, but the Rem family was a more affordable choice and very common. There are many still go afield, and many are available in the used gun racks. I will say outright that the Rem gas autos are not for the folks that do not care for their rifles. I've fiddled with quite a few trying to resolve failures to extract, and it is almost always related to a pitted chamber. That happens because the rifles would get shot, put up dirty, eventually get damp or worse put up dirty and damp, and corrosion would set up in the chamber. The gas system/hardware under the forearm needs attention too. Kept clean and lubed, the rifles work well enough. Accuracy is hampered by the shotgun like trigger, and all the apparatus attached to the barrel at the forearm, but they have proven accurate enough for many folks.

February 25, 2020, 04:46 PM	#9
jfruser Senior Member Join Date: April 6, 2006 Location: Texas Posts: 350	If you keep it well-maintained it will do its part. Had one for many years. When it has jammed, it was because someone put their hand in the way of moving parts. Don't do that. __________________ Regards, jfruser "Books and bullets have their own destinies."----Bob Ross

February 25, 2020, 06:13 PM	#10
Capt Rick Hiott Senior Member Join Date: August 30, 2010 Posts: 376	Im sorry to say that the three that I owned were " jam machines" __________________ Capt Rick Hiott Charleston,SC

January 25, 2020, 08:10 PM	#2
gw44 Senior Member Join Date: March 15, 2015 Location: Michigan Posts: 311	Well the weather broke here so I went to the range with the 7400, and was shocked when it shot sub-moa with H4895 & 165gr partition bullets, i read that some of them would do that, but I never had one that would till now !!!!

January 26, 2020, 06:25 PM	#3
CarJunkieLS1 Senior Member Join Date: October 1, 2013 Posts: 686	Just keep it clean oiled and use it as a hunting rifle and not a range toy. It will last your lifetime and then some. I see the Rem 742/7400 every year before deer season at the local range. Many of them don't shoot better than 1.5 MOA (could be shooter) but a few shoot MOA. One thing I did notice is for the internet to say they are garbage jam machines that are worthless, I've yet to see one ever jam.

January 26, 2020, 08:17 PM	#4
gw44 Senior Member Join Date: March 15, 2015 Location: Michigan Posts: 311	I have had a lot of Remington auto loaders from a 81 to a 7400 none of them ever jammed !!!!

February 24, 2020, 05:45 PM	#8
Pahoo Senior Member Join Date: February 16, 2006 Location: IOWA Posts: 8,783	Share of problems !!! Been awhile since I worked/hunted with these and that didn't last long. They seem to have their own particular set of problems. I know that some folks eventually convert them into 7600's. …… Might want to check the buttstock surface under the buttplate. While the stock itself had a reasonable finish, this area does not. Took one raining hunting trip for me to find out. If you catch it now, you can save yourself this headache. While I hunted with it, I took many Alabama deer with it ….. Be Safe !!! __________________ 'Fundamental truths' are easy to recognize because they are verified daily through simple observation and thus, require no testing.

March 16, 2020, 01:29 AM	#11
bshefa Senior Member Join Date: November 22, 2006 Location: Central Texas Posts: 185	I have had a 7400 for many years. Mine will shoot around MOA if shot slowly. Get a chamber brush for it off eBay or wherever. I have see them as recently as a few months ago. It makes cleaning it much easier. Also, your point of impact will shift when it heats up from more than three rounds in succession. This isn’t usually an issue but it can be during hog hunting. I think they are fine for what they are... a cheaper alternative to a BAR. I have a 10 round mag (I’m not sure they still make them) for it and it has never ever jammed. There have been hundreds of coreloks sent into hogs with it

March 20, 2020, 09:49 AM	#12
Drm50 Senior Member Join Date: November 10, 2014 Posts: 1,378	My first deer rifle was a Rem 8 in 35 cal. when I was 12. At the time the used gun racks were full of older deer rifles. Due to economic times (1962) a lot of WW2 guys were upgrading to new rifles. The Rem 742/760 series were big sellers. They killed a lot of deer in the woods. They were meat guns not target rifles and 742s jammed a lot. I busted my butt to get a 742 like the older guys had, took me 2 yrs. Worst purchase I ever made. Mine was 742c 30/06 and it was 3” gun. To get it any better you had to use 180gr bullets at 2300fps at which point you might as well use a 30/30. Not to mention jams. That’s the only one I ever bought new although I’ve had several I took on trade. I am one who calls em as I see them. I don’t care what name is on it or how much it cost. Junk is Junk and time is to short to waste time on it. I can’t think of another rifle constructed like 742/760. If you have ever worked on them you know what I mean. I still have my #8 Rem 35 and several other 81,14,141 Rems and never had any jam on me. I have seen the odd rifle shoot 1.5” but most are lucky to do 3”. Most of the Deer hunters I know offed there 742s back in 70s. 760s weren’t quite as bad because the hand operation of pump wasn’t near as severe as gas operated semi. on actions.