Least-favorite family of rifles still have contented owners

I’m about to write about my least-favorite group of rifles.
I believe a couple of decades of experience dealing with the various makes and models will enable me to report on the few strengths and many weaknesses of the semi-automatic sporting rifle.
I’m not talking about the “Modern Sporting Rifle” exemplified by my the AR-15, M1A, M1 Garand etc., but rifles specifically designed for hunters.
The first, and most popular, are the models: 740, 742,…