Not to let the Remington Model 742 family of Jamomatics off the hook. They are trouble waiting to happen. Here are some of the most common complaints:
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The detachable-box magazines malfunction.
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The chambers rust.
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The actions are sensitive to accumulated sludge, powder fouling, and over-oiling, and are difficult to clean adequately.
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The rifles are sensitive to the ammunition they’re fed. Use the wrong make and bullet type and you’re in trouble.
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If carbon is allowed to accumulate on the bolt face, the extractors can break. Or the extractors can break just because they feel like it. Or, for variety, they can cut through the case rim.
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In some instances, the cases are yanked out of the chamber prematurely.
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The triggers are heavy and mushy. There’s no hope for the factory trigger. This is why Timney is in business.
Sorry, But Your Remington Autoloader Is a Crappy Deer Rifle
He is not a fan and neither is Steve. I was reading his Good Guns, Again book recently and he dismissed autos, too.
Vermonter Larry Benoit, who came to great fame as a taker of stupefying whitetails, used a 742 with a big rear peep and a gold front sight. But the Woodsmaster was flawed. It often didn’t work very well. Or work at all.
Nope, he didn’t or, at least, not often. He was famous for using the Remington pump rifle. The Benoit’s sold more pumps for Remington than anyone.
Speaking of Petzal, F&S called this one of their best stories ever.