Originally Posted by
Throwback
The reason the rifles ate themselves up was in part, that few shooters knew to keep the chambers spotless. Many people pushed stuff into the chamber when they cleaned and the gas system had to work hard to shuck cases. I have seen spent cases at the range on many occasions with the rims bent back due to this problem, not just with 742's but with AR's and other semi-autos as well. Many of these rifles would last longer if people would pay attention to their chambers.
I suspect that it is a 1,000 round plus rifle if the chamber is kept clean. The solution of converting it to a straight pull turns it from a hunter to a recreational shooter as well.