# Remington 7400 Ejection Problems



## workky

Buddy of mine has a 7400 that will not eject the shells.The extractor will tear a chunk out the rim and try to chamber a new round with the old shell still in there.You can drop the clip and pull the shell out with a flathead.It seems ,to me,its trying to eject the shell to early ,while the shell has expanded somewhat.Any idea's?The extractor seems to be in good shape,i said earlier,it will tear part of the rim off tryign to eject the shell.Thanks
Im sure these guns have a gas operation system.I have not been down to look at it yet,just trying to get loaded with some info


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## NOYDB

Clean the bejeebers out of it, with special attention to the chamber. If it still occurs have the headspace checked.


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## EMC-GUN

Clean the chamber!! This is a problem when left unattended.


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## workky

What is "Headspace",i have heard this term before,however i have no idea what that is.My guess it has not been cleaned well enough.I know my friend does not clean the chamber .He is a big believer in wiping down with oil.Thanks for the replies!!


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## NOYDB

http://www.rifleshootermag.com/gunsmithing/headspace_0612/

Usually, in a previously working rifle, that has had no modifications the problem you describe is because of fouling, dirt etc. 

But if it's a previously owned rifle, there's no telling what has been done to it, so it is good policy to check it.


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## Patchpusher

Rusty chamber.


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## ben300win

I had one a while back that did the same thing. I resloved the problem by someone breaking into my house and stealing it. It has a tight chamber so before use you want to clean all oil and debris out of the chamber before firing it. It will need to be cleaned very often and repeat the process of cleaning the chamber. My dad owned it before me. One time when he was hunting on Ossabaw island, he had a choice to shoot an 8 pointer or a big hog. Shot the deer and climbed a tree with the rifle on the ground and the hog chasing him. That is the only Remington that I would recommend using as a boat anchor. Good Luck


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## SWAMPFOX

I agree with what others here have said about cleaning. I had the same problem with my Remington 742. I cleaned it real good and it has been ok since. However, I would have your 7400's chamber checked by a gunsmith. If the chamber is pitted it may continue to do it. I always wondered why Remington didn't chrome the chamber.


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## JUSTIN37HUNT

Mine has similiar problems when it's dirty.  When you use the flathead to remove the cartridge..is it still hard to get it out?


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## bearhunter39

You need a brush to clean hull bed, and i mean clean it and keep it clean,they sell a brush especially to clean hull bed on these gun's


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## workky

JUSTIN37HUNT said:


> Mine has similiar problems when it's dirty.  When you use the flathead to remove the cartridge..is it still hard to get it out?



No,its easy

this is a one owner rifle.it really has not been shot to much,it is an older rifle (80's).I'll check the chamber and see how it looks,im sure it could use a good cleaning.We only use this one for a backup rifle ,but we do need it to shoot when called apon


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## SmokyMtnSmoke

I didn't have a jam but it did bugger up the rim of the brass of the first few rounds when I first shot my '85 7400. 

Not knowing how long it had sat and with it being very difficult to get into the chamber, must less see it clearly, I took the barrel off and used Flitz to polish up the chamber. She runs just fine now. Make sure you store it with a lite coat of oil inside the chamber and down the bore. Just run a dry patch or two thru her before you put her back in service.


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## 11P&YBOWHUNTER

I own a bunch of 742's and before i even think about shooting them, i clean the chambers and ejection assembly extremely well.  Once that is done, they shoot just fine.  You might want a gunsmith to look at the headspace as someone else suggested.


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## SWAMPFOX

*SmokyMtnSmoke*

I sent you a pm.


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## SmokyMtnSmoke

7400 barrel removal instructions found from surfing...



> You first have to remove the foreend assembly (big flathead screwdriver needed) then remove the trigger group by pushing the two pins out the side (they are retained by a spring arm and come out and reinstall easily), then remove the barrel assembly by loosening the bolt that retains the barrel/gas action component onto the front of the receiver. There is a special wrench sold by Brownell's for this but on the later model guns (mine's a 74 sportsman in 30-06) I believe you can use a good (NOT the thin junky types) open end wrench to get this bolt off and back on. It HAS to be tight...
> After pulling the barrel you should be able to jiggle the bolt assembly out seeing as how you've busted the bolt handle off.
> To reassemble, do in reverse but you will have to pin the new handle to the bolt after reinstallation.
> To get to the stage of getting the barrel off and the trigger/sear group out is really easy, the last part may require a little cussing.



Chamber work...
http://books.google.com/books?id=7A...7cmMCg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=7


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## bighonkinjeep

I'll betcha a dollar against a doughnut it's a maintenance issue caused by carbon or rust but most likely carbon. Clean the chamber and barrel throat with some GM(yes general motors) TEC (top engine cleaner) and a bronze brush. This stuff cuts carbon better and faster than anything else on the market if you can find it. Carbon is a hard deposit left by burning powder and is hard to see till it turns loose.
BHJ


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## jglenn

seafoam is also very good at attacking stuborn carbon and is easy to find.


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## workky

He had a problem last night,the bolt went shut after shooting .The bolt now wont open,its not even completely shut.About 95% closed.She's stuck.He cleaned it good and it shot fine for a while,then this happened.It might be all over,it might be time for the graveyard.Any suggestions?  Thanks for all the responses


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## NOYDB

He needs to take it to a smith. 

No reason to trash a good rifle if it can be fixed.

If he don't want to, I'll give him $100 for it, as is.............


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## SWAMPFOX

If the bolt is frozen shut with a fired case in the chamber, I'm thinking the chamber is badly pitted.


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## 7Mag Hunter

Might also be worn bolt rails...The bolt may have canted a bit
and run off track....Those rails are pretty thin and if poorly
maintained could have excessive wear....
Gunsmith time !!!!!


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## workky

we got it fixed,Thanks for all the help


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## NOYDB

workky said:


> we got it fixed,Thanks for all the help



Care to share what it was so that others might learn about it?


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## SmokyMtnSmoke

*Ejection issue revisited....*

Well I took my 7400 30-06 out to sight in the new Brunton NRA Sports Optics FV3940-5. I found this scope at Dick's SG on Clearance for $59 and thought I'd take a chance as I liked the #5 reticule.







I started out with some Greek surplus. The ejector took a bite out of the case rim and the shell stayed in the chamber. It took a cleaning rod to tap out the shell with very little effort. I could see some signs on the spent casing that the chamber may have been a bit more pitted than I thought. I also had read several places that these Remmies do not function well eating surplus.   Knowing this I tried some Remington factory loads and had 2 out of 15 where the ejector took a bite out of the rim and needed to be tap out with the cleaning rod.  Next I changed its diet to my hand loads of 165gn over 57gn of 4350. Every one of these 10 rounds performed with out issue and these were used to finish sighting in the scope. The scope seems to be a fine piece of glass for the money and I was zeroed at 100yds with three shots. This rifle seems to be very accurate for a semi-auto and I was so please with its accuracy that I will not be partting with it. 

Once home I decided the remove the barrel and do a closer chamber inspection. I wasn't satisfied that it was just the ammo as the slight marks on the shells showed the chamber has some rough spots but the bore shines like a mirror and was accurate. The chamber showed some significant pitting. I used a 45cal brush in one section of the cleaning rod mounted in my electric drill. I wrapped a small amount of 0000 steel wool and used a polishing rouge for hard steel I got a Lowes as I felt the Flitz wasn't aggressive enough for this particular task. I spent a good hour of polish for a few minutes (enough that it made the barrel very warm in my hand) the a cleaning and inspection, then more polishing until it was shinny smooth. There were still some imperfections left behind but the important thing is that the chamber walls are very smooth with no roughness. I was using the but end of a small artist paint brush to slide against the chamber walls to judge how rough it was.

The barrel has been remounted and will go out for some test one afternoon this week I hope. Results will follow...


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## bearhunter39

Did you have much trouble getting the barrel off and back on


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## poolman67

Contact Remington I believe they will fix it. I've never had one fixed but I've owed 2 both did the same thing. A friend oils his shell to prevent them from sticking. Buy a Browning. I've been told Remington will fix it for free.


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## ABBYS DAD

Cracked Bolt Face
Remington 742's are famous for this problem. If your bolt is not ejecting the shell from the chamber, then I can almost bet you that the bolt face is cracked. And this means the gun is now a parts gun, due to the fact that Remington does not make replacement bolts for the 742's. The only fix is to find a stripped 742 bolt assembly. Which they are very hard to find, plus you will pay dearly for one. My advice to anyone who buys one of these used relics, is to chamber a round and then eject it. If it ejects, then make the buy, if it does not eject.......run! Dirty chambers cause makes rounds stick in the chamber and when the bolt ejects rearward grabbing the rim, the stress of the tight sticky chamber causes the lip of the bolt to crack and break.


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## SmokyMtnSmoke

bearhunter39 said:


> Did you have much trouble getting the barrel off and back on



Nothing to write home about. The barrel nut was very snug but I used a tight (no play or slop) adjustable wrench and held the receiver in my lap. No vise needed on this one. The recoil spring gives me more fits going back on than anything else. 


Abby's Dad, This bolt is in perfect shape. As an '85 manufacture this rifle was taken pretty good care of as the bore is fine but the chamber had some pitting most likely from a long storage with no attention to keeping a lite coat of oil in her.

I'm impressed with the accuracy of this semi-auto. It will make a great hunting rifle.


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## pemop

SmokyMtnSmoke said:


> Nothing to write home about. The barrel nut was very snug but I used a tight (no play or slop) adjustable wrench and held the receiver in my lap. No vise needed on this one. The recoil spring gives me more fits going back on than anything else.
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> 
> Abby's Dad, This bolt is in perfect shape. As an '85 manufacture this rifle was taken pretty good care of as the bore is fine but the chamber had some pitting most likely from a long storage with no attention to keeping a lite coat of oil in her.
> 
> I'm impressed with the accuracy of this semi-auto. It will make a great hunting rifle.



So you had that sorted out, I'm sure that will prove great for hunting.


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