As a retired gunsmith I remember taking in a lot of 742’s. And you are correct about the magazine and the other very common problem was a good percentage of these rifles were absolutely filthy beyond belief. After a thorough strip and clean they worked just fine. Less common were sheared locking lugs and broken firing pins. Really appreciate your videos and the great information.

I have my Grandfather's 742 in .308. The rifle has never... and I mean NEVER jambed on me. Keep it clean, lubed, and don't damage the mag, and it will run just fine! My favorite deer rifle for here in Wisconsin.👍

Back in the day one of our crew in Northwest WI had a 742 in .308. That guy got more deer than the rest of us combined. His gun never jammed. I'm sure glad he was along helping fill tags.

I have to agree that the 742 is a great rifle and unfairly labelled as a jamomattic. I have several and when kept clean they function fine or so has been my experience. I've harvested deer and moose in Northern Ontario without any issues. In fact ive been lucky enough to find some carbines in 2023 which i had to have. Such a great compact, powerful and fast handling rifle for woods hunting.

I am a gunsmith with 38 years experience. I must say this Remington 742 is a great gun. Whoever says it is a problematic gun doesn't know what they are talking about.

My Dad had a 740 and for my 18th Birthday i received a 742 . both in 30-06 . we hunted deer in new hampshire, maine, connecticut, harvested many deer. i'm 66 now. we have never had a jam,. keep them clean and lubed no problems. thanks for a great video!

I wish the Remington company reproduce this magnificent and excellent rifle.

Great video on a great rifle! There were so many of these sold, it would be terrible not to cover them on your great channel. I have a Model 742 that was handed down to me from my father. It is a .30-06. He never used it much, but he kept it sighted in and used it as a "loaner" to friends or family for hunting trips. He had purchased it used for a good deal. He preferred the Model 760 as it was more accurate. (it is!) I have never had a jamming problem with it, though I will concede I haven't fired it much. In the 30 years I have had it since my father passed away, I have not used up the 200 rounds of ammunition he left with it...and that was for two 30-06 rifles. He favored the Winchester 180 gr. SP for hunting in both his Model 742 and 760 rifles. The old Winchester "SP" bullet is a "round-ed nose" bullet, not really a roundnose, not really a spire or spitzer point. I was pleased and honored to get both rifles, and will hand them down to my sons (or grandsons) but I never used either of them much. Semi-autos WERE (past tense) not allowed in PA for hunting, but that has been changed. As of 2019, centerfire semi-autos of at least .22 caliber and not larger than .30 caliber, and a magazine capacity of not more than 6 rounds, can be used for large game hunting in PA. Rimfire semi-autos .22 caliber or less can be used for hunting small game. That is why the slide action Model 760 was so popular for many decades in PA. The 760 has the nickname "Amish machinegun" because of that. FWIW...the magazines are interchangeable between the Models 742 and 760. The 760 magazines don't have the "bolt hold-open" so they won't lock the bolt open on the last shot. Also, any of the .30-06 based cartridge magazines are interchangeable with any .30-06 based cartridge in either rifle. So...magazines for the .270, .280, .30-06, .35 Whelen for either rifle are fully interchangeable. If you are having trouble finding a .280, .270 or .35 Whelen, you CAN use a .30-06 magazine from EITHER rifle in either rifle. The 760 and 7600 were also made in 6mm Remington, so those magazines will interchange. (and the 760 was also made in .244 Remington which is interchangeable with the 6mm Remington) I have a Model 742, Model 760 in .30-06 and Model 7600 .35 Whelen. I have a variety of magazines for all the rifles and they all work fine in any of the rifles.

Like you I owned a BAR, when I started deer hunting in 1973. But back in the 1970s if you deer hunted in Georgia you saw 742s more than any other rifle regardless of action. The Remington 742 and Marlin 336C were the two most popular deer rifles in Georgia for most of the late 1960s, through the 1970s, and into the early-mid 1980s. Those two probably killed more deer in Georgia than all other rifles combined. They didn't jam as badly as critics claim but like all semi-autos they did require care and maintenance. Thanks for posting and sharing.

When I was a kid back in WV in the 1970s they were popular deer rifles. My deer gun was a 20 ga double barrel shotgun and I know I sure lusted after one of these Remington semis that the guys had at the deer camp. Probably one of the best woods deer rifles I have heard that they had problems if you shoot them much with the rails inside wearing out, don’t know. I think very few get shot much, though I do remember back in the 80s they sold higher capacity magazines and some people tried to turn them into “ assault rifles”, doubt that worked out well 😃 Last year I had a chance to buy one in 6mm like yours, not near as nice though I tried to come up with a reason to buy it, I really did, in the end I listened to common sense and passed

Mike, I'm in northern NY and they are quite popular here. Though I never owned one, I worked on many of them each year. I found the 1) short actions are much more reliable than the long actions, maybe higher chamber pressures or shorter bolt movement? I thought the 30'06s were about the worse actors 2) the chamber has to be pristine, any dirt, rust or fouling build up in the chamber caused problems, 3) they must be run wet with lubricant 4) as you stated the magazines must not rub against the bolt at all. For the most part if these areas were maintained properly they were fairly reliable. Thank you for the video, I do not believe there are many in 6mm Rem

I've had several in 30-06, 740, 742 and 7400. Bought a like new 7400 in 6mm for my son as a first deer rifle. Definitely one he will pass on to the son that will be here in February !

742 in 30-06 was my first deer rifle. I kept it clean & oiled and it ran fine--even with my reloads. Very accurate too. 1" groups at 100 yards were easy from a padded rest. With my favorite handload I could get down to 0.75" and an occasional cloverleaf. I remember the first buck I ever took with it. I actually pocketed my spent brass before I went looking for the buck! The most accurate factory load for me was Remington Green Box 150gr PSP: one-inch 3-shot groups at 100 yards were common. Winchester and Federal rounds cycled reliably but the groups were much bigger. Interestingly, a batch of old US Military 150gr hardball someone gave me grouped really tight! Better even than my favorite handload. Of course these weren't useful for hunting. Great memories. I regret selling it.

My mentor woodsman my uncle that is a trapper . He used a 30-06 742 carbine . And he loved it . Him and my grandfather would debate 760 vs 742 every year at deer camp . I own a 6mm Remington as a coyote rifle in 600 Mohawk . I love your work and thank you for sharing your time . Happy new year

As a gunsmith this is the gun (+ the models 4, 7400, and 750 which are all very similar) I see more than any other come in for repair. It is 100% the fault of the user and not the gun design. The guns work perfectly if fed decent ammo followed by proper maintenance. I find more foreign items inside these guns than all other guns combined. The mags are tossed in hunting jacket pocket full of twigs, gum wrappers. cookies, candy, candy wrappers, dirt, sand, pine needles, and all manner of garbage. They are then inserted into the rifle, and I find them stuck in the trigger group parts. The guns are also often placed into a case while cold & then brought into a warm truck or home where the sweating metal eventually produces rust throughout the operating mechanism and the exterior. If there isn't enough oil on the internal parts this causes bolts & firing pins to get stuck. Likewise, not properly cleaning the rifles also leads to jamming and stuck bolts & firing pins. When the rifle fires and internal parts are stressed by dirt, oil & carbon sludge, etc. the force required to open the bolt increases and also puts a strain on all of the moving parts and this accelerates wear & tear. Eventually the parts deform and or break (like the extractors) and the guns stop functioning. The sludge created from debris and a mix of gun oil and old carbon build up eventually slow the operating system down until it no longer pull a cartridge from the chamber and strip the next cartridge from the mag. The gas port becomes rusty and the metering ball frozen in position so that the gas system no longer works due to rust and carbon build up. All the owner needs to do is clean the rifles after firing it and keep it lightly oiled and dry and they will have a reliable 742.

I owned one for a while and it was the most pleasant .308 for shooting offhand. It pointed well like a shotgun and felt recoil was mild. I traded it off on the advice of a gunsmith. It never jammed with me. For reloading it requires a small base resulting die. The mag only hold 4 rounds and it is a gas operated gun. Gas operated means you ammo has to be within the parameters of whatever port pressures the gun is designed around.

I have two. One of them is the 18" carbine. Both in 30-06. Mine have never jammed, but I keep them clean. I bought the first in in 1968. I bought the carbine in 1974, when I got home from the war. I have not used either in years when I went to the Ruger 77 in 7mm mag and 308.

My father purchased his Remington 742 in 30-06 about 1962?. Upon his death I became the owner of the rifle. Dad shot only factory ammo. I reload and have shot MANY of my handloads as well as factory ammo. I do not ever recall having a jam.. No not one.. I guess we maintain our firearms differently here in Oklahoma.. I also own 2 Browning bar's.1 grade I and one grade II. Like them all.. Thanks for your videos I always learn something new..

I've owned the 740 and 742 both in carbines. Both have been good shooters and never jammed or had an issue. Then again I was brought up to keep a gun clean and lubricated. Thanks to my 92 year old Pop.

They jam a lot when they get dry. You need to strip it down and clean and lubricate it regularly. Light synthetic grease reduces failure rate dramatically. One other potential problem area is the chamber. If the rifle has slight rust or congealed old oil from sitting for years, the chamber can grip the shell and slow the bolt. I use a large brass brush with 0000 steel wool dipped in Hoppe's. Chuck it in a drill and go to town for 5 minutes until the chamber is polished. That will have your Woodmaster flinging shells in no time. I found a KZfaq video on the subject kzfaq.info/get/bejne/iq-bZsuc1qm1ips.html

I have a 7400 carbine in 30-06. I bought it used on a whim but it appeared to not have been fired much. It had beautiful wood in pristine condition which kind of confirmed its light use. It fit me like a glove. The 7400 locking lugs are supposedly improved and mine showed no wear. It had a Leupold scope mount with scope and unbeknownst to me it was loose. At sight in it would not group for beans but did not jam. I researched up on the rifle and discovered the jamming issues. I thought oh no, I have a real lemon. I fixed the loose scope base by going to a Weaver style. Sighted it in again and the groups came in just fine. Again no jams. I cleaned it just after purchase but it was only mildly dirty. I suspect that what dirt was in the gun were from the very few rounds put through it. I keep it clean and lubed and it has never jammed. Several whitetails have fallen to the 7400 and even though I have lots of deer rifles the old Remington is one of my favorites.

I have tuned all the mags from my friend's 742's. They all jammed. I filed, polished and tuned the magazine feed lips so the bolt wouldn't burr them. Problem solved every time.

I inherited my 742 in 30.06 from my father when he died. I cannot recall of a single issue with that firearm while he had it. It has been in my possession for over 30 years and I have not had ONE issue with it either. I clean it after every use. I never even knew there was an issue with them until this popped up on KZfaq.

That 6mm Hits Like a Hammer 😊😀😊 I Almost Got The Carbine Version in 30/06 a Year or so Ago But The Shop Wanted too Much $$$

in PA rem 7600, 760, termed Amish machine gun, game commission last year replaced slug only zones with straight walled cases lever actions and bolt actions are also very popular or big game season I live near Pittsburgh PA

I have the carbine in 30-06. Always used round nose bullets. Never jammed. Great brush gun. Fast handling. Keep it clean and lubed.

Lubed and clean and they always fire. Got to remember to slide the lever back all the way and let it go to put the first shell in the chamber. Makes a lot of noise but won't scare away the deer if done just once! Don't try to feed the first shell in slowly or it will jam part way and you end up making more noise. Edit: My experience is with 30-06 and 308. The necked down bullets might be worse. I always broke the rules and used lots of oil.

It's on its way back, Of course it was called something different back then. It's starting to get a following again

Back in the 80's and 90's when I was in retail gun sales, I fixed several "jam-o-matics" in both 742 and the 7400 by doing exactly what you suggest...just filed down the front feed lips a little bit. It seemed the tolerances in a 742/7400 receivers or mag lips weren't always consistent. Of course someone else told me the receiver was originally a shotgun receiver made for the 1100 rem and Remington said "hey! I know! let's put a rifle barrel on it!" Anyway, that's also why there are not any magnum calibers in those models....no room inside!

Good content as always Mike. They are great rifles but typically nobody kept their chamber clean in my neck of the woods. A dirty chamber overworks the action and with the lack of lubrication the chatter gets bad and eventually puts the rifle out of commission. Take care of them and don't run them hard and they last. Fine caliber to have too.

Have had both the rifle and carbine 742, in 30.06 &, .308 , I never had a issue, yet Im a fanatic about keeping my firearms cleaned and lubed except one The 742 , in 308 was a true beater a truck / jeep gun that spent many hours and miles, getting banged up, tossed around, and never missed a beat. Never failed in any way. Have probably put more meat in the freezer with it than any other rifle. Helped Feed many families many years with it. Friends and family borrowed it, never letting anyone down. Have shot whitetail at 30 feet, and elk at 400 yards. Best $189 I ever spent.

My whole life I heard ppl talk bad and call them jam o mattic but one of my best hunting buddies that’s all him and his family use they never had any problems

This is one of my best Birthday presents of the day, a USOG video upload.. thxs Mike 😊

In France, Remington 740 and 742 were quite popular for driven hunt in .280 Remington (the .30-06 was forbidden at that time) because they were cheap and light but pretty notorious for jamming too ! The mechanism was quite fragile and the little lugs bolt head was not the best design. Even with care about it, most of them started to jam after 300 rounds. Here is why there was the joke about its original name : Woodsmaster became Jamsmaster. The 7400 version that came after was definitely more reliable.

Just found this channel recently, really enjoy your content. Yes you are correct, deer hunting with a semi automatic rifle in PA is not legal. My family and I hunt there and we have always used the Remington 760 pump rifle, it’s called the gamemaster.

In my experience, a lot of problems with automatics usually boil down to magazine issues. Long guns, handguns, etc. Oh boy. You just mentioned the feed lips. I was just about to type that.

As always,another excellent educational video. Thank you.

I am also a long time gunsmith. I've worked on dozens of these that were said to be jamming. Most of the time the fix is a good cleaning. The locking lugs on the bolt get's fouled quickly, the entire bolt group gets filthy after 100rds. Also I've seen some with damaged locking lugs, I expect this is from rapid firing the rifle like it is a AR. That's a easy fix. The magazine is not the best. Drop it once and the feed lips get bent and the weapon will not feed correctly. I own a early 740 in .243Win as a go to deer rifle. 740/742 is not a Mk.I BAR for sure, but is not trash rifle for sure. It just needs a little love. GREAT video!

The humblest man on the web. You are an amazing wealth of knowledge. Thanx so much for sharing. Always super fun vids!

Love your channel - glad the KZfaq algorithm helped me rediscover it. You’re a gentleman and super knowledgeable about firearms. A true Canadian - respect.

Beautiful stock, first time I seen or heard of this rifle. Thank you. Chris

Jam-o-matic, lol, thats the Stirling model 20 as the magazine ramp was too steep & stovepipes the bullets into the top of barrel. Thanks for shooting the 742 as most problems are magazines.

I purchased one of these in 30-06 back in 1973. Still have it. Two weeks after purchasing, it would jam. I got to noticing it would only do it if you were shooting upward or leaning the rifle over a little. After taking it apart I found a dowel pin in the bolt assembly was loose and would slide out some causing the jams. Installed the pin, and using a center punch pinged the hole ends on both sides so the pin would stay in place. That fixed mine and it has not jammed all these years even with after market magazines.

Folks where I live nicknamed it “Jammaster” My dad has owned his forever and he said it’s never had a single issue

Thanks for sharing your knowledge and keep your videos coming please.

Very nice rifle. I’ve had mine for about 45yrs. I have one in 30-06 and it has never jammed on me. The only problem I have ever had, is several years ago Hornady made a “Light Magnum” line ammo and it actually broke my gun. Two gunsmiths couldn’t fix it and I found a place called “Ahlman’s Gun Shop” in Minnesota. They have or used to have a guy that specialized in the 742 guns. I sent it there and they fixed it which is great because there aren’t many parts for that gun any more. I love mine. The problem is that people think you can shoot it like a AR rifle. It wasn’t meant for that purpose. It is a great hunting gun.

I bought a 742 in 243 15 years. Never had a problem. As many have said, I clean it thoroughly every time I use it

Thanks for such A good presentation. Fine work. Much appreciated.

I have a similar pump version in 270 (the 7600 I think) . They are beautiful rifles. I have owned the semi auto and didn't experience any problems, so who knows? when you pump out that many rifles you are gonna end up with a few green weiners.

Hey Mike, that's a great example you've got there my friend! And yes you don't see the 6mm that often! Here in rural N.C. growing up and hunting in the early '70's - '80's several men I knew had these in 30-06. My Uncle even had the BDL with custom deluxe basketweave checkering! ( now there's a mouthful, lol ) I owned the Model 4 for awhile and you guessed it in 243! They are great Rifles for sure and a great part to our American shooting/hunting heritage! Thanks for sharing my friend and may God bless you in the New Year! 👍🙏😇

I was given a 740 in 30-06 from my dad and it was originally his dads. I have yet to hunt with it but when I do it will be my first. It works well never had a problem with it but I keep it clean and wet. Thanks for the video

Yes I am buying one in 30-06, it's a 742. Cycles very well just need lube on rails, grease is better than oil, but I use mixture of both. Just clean it grease it and lube it wiggle the mag a little ❤

Great video! Thanks. I'm always looking forward to the next video.

30.06 742 purchased at Sears by my dad, thousands of rounds, never a single problem. But he kept it clean religiously.

Generally speaking, if it’s a long action rifle round, it’s either a necked down or necked up 7x57 Mauser, lol.

A beautiful rifle. I had one in 30:06 for many years and never had a problem with it jamming.

Well a little inside scoop from a guy who lives 12 miles from Illion NY. One of my long time shooting buddies was a senior photographer for Remmington Arms and I allways figured he mostly worked for marketing but he told me that he used an early form of high speed filming to address the jamming problem on the 742. If I remember correctly the early mags would flex while the bolt went back and forth and would not relliece the next round at the proper time. He said it was obvious how the mag would flex so they made the mags out of thicker material and the problem went mostly away. The pump actions didn't have this problem.

Beautiful rifle! Seems in my experience the recoil spring needs replacement. Otherwise as you say, keep it clean and lightly oiled and they’re excellent 🍻

I have a 7400 in 270 and it jammed when I bought it, but all it needed was a new magazine then it didn’t miss a beat, no jams. But it seems to need a new magazine every 5 years, they just don’t seem to last. It will start jamming on the 3rd or 4th shot when the magazine is getting wore out, replace them and it’s good for another 5 years. And only buy the factory made magazines, not aftermarket. Over all it is very dependable. Like I said, when it starts to jam with me, it’s always the 3rd or 4th shot, so it would not matter during a hunt.

The usual great show,,,,thank U,,,,love it....

You have to take the barrel off to clean the chamber and barrel the right way. Great video, thanks for uploading, really enjoy all the videos. Happy new year

I have heard this from the beginning. I have an early model 742 .243. I have never had a failure. Never.

Nice gun! I hope you had a merry Christmas and I hope you have a great new year!!

What a beautiful Woodsmaster! I have 1 wood stocked rifle 742 in 30-06 and 1 newer 7400 plastic stocked carbine in 30-06. Bought both used. I haven't shot them a lot but after a few 'no-jam' sessions I bought a few more mags to for the pockets. Great handling long guns!

We grew up with 742 rifle in 308, a carbine in in 3006 that was originally my dad's and my uncles and then passed to my brother and I in our early teens taking deer on our farm and we still have them. I'm in my mid-60s and in all these years of using these rifles we never had a jam- not even once. But of course they are not an AR-15 or AK or anything like that they were just brought out during predeer season and cleaned real well, fired for accuracy and function and then to go out and harvest a few deer. Then they would go back in the gun cabinet ( not gun to safe!) until the next year season. Unless we just wanted to go out plinking or something but that was rare.

I have the 740 and the 742 I reload for them never had a problem keep clean and lubed

Keeping them clean is key. I have heard many people complain about these when it just needed a good cleaning

Remington made a lot of guns that had similar working parts. I have a 760, a pump in .30-06. Overall, it is a decent rifle. The barrel is 20 inches which leaves too much muzzle blast and muzzle flip; another 4 inches would have been better. The main problem is that taking it apart for a cleaning is difficult. My gunsmith suggested that I take it to him for a thorough cleaning every couple of years. Also, the bore must be cleaned from the front which can lead to cleaning rod damage to the crown. Mausers are really a pleasure to own and use, however.

I have 3 742 Remington. 2 are jammers the other is a carbine that is mint, probably fired less than 50 times. Looks like cleaning and lubing could be the fix for the jammers according to the comments. I absolutely love the carbine.

Yeah its the 760/7600 series that is popular in Pennsylvania. In the northeastern deer woods in general the 760/7600 is a cult classic. I love mine that’s for sure. Even if this Pa boy is raised in NC

Never had a problem, one in 30-06 and 270. Keep them clean

I own two, both in 06 and have never had a jam with factory or with my custom handloads . Keep it clean and do not over or under lubricate , for the last many decades , ever since its creation and from the advise of military friends I use a light coating of spray lube such as Hornady one shot and have never had an issue . It dries and becomes a dry film lubricant that does not freeze or heat up and gum up . as another commentor stated . take care of the magazine also. damage the feed lips as with any auto loader and you have a single shot... I have several backups so as to never ruin a hunt

I have one in 30-06. Great gun.

For the 30-06 I read that the 740/742 were pressure comped for 150 grain loads. The 165 and heavier caused excessive bolt torque and would eventually twist the bolt through the rails. My Grandfather wrecked one in this manner. The 7400 had hardened rails and could take the heavy loads without issue. The article was by Wisner's. I may have it saved if anyone is interested.

I own the same gun, in 6mm.I love the gun and the cartridge. The 6mm Remington does everything the 243 Win does plus some.

I've got the .30-06 carbine version and have only had it jam twice, once with federal non-typical and once with milsurp FMJ from the 50s. Keep it clean and feed it the Remington Core-lokt 180 or 220 grain round nose ammo and it just works.

I had a 742 in .243 which I dearly loved. (until it was stolen) Never had any problems with it at all. One of my favorite deer rifles. Wasn't a tack driver but it was accurate enough out to 200 yds or so which is pretty much the farthest I shot. Beautiful gun. I don't think I ever missed a shot because the gun was at fault.

I've owned several ,including a LH BDL deluxe and two carbines. I won't trade on them anymore . I went to a BAR many years ago and still consider it the best.

Dirty 742s will jam. Reasonably clean won’t jam. My Pop, my brother, and I have used 742s, in .30-06 for decades. They’re great rifles. I’ve bought a few jam o matics cheap and cleaned them and boom boom boom there ya go, no more jam o! 🤣 great video!

I bought one used in 30-06. The owner said it had feed problems, which turned out that he had used anti-seize paste on the action that gummed it-up. A good cleaning solved the problem and I have had no issues. To avoid problems in very cold weather, I use a lubricant designed to stay stable at very low an high temperatures.

Those old semi auto Remingtons are some of the only Remington rifles I'm actually interested in. Not a huge fan on most of their bolt actions.

All of your points about this gun are accurate. Mine in .30-06 is dialed in beautifully, but the jamming is really hard to deal with.

Autos owned and maintained by the average shooter become sludge factories in short order. I had a friend bring me his 742 in .270 to sight in a scope. The scope he had for it couldn’t be sighted in, because it had leaked and fogged up. So he gave that one to me and bought a new one, which I proceeded to sight in. In the process, it experienced a misfeed, and an inspection of the action revealed loads of dirt, and it was dry. I cleaned it up and lubed it, and it ran like a rabbit. When I asked him about the misfeed, he just casually mentioned “Oh, yeah, it did that.” Which they will if they’re not cleaned and lubed.

Another common problem with the 742 was a little rust in the chamber from again lack of maintenance. Clean them lubricant them and they are a great gun

Mine never jammed. But I clean it well and use good ammo.

In Pennsylvania you cant use a Semi Auto to hunt big game so we Usually held the 760 and 7600 in High regards. My 740 in 30.06 now sports a weaver 4 power and likes round nose Not Spire Point and mine is not alone. I reloaded my own(slightly short) 170 lnfp with Varget 47gr. i split the Bullseye 1st shot!

In the late 1950sI knew a man who shot one of these in 30/06. For practice he shot running Jackrabbits , so he never missed a deer. In the early 1960s he shot a running black bear at 50yds behind its right front leg , it turned & came straight at him , he put 4 more into the front of its chest . Now empty. When it stopped he had dropped “1” more into the gun , he took “1” step forward & touched it with the end of the gun ! Never heard of him ever complaining that the gun jammed, not ever , nor from any of all of us who knew him ! By the way this was in Ontario Can

I have one, haven’t had problems nice rifle

My dad had 4 at one time. Borrowed a 243 for deer hunting in the 80's and had malfunctions. Thanks for the insight.

Had 30-06 BDL model never jamed while I shot it ,,, kept it clean

"Anything with moving parts needs to be lubricated." Great video on a classic rifle.

Just as DavidS said below but I have also found not putting the rounds into the mag an issue along with the mag having some swelling mid way or half way along it's length. Just as you had shown quite by accident if the magazine has tried to be removed without taking the pressure off of the bolt ( all do to the hold open feature of this gun) that the operator can actually flair the mag trying to pull it out forcibly. I have a few of these rifles, have used them for 50 years and if you keep them cleaned and oild and well maintained they work flawlessly!

Here in mn, cold wether and failure to clean firing pins and bolts caused most failures- Light primer strikes. Sometimes the jams when cycling can be resolved by finding magazines the rifle likes.

I had one. Lot of problems cycling. I finally hand loaded for it made it function. The other thing, I had to modify the magazines to prevent double feeding. Got all those bugs out and it worked fine. .308. One thing I didn’t like was the bolt locks on the magazine after the last round.

I own a 742 chambered in .308. In order to enhance reliability you MUST clean the chamber and locking lugs after shooting. Many people overlook proper cleaning which causes hung shell casings and jams.

I always thought it was only a jamomatic for people who dont maintain them properly

6mm Rem is the King and yes it is worth having one !

One of my first deer rifles was a 742 .308 carbine. If cleaned and lubed well it functioned fine. I reloaded for it but even with a small base die i had to fuction test every cartridge to make sure it would chamber. I believe rcbs sold small base dies because of the 742s. With the most particular reloads I could not get better then 3 to 3 1/2 minutes of angle accuracy so i sold or traded it off. Folks i worked with would bring rifles to me to fix for them most 742 jams where from lack of cleaning and lube or dirty and or slightly corroded chambers. They are good rifles if you keep up with maintenance and you are not concerned about minute of angle accuracy

I had one for several years, it ran flawlessly , never jammed even once . It was a .30-06.

Ive had one, gave it away to my gunsmith, jammed solid! Ive seen a couple through the years, that did not run well. This and the 7400 series both.