one mans opinion! Like anything else, you have to sift through the stuff you hear on here and decide for yourself if it is. I have heard the same thing about the 742's and 7400's, but IMO if they were all POS's there wouldnt be so many of them out there, and they wouldnt keep making them! Yes I "probably" think the 742's have a little better wood on them, and have "heard" less problems with them, but I would need to base my decision on each rifle separately. My father has owned a 742 since 1970. He has bought other rifles (alot nicer) but still carries the 742 every year for deer season, it has NEVER jammed on him, and he shoots just plain ol core-lokts through it!