Remington Model 742 Woodmaster

It was sprinkling and there was little to do, but a friend arrived in the driveway for a weekend visit to the farm with two rifles in the trunk to sight in.  He is not an avid hunter or shooter but killed an antelope with this rifle 7 or 8 years ago when we made a very, very fun hunting trip to Wyoming.  In remembering the antelope, he said he was aiming for the pocket and hit it a bit low and to the right.

Of course, when we put up a target at 100-yards, and I shot a group of three with the cross hairs right on the bull, it produced a 4.1-inch group low and to the right, but on the paper.  Of course we couldn't leave well enough alone and we moved the cross hairs up 4 clicks and left 4 clicks.  The next shot hit in the same place!  So we moved it up 9 and left 9 and a shot went high and to the left by about an equal amount.  We figured we had overdone it, so we backed off half of that on each parameter and I shot another 3-shot group, thinking this is going to be great!  They all sailed over the target, leading us to suspect the scope!  One nicked the paper hig and pretty much center.  We gave it up because the rain was coming down harder and harder, but still are not sure about that scope!  I would love to have taken the scope off and shot it with open sights, but it was not my gun to do it with; maybe another time! 

I just love these old guns, though.  This one is a Woodsmaster.  My 870 shotgun is known as a Wingmaster.  He had taken this one to a gun shop and the guy told him that this model tends to wear from the bullet striking the breech on entry...that it is a design flaw thing.  That may be true, but it loaded and shot and ejected just fine.  I loved it.