788 Bolt Fix???

[TCLouis]

Ok, the 788 bolt is famous for "falling off" of the bolt body.

Is there an adequate cost effective before fix?

[Artful]

Don't treat it rough - every bolt that I knew that broke was being leveraged due to either case not sized correctly or overload causing the action to seize up.

http://www.gunreports.com/special_re...ing1966-1.html

[shotman]

well the 788 handle is surface silver solder. most drill and set the handle in about 3/16in and then weld. with a mig. It will last but you need to be good with the mig. Or not good and reblue
the most cause of the hand breaks is dropping. next is frozen in cold weather from getting snow/water in the locking lugs . Rem had a VERY good gun for the price . but the guy that came up with the bolt locking Idea was from FL or HI

[starmac]

Just curious, wouldn't tig be better than using a mig on it.

[hithard]

Oh yea! with the Tig you can control the heat and rod fill, which is very important to the heat treating of your bolt. Not to mention that you will have less finish work with the tig.

I wouldn't even have someone attempt to do anything other than tig on this project or anything gun related for that matter.

Try and find someone that is experienced in using tig with stainless and aluminum. It will be this guy/gal that knows how to give you the job your looking for, as these two metals take a bit of talent to master.

[Baron von Trollwhack]

It has been several years since I found a smith on the web who makes 788 bolts , repairs them, and does general 788 smithing of all kinds. I do not recall the name or net address now.

I would bet a thorough search would find that fellow. BvT

[fatelk]

I would be interested in hearing about that. I have a 788 in .223 in the closet with a broken bolt handle. I bought it that way (cheap) but the former owner not only broke the handle off; he lost it. I figured one of these days I would make a new handle and find a really good welder to put it on.

[357maximum]

FATELK

I have an easier solution for you. Send it to me and I will fix it while it is being converted into a 7TCU. I will return it when I am done with it.....say about 40 years from now.

[flounderman]

if it isn't broke, don't mess with it. I doubt you will ever see a problem, under NORMAL use.

[John Taylor]

I just silver solder them back on, no problem. PTG makes one piece bolts for those who are worried about the handle coming off http://www.pacifictoolandgauge.com/r...nperf.htm#knob

[TCLouis]

Flounderman

Think I have come to that conclusion also.


THX to all

[mousegun]

I have a 788 in .243 with the old 22" barrel. It stretches cases like crazy with anything like warm loads. I used to use the heel of my hand to open the bolt when it got stiff. Then I read about the handles coming off. Found out you can tap the back of the bolt with a plastic hammer a couple of times and push the cartridge forward a little. It'll then open right up.

Since getting a chronograph I've backed off on the hot loads. The rifle's too accurate to mess with breaking it.