I got ripped off. Mine was a 308 for $118 from TG&Y (long dead Oklahoma based chain store) bought in the early 80s when they went out of the gun business. Traded away a few years later. Too soon old and too late smart.
Now I've given up on one of my grail guns, the 30-30 788. I want the duplicate to the one I saw in a Gibson's store in Muskogee about 1983: the 7mm-08 for $160.
Last edited by Mohawk Daddy; 01-24-2019 at 07:25 PM.
Back in the early 70’s many farmer’s fields here in Central NYS were ridded of woodchucks by a young boy and a Remington 788 in 222. They weren’t pretty, but boy they would shoot.
A friend of mine has one in .308 Win. It’s in excellent condition but must be an exception to the rule: it’s a 2moa gun, and none of the usual tricks or load could improve on that.
Well, thanks to this thread, I now realize that I own one of each! I bought my original LH 788 in 1972 or 73 and the bolt locks on it.
I later found the mate to it at a gun show in Houston during the early 1980s. Just checked it with the safety on and the bolt lifts up! I can't believe that I hadn't noticed this earlier! Mine are both in .308 Win and are absolute tack drivers with cast boolits. Semper Fi, Treetop
"Treetop"
Sgt. USMC
1968-71
"Accuracy has a suppressive power all by itself."
Lt. Gen. George Flynn, USMC
“The Second Amendment was not written to protect your right to shoot deer.
It was written to protect your right to shoot tyrants…”
Judge Andrew Napolitano
I bought a used 788 in 22-250 in the late 70's while in the Air Force. It blew primers in factory loads. Worked ok when loaded to 222 powder charges.
I live near the Remington factory in NY. Took it to them. Sent it back after week or so. The letter said the chamber was rusted. They set te barrel back one turn and rechambered it.
Shot like house afire. I shot it with many bullets from 50-63 grs. all shot less than 1/2" groups. many less than 1/4".
All to same poi at 100 yards.
Let that one go to a nephew under the rule if he sells it he has to sell back to me.
He thought he could get a better deal from someone else. I no longer do anything with him.
Sure wish I find a rifle that shot as well.
Leo
There is one for sale in Everett WA for $300...in case anyone lives near there.
The 788 is a strange rifle. I remember when they came out and they were offered in limited calibers. Can't remember but I think 44 mag and maybe 30-30 with possibly the 222 later. They were considered a cheap rifle that may have been made to compete with the Savages. Most that traded them off probably did because they were a "bargain" rifle. After Remington quit making them they rose in value and got a reputation for accuracy, some claim because of a very short lock time. I don't remember when they started making them in the other calibers like the 308 or 22-250.
If you read the early literature on cast bullets, as with Frank Marshall, the Savage 340 and the 788 in 30-30 were prized cast bullet rifles that many found fun to shoot against more expensive rifles using J bullets at the time. The 788 was the most prized for its accuracy with cast. Back then a rifle shooting J bullets into an inch group was a real prize. Another caliber they liked in cast bullet competition was the 30-06.
DEP
Be careful. Extractors go bad. Hard to find parts.
Introduced in 1967. First chamberings were .222, 22-250, .243, 6mm, 30-30, .308, & .44 mag. In 1980 they were updated cosmetically and the .223 & 7mm-08 were added and the .222 and 6mm were discontinued. The rimmed cartridges used a non rotating bolt head. The 788 singlehandedly put the 22-250 on the map IMO. As to function; of the even dozen I've owned- not a speck of trouble. Ever. I carried my first one in my truck, wiped the scope lens off every so often, but no cleaning otherwise for 7 years. Like the idiot I sometimes am I traded it for a Franchi 20.
It's out there somewhere; 788 22-250 serial # 6106093.
If you find it holler. I don't own any now, I use the Finland version- the Tikka T3.
If I find one for $300, my wallet will leap out of my pocket like a bullfrog!
788 Fanboy here.
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That's a deal, especially if it has the walnut stock they were introduced in. I don't know when they changed to birch. My first was a 1972 model and it had birch. While I'm droning on, I'll mention that in 1980 they changed the stock shape, swept the bolt handle, shortened the barrel on .243 on up to 18.5, and inletted the formerly proud floor plate. They also changed the safety to a non bolt locking design for some dumb reason.
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I just remembered one that I had, but never fired. A friend gave it to me; it was a 788 in .223 rem., but the bolt handle was broken off. part of the threads on the end of the bolt were broken off with the handle, and he had no idea where the handle went.
It sat in the back of my closet for a few years. I always intended to find a way to fix it, but when we moved for work six years ago I got rid of all my unnecessary projects. I think I sold it to a guy at a gun show for $100.
Some of my early adventures in reloading tested the handle of my 788 severely and it never broke. All the ones I've used and seen used- no broken handles. I've read of it but never have I seen it. I don't doubt it because I've seen one m700 break at the braze joint; just that I haven't on the sevenateyate.
When the handle breaks off does the bolt go into the eye? Or do the lugs still hold.
The handle is brazed on to the body and supposedly breaks there - no lug failure or injury that I'm aware of.
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BP | Bronze Point | IMR | Improved Military Rifle | PTD | Pointed |
BR | Bench Rest | M | Magnum | RN | Round Nose |
BT | Boat Tail | PL | Power-Lokt | SP | Soft Point |
C | Compressed Charge | PR | Primer | SPCL | Soft Point "Core-Lokt" |
HP | Hollow Point | PSPCL | Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" | C.O.L. | Cartridge Overall Length |
PSP | Pointed Soft Point | Spz | Spitzer Point | SBT | Spitzer Boat Tail |
LRN | Lead Round Nose | LWC | Lead Wad Cutter | LSWC | Lead Semi Wad Cutter |
GC | Gas Check |