The model 750 is the latest in Remington's evolution of the modern semiauto hunting rifle.
By Jon R. Sundra
For a gun design to remain unchanged for a quarter of a century is rather common for a bolt-action centerfire rifle, but not so when we're talking about a semiauto. Remington's Model 750 Woodsmaster, introduced last year, represents the first substantial change in the design since its predecessor, the Model 7400, was introduced in 1981. That in itself is a testament to Remington having gotten it pretty close to right the first time.
Actually, the basic design goes back to the Model 740 of 1955 when it replaced the Model 81 that had been in production since 1936. According to Remington historian Bill Marcot, the decision to replace the 81 was made in August of 1944, so why it took an 11-year gestation I haven't a clue.
The history of Remington's involvement with self-loading centerfires is an interesting one, as it was the first American manufacturer to introduce such a gun in this country back in 1906. It became known as the Model 8, and, interestingly enough, it was based on a John Browning design for which Remington paid him royalties. The Model 8 utilized the same recoiling barrel system as the one first seen in the storied Browning A-5 shotgun that became affectionately known as the "humpback."
Adjustable rear, ramp front. Drilled and tapped for scope
PRICE:
$732
In conjunction with the Model 8 came the .25, .30, .32 and .35 Remington family of cartridges. The Model 8 was replaced in 1936 by the Model 81, which was little more than a cosmetic redo of the Model 8 and was chambered for the same cartridges except for the .25, which was dropped from the line at that time.
Which brings us back to the Model 740 of 1955, the progenitor of the new Model 750. Designed by L.R. Crittenden and Bill Gail, Jr., the 740 was the sleekest, smallest and lightest semiauto rifle capable of digesting the .30-06 family of cartridges. It remains so to this day. Inside the 740's streamlined, compact receiver was a multi-lug rotary bolt that locked up with an insert housed in a barrel extension.
Gases bled from the barrel powered the piston that reciprocated twin action bars connected to the bolt. Unlike its predecessors, the 740 utilized a four-round detachable box magazine. The 740 lasted only five years before it was replaced by the 742, but it was essentially the same gun cosmetically updated and with Teflon added to some bearing surfaces.
The first substantive changes to the 740/742 series came in 1982 with the Model Four/7400 series. Despite the two designations, the guns differed only in cosmetics. The major change over the 740 was in the lockup.
The Model 750 Woodsmaster shown here was introduced in 2006, followed in 2007 by the 750 Synthetic.
Whereas the earlier guns used the interrupted thread system, which resulted in 19 individual (and obviously very tiny) locking lugs, the bolt head of the new 7400 sported only four. With fewer locking lugs it's easier to achieve tighter manufacturing tolerances, which in turn ensures a greater degree of contact between the locking lugs and their abutment surfaces.
North American Whitetall North American Whitetail is designed for the serious trophy hunter. It provides authoritative coverage of world-class whitetails, the latest approaches to deer management and advanced hunting techniques.
