Remington 7400 30-06 - Reloading-ammo suggestions or tweaks

[SmokyMtnSmoke]

I recently pickup one of these up on a great deal for a truck gun. This is my first experience with them and I've searched and read all the general comments about being jam-o-mattics and such so you can spare me that banter. I know to keep the action as well as the gas port clean and I should be fine with its function. I'm not expecting a BR tack driver but of course want the best accuracy I can get from it with good bolt cycling performance.

What I want to hear is what factory ammo has worked well for you in yours?

Also, if you reload for it, what Rx work well for you? Powder,charge, bullet wt have been good performers?

Looking for 125-180 grain proven loads for your semi-auto 30-06.

This 7400 has the 22" barrel but still feels compact to me as it is quick to shoulder to acquire a sight picture with the irons. I'd like to maybe upgrade the front/rear sights but with what? Maybe a ghost ring type rear and some sort of fiber optic front What are your suggestions?

I'm prolly gonna get the synthetic stock set as well.

Are there any recommended upgrades like trigger work / gas piston mods to give more reliability with say a spring upgrade that a DIY'er could handle?

[diggler1833]

As far as the ammo is concerned, different guns like different ammo.  It is not too uncommon for rifles of the same make/model to prefer different types of ammunition, so your best bet is to experiment.  The same thing goes for handloading unfortunately as I'm sure we would all love a "one load fits all" recipe.  For me though, that's half the fun, finding what load works best, sure it may be a bit expensive, but if I can't put a little money in to it then it isn't worth trying to make it fun for me at least.  Hope that last sentence made sense.  Good luck to you.

[diggler1833]

Just looked it up, the barrel twist should be a 1:10" twist.  Theoretically the 168-180gr loads should do best in your rifle, but I'm sure you would have luck with others.

[Luckyducker]

I have a recipe for a mild 30/06 load that has been accurate in every rifle I have shot it in, that being an old sporterized Springfield, a Rem 700, Ruger 77MII, Rem 760, Rem 742, and probably some I have forgotten about.  It is a Hornady 150 grain Interlock over 58 grains H4831SC powder lit with Win LRP.  This load is not a hotrod and should give adequate performance in your 7400, as you don't want to push that action very hard.  I have shot two deer at 600yds with this load using a lot of hold over, which the knowlege of such holdover comes from a lot of shooting and hunting with this caliber/load.   Hope this helps.

[Dee]

I've had a couple of'em and you already know their far from tack drivers. However their good woods guns, and really good hog guns if you feel you need that much power. Pick the load YOU like, it most likely won't affect the accuracy on that particular model.jmo

[charles p]

I've had a 742 since 1967.  I reload using a small base die and always check my trim length.  Never a problem when everything is sized correctly.  I also like 150 gr Hornady spire points and H4831.

[cybin]

Back in the 70's I helped 3 different people get into reloading, and each of them had a 742 in .30-06. It seems that the thing that worked for all of them is to use a under size die for the round that I believe RCBS made the dies for. Seems like the 742 had a chamber that was sort of tight, and just any brand of shell didn't work. We found out also that the rifles liked Remington brass. Federals would shoot in the rifles but wouldn't feed for some reason, you had to load them one at a time for target practice. Federal brass even run through the under size die didn't always do right.

One more thing, when shooting the rifles, you couldn't put any weight on the clip. Sight in the rifle resting only the end of the forearm on a sand bag and the rifles would shoot 1 inch groups a 100 yards, but put any preasure on the clip and the rifle might shoot a 8 inch group at 100 yards. I don't know why. Hope this helps you a little, it is just what I have encountered.

cybin

[SmokyMtnSmoke]

I really appreciate all the comments and info.

Keep it coming.

Between weather,work and women( Mothers Day ) I still haven't got the chance to shoot it. Maybe this weekend.

[schoolmaster]

I own a 740 Remington and couldn't get any handloads to shoot better than the Remington factory loads. It likes 165 and 180 grain core loct pointed soft point. I didn't have high expectations for accuracy but this one surprised me with 1 inch groups at 100 yards.

[Swampman]

I'm betting that Remington 165 grain Core-Lokts will shoot just fine.  You can't hardly beat them.

[yankeeapple]

"This 7400 has the 22" barrel but still feels compact to me as it is quick to shoulder to acquire a sight picture with the irons. I'd like to maybe upgrade the front/rear sights but with what? Maybe a ghost ring type rear and some sort of fiber optic front What are your suggestions?"

First of all nothing shoulders for me like my 7400. Its like an extension of my body. If my arms were shorter and my chest bigger maybe it would be a different story.

I have a 7400 30-06 carbine with a williams peep sight and factory front sight painted white (I may paint it yellow in the future as it stands out in the snow better).  If your looking for a ghost ring simply unscrew the aperture from the williams sight and shove it in your pocket, I do this when in heavy cover and a quick shot may be required. A competative shooter tipped me off on this trick.

In my opinion fiber optic sights are just to big in diameter for shots past say "50 yards". They are bigger than the brass dots and will cover the entire chest cavity of an animal at 100 yards. I have been flirting with them on several guns but I believe their days are numbered exept on close range spray and pray guns.

I have bought many guns over the years looking for to gain an edge over my 7400 and havnt fount it yet. My latest buy was a police 7600 in .308 with a 16" barrel.  The felt recoil from this gun is twice that of the 7400 auto. Also the thick rubber recoil pad of the 7600 catches on my clothing when trying to shoulder it. My 7400 has a smooth plastic buttplate and immaculate smooth wood furniture. I find myself wanting to modify my 7600 to be more like my 7400. The 7600 is probably another gun that will soon join my mothball collection in the safe.

I have talked to some that say the 7400 action is only good for 500 rounds or so. Others claim they have run 4000 through without any problems. All I know is mine has never let me down.

Hope this helps
Jim

[casca1]

with the string of comments on the REM 7400 & 742
what are your feelings on REM 74 ?  I have had one in the back of the safe for quite some time, without really doing much shooting with it.

[BBF]

One of the best groups I ever got out of any 30-06 was with a 742 shooting the old Fed Premium loads that came in a white package loaded with the Sierra 180 gr BT. As it turned out to be the cartridge was loaded with WW-760 powder and I could duplicate the factory load.
The only difference was that the factory load had a cannelure in the bullet which didn't make any difference at all.

[rickt300]

The only factory load I have fired in my 7400 is the 150 gr. PSPCL from Remington.  Functioned perfectly and was plenty accurate shooting three shots into 1 1/2 inches.  My reload is 57.0 grs of AA 4350 under a 165 gr. PSPCL. This load will hug an inch but not quite. I use a standard RCBS die set but it is important to set it just right for your chamber. This rifle will only function properly with full power loads.

[BBF]

This rifle will only function properly with full power loads.

Do you mean it won't cycle or shoot well? Mine cycles without problems with a starting load from the Sierra Manual using 150 gr bullets and 44.5 grs of IMR 4895.

The rifle has a cut down 18 1/2" barrel. I am guessing that the MV is 100 fps above a 30-30 Win making it a very pleasant rifle to shoot.

[Mikey]

I have worked on a couple of 7400s for some friends and here is what I have found::::

They all seemed to prefer factory Remington 180 gn round nose slugs.  These loads grouped as well as any handload I could put together, whether a Lyman manual accuracy load or a factory duplication load.  I can't see handloading for a rifle that won't shoot any better than with factory loads. 

When testing for accuracy or function do not rest the rifle on the magazine - use a field hold on the forestock (hold the forestock in your hand and rest your hand on a sandbag or rest) and the rifle should function properly. 

You can enhance the accuracy of the rifle with a bit of tinkering::: remove the forestock and make certain the small halfmoon shaped rear of the stock, which fits into a barrel hood or recess, is squared so as to sit squarely in that recess - you can also bed that area for a more positive fit of the forestock to the action.  Also, the front of the forestock where the metal end piece and the white plastic spacer contact the barrel might need some minor fitting - I have relieved those pieces where they impacted on the barrel to good effect.  Also, where the front stock screw screws into the barrel you can use a lock washer so the effect is not to draw the barrel tight to the stock but rather sets the screw so the stock is secure without affecting/impacting/drawing on the barrel when it gets hot.

These rifles grouped less than one inch at 100m with the Remington factory ammo and never jammed or malfunctioned. 

I would avoid the Hornady Light magnum loads as they are not recommeded for semi-autos and when reloading I would stay with the faster buring powders for more reliable functioning - you can get all you need from the 06 with those powders and need not stuff your case full of slow burning powders that may not give you the pressure curves necessary to properly cycle the action or leave unburned powders in the barrel that may eventually foul your gas port.

The 06's 1:10 twist has been around much longer than any 165-168 gn slug has.  Your rifle should adequately and accurately shoot any 150 or 180 gn factory load available.  If you handload you can go with the medium weight slugs if you want.

As for your stock - if she is a bit scraped or dented or bunged up, or just needs refinishing, call Remington and see if they will refinish it for you and if so, let them.  I have seen some nice Remington stocks but the ones I have seen on the 7400s are downright pretty.  jmtcw.  Mikey.

[rickt300]

This rifle will function with starting loads to max loads of AA 4350. I tried AA2520 and H380 in loads listed up to the max charges, neither of which would properly function the action.  I may need to take a coil or two from the recoil spring but I have no reason to as my favorite 30-06 load works just fine.  Both H380 an AA2520 are ball powders and as such leave a bit of powder residue but the AA 4350 burns as clean as one could wish for.  I also tried some Winchester factory 180 gr. round nosed bullets and though they fed well the nose of the bullet got a good ding in it.

[Mikey]

rick:  I'm not familiar with the AA powders or with H380.  I prefer IMR 3031, 4895 and 4064 when building loads for the 7400 with the 180 gn bullet.  The later two powders give factory velocity duplication figures for the 180s and are accurate.  My favorite load for the 06 in semi autos is the old Garand load of 47.5 gns of IMR 4895 with a 180 gn bullet; clocks out to 2650'/sec which matches the mil-spec match load for the M1 Garand.

[rickt300]

I'm pretty sure that my rifle would function with the faster powders if I cut a coil or two from the spring, it is a tough one to open the action against.  One thing I really like about these rifles is the mild recoil. I would like to get my hands on a couple of 7600 magazines and use them instead. Using the magazine as a bolt hold open device is only some good when cleaning the rifle. It is a pain to have to drop the bolt to change the magazine.