I have a mid-1970's rem. 742 semi-auto in 30-06.
The gun will not eject the spent cartridge , no amount of cleaning seems to help. Is this a design flaw or is something else wrong ? I like the looks of the gun , have killed three nice 8 pt. bucks with it so would like to solve the problem.
Any suggestions ?

Are you using factory ammo?? The timing on that rifle is pretty critical.

I had the same thing happen to my rifle. I brought it to a gun smith and I had a cracked bolt.

Several questions need to be answered here,is the fired cartridge, staying in the chamber? Are the rims being ripped off the cartridge, when the action cycles? Are the spent cartridges being left in the ejection port? Does the action cycle when fired?

Some resolution, for cartridges left in the chamber, when the firearm cycles. 1. Dirty Chamber, this is very common in hunting rifles, that are not shot regularly, an M1 garand chamber brush, will take care of cleaning the chamber. 2. Loads are too hot, as indicated by torn rims on the cases, this could also be the result of a dirty chamber. 3. Bad extractor, an easy fix, if you can determine it is not functioning properly. Fix for cartridges left in the ejection port: 1. Bad Ejector, could just be dirty, 2. Action not cycling properly, dirty? 3. Cases too long.

Hope this helps you. I would begin by a complete disassembly and cleaning of the action and bolt. As you said you have cleaned it well, maybe an inspection of the bolt is necessary. There are numerous schematics on the web if you don't have one. Or of course you could take it to the local gunsmith, if he is worth a darn. I usually resist this at all costs.

Jerry

Jerry, the spent cartridge stays in the chamber.
Bolt cycles back but cartridge stays in chamber, I will try cleaning chamber again .
Using factory ammo.

thanks for the feedback.

Here in S. Alabama I've heard about this a few times. A little rust forms in chamber [high humidity] and case sticks. Try a chamber brush - believe they make one for rem. autos.

design flaw ..
happens all the time .. disposable gun, unfortunately

Swaincreek:

I have shot a number of 742's over the years that functioned properly, not that I think they are the cats ass auto rifle, but they did work. I am going to suggest, that if your chamber is clean, pull the bolt and inspect the extractor for damage or wear. Is the rim torn? If not, extractor is most likely the problem, should be an easy fix.

Parts from Gun Parts Corp, or on the web.

Jerry

Very common. My dad has a 742, as did my uncle. Uncles "jam master" would consistently jam every 3rd or 4th shot, without fail. Why he hunted with it for so long, I can't tell you. My dads jams occasionally, but he doesnt shoot very often, and uses plain jane ammo, nothing hot and nothing premium. Winchester 180 PP.

I guess I have been lucky as the 742's and 7400 rifles I have owned all worked fine but any rifle can fail. The 742 is such a simple action that it amazes me that anyone can't figure out how to keep one functioning. All comments here about the extractor make perfect sense.

A lot of 742 have trouble after a few hundred rounds or less depending on the rifle the rails inside the reciever well chip and crack.. A lot of 742s are still around because they don't get fired much. If you have one and only fire a couple a rounds a year they well last. Other wise they are junk.

It is important to use a good oil and break the rifle in a bit. A lot of them have very stiff springs, sometimes clipping a coil or two of the bolt return spring makes all the difference. My present 7400 functions perfectly and will put 3 shots into just over an inch, now to me the rifle is a bit heavy and I am a big bolt gun fan but functional this rifle is.

What p dog shooter said. Many gun shops will not take them in on trade.

btw, what you have described is an extraction, not ejection, problem .. not being overly picky .. failing to extract from the chamber, not extract THEN failing to eject..

its a design flaw

I've worked quite a few deer hunter sight ins at the local rifle club. I am amazed at how many people show up with their 742's and the first words out of their mouth is "This gun jams once in a while". After about the fiftyth time that I heard it I decided to never ever go down that road. My dad had one, many years ago, he always said that he wished he would've thrown it off a bridge. I guess he felt like when he traded it in, he stuck some poor slob with the dang thing.

Anyway, good luck with it.

Hey SwainCreek, You got a whole lot of excellent information above. When the semi-autos are properly maintained, they work real well. When the Chamber gets trash in it, the problems begin just as Jerry said.

Hoppe's makes a special " T - shaped " Cleaning Handle which has a Delrin(flexible) rod attached to the " T ". That allows you to clean the Chamber through the Ejection Port as Nugman described with the Hose.

Nugman's description of how the Trash gets into the Chamber is correct. As the Brush enters into the Chamber area from the muzzle, the Bristles spring into position and Fling the trash into the Chamber. Repeated passes with a Patch from the Muzzle just DO NOT reach it. Then it dries in place and causes Extraction Problems.

Normally, the Extractor "tears through" the Rim as Jerry mentioned when the Chamber is that dirty. So as he said, if you are not getting Torn Rims, it is possibly an Extractor Problem.

You may have two problems. Once you do get the Chamber clean, the next time you go to Clean-the-Barrel, place a Spent Cartridge into the Chamber and allow the Trash to be thrown inside it. Save that Case in your Cleaning Kit. You will still need to Clean the Chamber through the Ejection Port, but there will be much less Trash in it this way.

Lots of great semi-auto Bargins on the Used Rifle rack because of Dirty Chambers.

Swaincreek:

You never did tell us if the rims are torn on the fired cases. Let us know, as all this is good information to have in your shooting catalog.

Jerry

Jerry, I apprecitae you and all the folks for the great suggestions. With respect to torn rims , have had no torn rims.

Change the extractor and the problem is gone.

Jerry