Dad has been doing better. In fact, he woke me up this morning suggesting that we take a couple of hounds and ride out to the hunting club to see who all was there. When we arrived, there were only 2 members there and one of them was uncle Ellis. Anyway in a couple of minutes the hounds had a buck up on his feet and were running him hard. They made a little circle and were heading right back our way. When the buck stepped into the road, I smoked him with my new .308 . It was great to have dad back outside enjoying himself . He's not a big one but he is mine .
That gun will serve you well but their is one thing you have to learn about them when you load it pull the bolt carriage all the way back and let it slam its self home . If you try to be quite when loading or try to ease a cartridge in slowly the rotating bolt head will not seat all the way home and the gun will not fire. Their are several 742 shooters in my camp and this is a lessen learned the hard way.
Remember pull the action handle all the way back and let it go do not baby it forward to load.
You have a great deer riffle in a great Deer cartridge their it will bring you many memories .
One other piece of advice is stay away from WD40 as a lubercant over many years of repeted use it will build up as a sort of lacquer and gums things up, a lite coat of Hoppes # 9 GUN OIL is virtually scentless and leaves no build up.
This build up takes many years 30/40 or so but it happens.
Congrats Longshot!!
What type of hounds are you running? I have had a foxhound, and bluetick walker mixes but my current beagle is by far the best one i've ever had.
I agree with gerald strine on the 742 . . .I had one in the 30.06 model. I shot a very nice 6 point twice one morning. The first time it just clicked . . .I had to pull the hammer back and slam it shut while the buck watched. Made for an interesting morning and I love telling the story. The second shot was fine and dropped him in his tracks with a heart shot.
The 742 is a great gun, it will serve you well.
Again, congrats on your buck.
I'd rather wear out than rust out.
Perception trumps intention.
Mr. Strine and Sumner, my dad had a 742 woodsmaster that was a 30-06 that he got from his dad when he died. I never knew my grandpa because he died before I was born but dad says that he was a great man like my dad. I think that I just confused my own self. Dad hunted with that 30-06 for a couple of years but it was stolen out of his truck at a big buck contest. Mom said that dad was devistated when the gun was stolen and even offered a $1000 reward but never got it back. He looked all over for this 308 for me and finally found one at a great price and bought it for me. That buck that I killed yesterday was the first deer that I have shot with it. About the bolt head, Yes sir I have learned that already at the range. I am real easy on my guns and keep them clean so I had to get used to slamming it closed on this gun. We have some of that Hoppes in the gun safe so I will give it a good cleaning after the season. Well I gotta go to school but the weekend starts when I get home . Hey, I got all "A"s again this 9 weeks .