Worst Rifle (civilian) ever made?

Uncle Fester

Since Taurus doesn’t make rifles and military only rifles are out, what rifle is the worst ever made?

earlyagain

I don't think I've ever had one worthy of that title. I once had a shotgun purchased for forty dollars at a pawn shop. It was a bolt action 20ga marked Montgomery Ward and should have been marked ugly stick. But it worked. My Dad had an Ithaca 22 auto once that would not cycle or fire reliably, but it may have just been broken.

Edit
The fit and finish on my Traditions muzzleloader caplocks was terrible. But onced tinkered into serviceability they shoot accurately and reliably.

BAMAAK

Taurus is making an AR now.  Its a tough gun to screw up but given the chance I'm sure they can do it.

Linefinder

Remington 742. Why anyone would design a rifle that self destructs with relatively little firing is beyond me. I own 3. None has had even 400 rounds through it, and the integral bolt rail looks like a mile of bad railroad track in all of them. Mike

Big Chief

BAMAAK said:

Taurus is making an AR now.  Its a tough gun to screw up but given the chance I'm sure they can do it.

.

Big Chief

What was that Rem .22 auto that WMG and others said was a POS????

bisley

Linefinder said:

Remington 742. Why anyone would design a rifle that self destructs with relatively little firing is beyond me. I own 3. None has had even 400 rounds through it, and the integral bolt rail looks like a mile of bad railroad track in all of them. Mike

My dad bought a 742 in about 1966, before we went on a Colorado whitetail hunt. He killed a nice buck with it, with a full magazine of running shots, down the side of a mountain, but all were fired manually, because it jammed after the first shot. He tinkered with it for years, without ever making it reliable.He always regretted not buying a Model 700 or 600. It was the only gun he had that I didn't keep, after he passed on, so I think I agree with your choice.

NN

Anyone with a monte carlo stock

Big Al1

Fixing 742's paid for a lot of my hunting trips out west!. You can grind down those gouges the bolt lugs create, but it's only a temporary fix! 

Antonio

Taurus build (Builds?) a Winchester 62 .22LR pump action clone, and the couple I've handled worked fine and their owners have never complaint about them.

Really haven't handled a complete POS rifle so far; many had some design faults, poor material in some parts or assorted problems (Not considering the occasional "lemons") but pretty much can be eventually be solved by repairing/replacing parts or just avoided by using the gun under certain conditions.

bullsi1911

Big Chief said:

What was that Rem .22 auto that WMG and others said was a POS????

the 597?

Big Chief

bullsi1911 said:

Big Chief said:

What was that Rem .22 auto that WMG and others said was a POS????

the 597?

Yep, I think you are right.

FFLshooter

bullsi1911 said:

Big Chief said:

What was that Rem .22 auto that WMG and others said was a POS????

the 597?

Made quite a bit of money tuning those up. And they can be made to run flawless.

Antonio

Indeed; we got a single batch of them in the early '00s and most showed assorted issues, mostly magazine and bolt-related that resulted in multiple FTFs and irregular action cycling. In fact a good friend of mine got a laminated stock one brand new, fired it a little and sold it due to its loading problems.
Eventually most issues could be more or less "solved" by a combination of polishing/tweaking some internal parts, using a good lube for the action to run smooth and restricting to CCLRNHV ammo only.

Currently only know of one still working in the hands of the original owner who knows about its issues but still is fond of it since it hasn't failed him in plinking and hunting situations. The rest have pretty much disappeared, probably sold to remote areas hunters or just trashed.

Maybe those rifles could be considered as one of the poorly-made rifles produced lately.

knitepoet

Linefinder said:

Remington 742. Why anyone would design a rifle that self destructs with relatively little firing is beyond me. I own 3. None has had even 400 rounds through it, and the integral bolt rail looks like a mile of bad railroad track in all of them. Mike

I would include the "updated" 7400 and Model 4 in that group as well

Wambli Ska

The Winchester Model 88 (lever action) was an immediate classic that continues to appreciate in value and delight it’s owners.  It’s brother, the semi-auto Model 100 was a fragile and finicky eater that can be found cheap all over the place...

10canyon53

My wife's Savage 64 Jam'Omatic has got to be a contender.  It is so bad that we don't even bother to take it to the range anymore.  Worst $130 we have ever spent on a firearm.

Linefinder

knitepoet said:

Linefinder said:

Remington 742. Why anyone would design a rifle that self destructs with relatively little firing is beyond me. I own 3. None has had even 400 rounds through it, and the integral bolt rail looks like a mile of bad railroad track in all of them. Mike

I would include the "updated" 7400 and Model 4 in that group as well

I'd heard the 7400 wasn't much of an improvement, but I've never handled one.

tennmike

I have a Remington 742 and a Remington 7400. They both shoot all right and never had any problems with them, but they are the devil on the receiver parts. And the bolt lugs gouge the locking lugs. Biggest problem I can see with them is that they are WAY overgassed, and that makes the action get slammed like a high speed wreck every time you pull the trigger.

Gene L

My buddy back a long time ago had a 742 and killed a lot of deer with it.  He was a southpaw and couldn't use a bolt gun.  It was the Redneck Special: 30-06, 3x9 Redfield, see-through mounts.  Come deer season, my local gunsmith stays busy fixing them.

JKP

Yep, I bought a Rem 597 when they first came out thinking it's a Remington, must be at least decent. 

Rifle led was garbage. One of the few firearms I've gotten rid of over the years. 

Jayhawker

Not a rifle but Savage used to make a humpback autoloader in an attempt to compete with the A5....every one I have ever seen was cracked through the receiver....

horselips

Wasn't it the Ruger Deerfield .44 magnum that was so stupidly designed that it had to come with a leather shroud to go around your scope to protect it from elected shells banging into it. It went out of production somewhat quickly as I recall. 

earlyagain

horselips said:

Wasn't it the Ruger Deerfield .44 magnum that was so stupidly designed that it had to come with a leather shroud to go around your scope to protect it from elected shells banging into it. It went out of production somewhat quickly as I recall. 

How dare you😓

Big Chief

My 1990s made Ranch Rifle/14 in .223/5.56 dings brass pretty good where it hits the scope. 

Elk creek

Remington 770!

Freezer

Mossberg made a lever action, 835 IIRC, that was a great waste of money. No built well and prone to jamming.

jbohio

Big Chief said:

What was that Rem .22 auto that WMG and others said was a POS????

Yep, 597.

Most frustrating rifle I ever had.

terminator012

My 597 isn't that bad. The mags suck though. I may be partial to it, first gun the wife bought me nearly 30 years ago mow.

Gene L

i don't think i've ever had a bad rifle.  I can't remember one I've regretted owning, at least.  Maybe a .41 Swiss rimfire, which I never shot and gave away.

Tugar

Taurus makes a copy of the old Colt Lightning in 357 mag and 45 Colt. Jut saying.