Why is my $250 Rem 742 30-06 inferior to a $2000 AR.308?

Awesome, it sounds like the gun is working great for you.

While it sounds like an AR10 wouldn't benefit you much (if at all), there are plenty of people that an AR10 will do a whole lot more for than a Rem 742 ever could.

Comparing the 742 to an AR10 is kinda tough. They are both designed for a different purpose, though there is obviously some overlap. One is a semi auto hunting rifle and the other is a combat rifle. They can clearly both be used for the same purposes, but each excels in its own primary category.

If I was grabbing a rifle to walk 5-10 miles with while hunting, 742 it is! If I was worried about the total collapse of humanity, I'd grab the AR10.

It's not, for your purposes. You don't need autoloading for hunting as you're likely to only get a single shot. Easy and fast reloading isn't a problem for hunting either.

So, for it's purposes, the AR would be paying a big penalty in weight and complexity for no gain, for you.

But, ask the Japanese and Germans that faced the Garand in WWII how much bolt actions suck when against fast reloading semi-autos.

BSW

It's not, for your purposes. You don't need autoloading for hunting as you're likely to only get a single shot. Easy and fast reloading isn't a problem for hunting either.

So, for it's purposes, the AR would be paying a big penalty in weight and complexity for no gain, for you.

But, ask the Japanese and Germans that faced the Garand in WWII how much bolt actions suck when against fast reloading semi-autos.

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742 is autoloading....

Jackal said:

742 is autoloading....

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Most aren't after a lot of rounds go through them. After a while, they are auto-jamming.

jim in Anchorage said:

Is this some thing you witnessed, or just heard/read about?

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I have owned a 742 that was a jam-o-matic. I have witnessed others that were the same....Problems with them are no secret.

I bet for the first few shots it wouldnt matter. I would be interested to see how well your 742 shot after a couple mags of it.

My BAR in 30-06 is a great 30-06 autoloader but it will definitely start walking after about 6 shots from the 06. Its not a problem because really, why am i taking that many if im out hunting.

Jim are you currently in Anchorage like your name suggests? I am in Seward going to Avtec for the next two weeks. Would love to know where the good gun shops to visit are. I make my way up to Anchorage on the weekends.

yeap I owned a 7400 (30-06) that was a jam-o-matic as well. I think this model doesn't like the long cases because I also had 1 in 243 that never jammed. it's definitely NOT as accurate as a AR10. but I wouldn't want to lug an AR10 around in the woods.

I have owned a 742 that was a jam-o-matic. I have witnessed others that were the same....Problems with them are no secret

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Is this some thing you witnessed, or just heard/read about?

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It's an experienced fact. The lack of a defined feed ramp means that certain profiles of bullets just won't work (usually hollow points).

The 742 is a great walkabout rifle, especially with iron sights. Putting an optic on it isn't as easy as an AR10, and if you do then the stock won't fit because the comb is too low. So - there are limitations to the platform (lack of customizability, the lack of a bolt hold open to clear a jam) but there are virtues to it also (totability, pointability).

I'm glad that it works for you. But you should also expect that it won't work as well for others whose needs differ from yours. Oh, and by the way - my last AR10 (DPMS G2) cost me $1100 and locally you can't find a 742/7400 for less than $350. So it's not really quite as dramatic a cost difference as you might think.

very true I hated the optics mounting options for it. it needs a picatinny rail across the entire length of the receiver, IMO.

Because it won't get an anti's pantys in near as big/tight of a wad?

My early 70's 742 carbine in .308 has killed 50 to 60 deer over the years and never jammed.All home brewed ammo.Not the best accuracy on paper but a great woods gun .My favorite load is 165 grain round nose over 45 grains of IMR 4064.The reciever damage on 742's seem to happen on the longer ctg's .My .308 has none . hdbiker

I had a 742 in 270 for about 6 months. It would catch me on the face every time I fired it, not sure if it was me or the gun, but I had trouble keeping 8" at 100. Traded it off, never missed it. Glad yours work out for you though.

I have had 3, one jammed badly. If you buy it new or hardly used and take care of it, it will be a good hunting rifle. All of mine were 1.5 or better MOA with hand loads, 2 MOA or better with factory loads. Heavy range use is hard on them will eventually cause failure as well as dirt rust and lack of lubrication. The 742 will be easier to carry and point better. The AR will handle much greater round counts and be more reliable. The 742 and 7400 do have a bolt hold open and are tapped and died for scope bases. Some models have raised combs
As someone else said, for sight-in and hunting a 742 or better a 7400 or newer is a good gun in my experience and many others. But for heavy duty use an AR-10 is the choice. Used 742's are a crap shoot. An AR-10 is fixable.

Had a 742 once, have had several friends that owned various versions, 74, 7400, etc. Some work OK, others not so well. If you find one that works, and find the ammo it works well with, and keep it REALLY clean it is accurate and reliable enough to hunt stuff that won't bite back.

Start shooting hundreds of rounds through one or even a dozen or so fairly rapidly and the odds are not good that it will function. The AR style rifles are designed to hold up to many more rounds and abuse not normally seen in a hunting rifle.

Even with one of the good ones I still can't think of a single reason I'd choose one over a bolt gun. Even the best 742 series of guns is far less reliable, less accurate and much heavier than a bolt gun selling for 1/2 the money. While it is possible to shoot a semi faster that is only an advantage if you are using covering fire in the military. For aimed repeat fire all of the common action types are very close in speed.

The 742 and 7400 do have a bolt hold open

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No, they don't. The BHO is part of the magazine, not the rifle, and dropping the mag to clear a jam (as is SOP) means no more bolt hold open capability.

It's a real flaw, shared with the original sporter BAR.

Honestly, it's sort of like asking "why is my $25,000 F-250 inferior to a $200,000 Ferrari?"

They're made to do different things, sure the Ferrari is faster, more powerful and handles much better.
It's not much good for pulling a trailer full of cows to the sale barn though.

Different tools, different uses.

Its not.

I had one that was essentially a single shot. It was garbage.

Add the fact that Remington no longer supplies parts, and that the bolt is well known for failure and it doesn't paint a rosy picture. Still, if your particular specimen hasn't yet reached the fatigue point and is still functioning then I happy it's working for you. Just don't expect it to last forever or be fixable once it fails.

Oh, and putting the bolt hold open on the mag rather than the frame was a real dumb idea.