rem 788

[Don Fischer]

A friend gave me this rifle a couple years ago and I finally got it out to shoot. Intend to make a cast load only out of it. put an old Denver Redfield 1-4x on it and with it's 18" barrel it looks more serious than I though it would. Took some 180gr cast bullet's out I'd done a short time back, weather has kept me in the house. Set up my target frame at 20yds just to get the scope on paper and couldn't hit the paper or backer. I was shooting under it! Tried bring up the elevation until I ran out of adjustment and still firing under. Got to looking at the rifle sitting on the bags anf the scope somehow didn't get the front rings set down to where they belonged. Got to use my leatherman tool to ix it and then it came together. I had some stuff I'd workee up out of Richard Lees book with H414. At 50yds, the best I got out of it was around an inch. But I didn't have my bench with me because I couldn't put my finger on my stool, shooting off the hood of the Bronco. In town last week I'd picked up a pound of BLC/2. It and IMR3031 are two of my favorite 308 powder's. Loaded it up again using BLC/2 data from lee's book. won't be able to shoot them till next week though. Going to the valley for a family deal this weekend, leaving this morning. It will be interesting tp see if this powder works as well with cast as with jacketed bullet's. Going to get some IMR3031 to try and some W748. Those powder's along with H335 have always been great for me with the 308. Slower powder's never were quite that good. I think H414 might be just a bit to slow.

Got home and cleaned the rifle, was worried about leading as this stuff is quite a bit hotter than what I was firing in the 30-06. Not a bit of lead!! Once I get a load worked up, I'll shoot it over the chronograph.

[Der Gebirgsjager]

Sounds like a good rifle, and that you will get good results. Always wanted one in .30-30. Keep us posted on how your loads work out when you can get out for some serious shooting.

[Idaho Mule]

Be nice to that little rifle. It will likely be one of the most accurate guns you ever shoot. JW

[Coyote3]

Be nice to that little rifle. It will likely be one of the most accurate guns you ever shoot. JW

That's the truth. I have a 788 in .243 Winchester and even though it may not be the prettiest rifle I own, it's definitely a "shooter"!

[Shawlerbrook]

When I was young, the Rem 788 in 222 Rem. was the woodchuck's worst nightmare here in Central NY. They aren't the prettiest gun around, but they will outshoot much more expensive rifles. Probably the first great bargain bolt action ever made.

[GhostHawk]

I had a 788 in .243. Local gun shop helped me work up a varmint load for it. Hornady 60 grain boat tailed hollow points, 30 grains of dupont 3031 and CCI primers.

Busted many a crow out to 300+ and if the wind was down 400 yards.

Explosive is the only word that describes that bullet hitting something.

[tdoyka]

when i was young, my best friend had a 788 in 243. 80gr was for groundhogs and crows, 100gr was for deer. it didn't matter if it was remington, pmc, federal or winchester; it all shot great!

[nekshot]

when I was young I wanted one of them in 6mm and left handed but it wasn't to be and now I can shoot right handed guns with out thought of a lefty!

[richhodg66]

Never heard of a 788 that wasn't a good shooter. I've had a few over the years, only onenow, a 6mm. Spooky accurate. I wish Remington would bring that one back, I like it a lot better than the bargain rifles being made today.

[Jack Stanley]

Had several of the 788 rifles including left handed 6m/m and .308 great shooters every one . All that's left is a .223 and a 30WCF from the big house north of town .

Jack

[bstone5]

Have eight 788 rifles have changed barrels on several of the rifles.
Shot a 308 in High Power matches after making the magazine longer to hold five rounds and adding a heavy barrel.
Even made a few magazines for the 788.
Made one in 6 BR for my son to shot when he was 12 years old, he is over 40 now.
The 788 is a very stiff action with a high section modules most all shoot very well.
Years back they were cheap at gun shows now they have got expensive.

Wish I had purchased a few more when they were cheap.

[Don Fischer]

I think this is my fourth and everyone was wonderfully accurate. most accurate rifle I ever had was a 788 in 222 Rem! I didn't care for the short barrel but it kind of grows on you for heavier cover shooting. I was going to go up and shoot some new load's with BLC-2 today bet snowed pretty good over night!

[Mike in Reedley]

In order of ownership, 30-30, .222, .308 & 6 mm. All shot good, the .308 shot great. I drilled and tapped the trigger housing and installed screws that allowed for the trigger to be adjusted. Of all of them, I wish I had the .30-30 back. What a great cast boolit rifle it would make. I did shoot a lot of cast out of the .308 before a buddy talked me out of it.

[clum553946]

I don't think they're that bad looking at all! Lol. This is my 788 22-250 with a Timney trigger. I also have a 243 that had a Canjar trigger on it, but that went bad so I popped a Timney on it too. They both are extremely accurate. I think I paid $89.95 for the 243 way back when at a discount store named White Front in the 70's!

[richhodg66]

I don't think they're that bad looking either, especially compared with the bottom rung bolt rifles being sold today, U-G-L-Y!

People used to sneer at the 788 and Savage 340 for being cheaply produced but either one feels like a Rolls Royce in your hands compared to a Remington 710 or similar, I know they have a rep for shooting very well and I guess that's what matters, but I'd take a 788 or 340 over any of the new ones.

[Rick Hodges]

I am left handed and was rather poor in the early 70's I purchased two left handed 788's. A 6mm and .308W. I still have both of them they have been great rifles, restocked both too. They are accurate, the stock triggers were crisp but heavy and the rifles are awful heavy. They are shooters. I am glad I purchased extra magazines for both of them. Neither is for sale at any price.

[waco]

Sometimes my bolt on my 788 comes out when you work the action. Any idea what causes this?

Sorry about a little thread drift....

[376Steyr]

Sometimes my bolt on my 788 comes out when you work the action. Any idea what causes this?

Sorry about a little thread drift....

My first guess would be the bolt stop is gunked up with old oil and gets stuck in the down position. Try flushing the trigger assembly out with solvent. The Remington "trigger&sear&boltstop&safety-in-a-box" design tends to collect dirt and oil over decades. I've found the most amazing quantities of solidified "3-N-1" oil gumming up older Remington bolt action triggers.

[StuBach]

Bought one about 6 years ago in .223 and it's my favorite rifle to shoot other than my Olympic 22s. Very accurate and a little stone work makes the trigger amazing. Have run into the bolt issue from time to time and smoothing the surfaces and keeping them clean on the bolt stop helped mine.

[Rick Hodges]

My first guess would be the bolt stop is gunked up with old oil and gets stuck in the down position. Try flushing the trigger assembly out with solvent. The Remington "trigger&sear&boltstop&safety-in-a-box" design tends to collect dirt and oil over decades. I've found the most amazing quantities of solidified "3-N-1" oil gumming up older Remington bolt action triggers.

What he said