E. · Rifle
Remington Model 742
Gas-operated · .30-06 Springfield · introduced 1960
Also known as Remington 742 Woodsmaster, 742 Woodsmaster
About the Remington Model 742
The Remington Model 742 Woodsmaster is a gas-operated, semi-automatic hunting rifle produced from 1960 to 1980. Replacing the earlier recoil-operated Model 740, it fed from a detachable four-round box magazine and was chambered in popular North American big-game cartridges including .30-06 Springfield, .308 Winchester, .280 Remington, .270 Winchester, .243 Winchester and 6mm Remington. Its gas system and rotating multi-lug bolt softened felt recoil, making it a popular deer rifle, though the design later gained a reputation for receiver-rail wear with heavy use.
The Woodsmaster name had long been used by Remington for its sporting autoloaders; the gas-operated 742 modernized the line and remained one of the most common semi-automatic deer rifles in the United States through the 1960s and 1970s.
Remington Model 742 specifications
General
- Type
- Rifle
- Action
- Gas-operated
- Firing mechanism
- Hammer-fired
- Trigger
- Single action
- Calibres
- .30-06 Springfield
- Magazine capacity
- 4 rounds
- Magazine
- Detachable box magazine
Dimensions
- Barrel length
- 559 mm (22.0 in)
- Overall length
- 1067 mm (42.0 in)
- Weight (empty)
- 3.40 kg (7.50 lb)
Barrel
- Rifling
- Right hand
Materials
- Barrel
- Steel
- Receiver / frame
- Steel
- Stock
- Walnut
- Finish
- blued
Performance
- Muzzle velocity (typical)
- 880 m/s (2887 fps)
- Muzzle energy (typical)
- 4515 J (3330 ft·lb)
- Effective range
- 300 m
History
- Introduced
- 1960
- Discontinued
- 1980
- Production status
- Discontinued
- Country of origin
- US
- Designer
- Wayne Leek
Features
- Gas operated action
- Rotating bolt
- Detachable box magazine
- Iron sights
- Drilled and tapped receiver
Safety
- Cross bolt safety
A shorter Carbine (C) model was offered with an 18-inch barrel. The 742 was superseded by the Model 7400 in 1981.
Similar models
Colt AR-15 Sporter (SP1)
Gas-operated (direct impingement) · .223 Remington
Benelli Lupo
Bolt action · .308 Winchester
Benelli BE.S.T. Lupo
Bolt action · .308 Winchester
Benelli BE.S.T. Lupo Camo
Bolt action · .308 Winchester
Benelli BE.S.T. Lupo Walnut
Bolt action · .308 Winchester
Benelli Lupo Cerakote
Bolt action · .308 Winchester