Remington 740, Remington 742, Remington 7400 and Remington 750The Remington 740, introduced in 1955, was a semi auto rifle designed for big game hunting. The Remington 742 and the Remington 7400 were improved versions that followed. Remington's model 750 is the latest offering. The 740 shown below weighs approximately 8.5 lbs including the scope and fully loaded. The detachable magazine holds 4 rounds. This was Dad's favorite deer rifle for many seasons and he always carried a second loaded magazine in his coat pocket. I don't think he ever needed it but... just in case. 
Remington 740 Woodsmaster semi auto rifle with Swift 4x scope This one is chambered in .30-06 Springfield. The Remington 740 was also available in .244 Remington, .308 Winchester, and .280 Remington. The barrel is 22" long and overall length is 42". As you can see the walnut stock is rather plain but has clean lines and gives this semi auto rifle an attractive appearance. (My opinion). The barrel is topped with a semi buckhorn rear sight and silver beaded front sight. The gas operated action uses a rotating bolt with 3 rows of multiple bolt lugs. Upon firing, the stamped metal operating rod forces the bolt out of battery and rearward, allowing the ejector bar to pivot outward. The empty case is flung out the right side through the ejection port. The bolt is then pushed forward by spring force, picking up a fresh cartridge from the magazine and guiding it into the firing chamber while rotating back into the locked position. 
The cross bolt safety is located just behind the trigger. The magazine release is the tab just in front of the trigger guard on the right side. (The bolt must be forward to release it.)
Remington 740 magazine release
After the last shot, the magazine will hold open the bolt automatically. The bolt release is a round knob on the left side of the magazine. Sliding it to the rear allows the bolt to move forward into battery. The magazine release is then free to be operated.
Remington 740 bolt release
Dad hunted from the same stand with his Woodsmaster for decades and filled his tag nearly every year. It was the perfect rifle for him. He sat between a brushy swamp and thick woods, never having a shot over 70 yards. Accuracy therefore, was never much of an issue. He sighted in for 50 yards and called it good, letting his own shooting abilities take care of the rest. Some owners complain of poor accuracy while others have found them to be just fine.
Note the many small bolt lugs of the Woodsmaster. This design, though very functional, probably limits accuracy potential. It just isn't going have the solid of lockup of a bolt action or single shot rifle. Having accuracy problems? There are some things you can do to get the most out of this or any other rifle. First, make sure the bore is absolutely clean. You may need to spend some extra time cleaning. Use copper remover if needed. Second, if using a scope, make sure the mount screws are staying tight. Third, try several brands of ammunition and different bullet weights. Using a good rest, find which one shoots the tightest groups on paper. Another note... To keep functioning smoothly and reliably the action must be kept clean and lubricated.
In 1960, The Remington 740 was replaced by the Remington 742. A .243 Winchester chambering was added to the original choices. The standard rifle with 22" barrel was known as the 742A. The 742ADL was a deluxe version along with the 742BDL which had a raised cheekpiece. The 742 was also available in a left hand version. The 742C was a carbine with 18-1/2" barrel. The 742CDL was the deluxe carbine. The Remington 742 had some improvements over the 740 including an upgrade of the iron sights, forearm attachment screw and the bolt mechanism. The 742 sold 1,433,000 copies and in 1981 was replaced by the Remington 7400. The 7400 (1981-2004) featured a "gas metered operating system" and an updated extractor. It was available in 6mm Remington, .243 Winchester, .270 Winchester, .280 Remington, .30-06 Springfield, .308 Winchester and .35 Whelen. It had a satin finished wood stock and pressed checkering. The model 4 (1981-1988) was a deluxe version of the Remington 7400. Also, from 1984-1987 Remington produced a model 74 Sportsman for the budget minded. It was Birch stocked (uncheckered) and .30-06 only.
Remington 750 Woodsmaster
In 2006 the Remington 750 was born. It has a more modern styled stock with cut checkering. Remington claims reduced recoil due to it's "ultra efficient gas operated action". A carbine version is available as well as a synthetic stock. That's one sweet looking rifle! |
