788 Remington

[shotman]

I have a 22-250 barrel that some one asked about PM me. It needs a blue job light rust but will clean up. There is no markings . I am sure it is a rem factory. Bore is very good. Threads are good .is tapped for sights. Crown is good. Is 24" rick In another note the carbine shock is a little bit different in the front barrel chanel

[missionary5155]

Good morning I see alot written here about .223 and .308 model 788´s. Are the .243 somewhat less in produced quantity ? That is the one I have ( up north there) and it shoots great.

[shotman]

I think the 243 has certain areas of the US it is better liked. The 223 was kind of an odd ball . The 222 was the first one. Then they came out with the 223. I have seen the 30-30 but I have not seen a 44 mag. That would be a nice cal to load hotter.

[FWAddit]

Do 788s often have weak striker springs, or short firing pins? A friend and I bought a quantity of army surplus 7.62 NATO ammo to use in our .308s; we get a significant number of misfires. A Mauser-action rifle and a couple of Winchester 100s give no such problems. My 788 sometimes also misfires with foreign-made commercial primers (old Herter's brand), which fire reliably in other arms.

[shotman]

Rem has aways had weak fireing pin springs. Military ammo has a thicker harder primer because of full auto use. Also most military rifles M1, M14, carbine have a floating fireing pin. that can fire a domestic fed primer by dropping the rifle. I would just stay with consumer ammo in a 788

[Crash_Corrigan]

Some years ago my wife befriended an elderly couple durimg some hard times they had. A few years later the husband knowing his time was getting short gifted me with 3 guns. A Ruger Single Six revolter with a buscadero leather shooting holster and belt, a Winchester Model 94 in .32 Special with a 6 x scope on a side mount which allowed me to use the iron sights also and a Remington 788 in 22-250. The 94 was made in '48 and the Remington in 1952.

It was a fine shooter and had an excellent trigger. It was in pristine condition with little use. I had little use for the .32 but it sure was a nice looking rifle. I played with it for a time but I never could get it to shoot cast well. I lusted for a Ruger Old Model BH convertible in 357/9MM and I sold it off along with the 788.


That 788 was a plain jane rifle but it could really hold a group. I made some outrageous shots with that on some crows and coyotes. I hit a crow one time who had roosted on a fencepole. When hit all I could see was a big puff of feathers and blood. I paced it off later at over 200 yds but I really can't brag about it since I used a convenient boulder to rest the rifle on and I really took my time making the shot. I got bored shooting small groups on paper so whan a collector showed up on the range and offered a goodly sum I took the money and ran.

That 22-250 just was not economical to shoot! It used way too much powder and j word boolits. I got enuf for those two rifles to buy a pristine Taurus Mod 85 in .38 Spcl. It was the ultralight model and I ground off the hammer spur and it is a dandy CCW revolter. A 1971 Ruger BH flatop in NIB condition has been a great shooter but one of the 9MM chambers is tight and needs a reeming.

[HangFireW8]

I wonder why the 788 bolts are more fragile than the model 700 bolts since those handles are silver soldered on too, aren't they?

No, they aren't. According to Otteson, 700 bolts are high temp brazed, which has a strength approaching that of the steel.

-HF

[HangFireW8]

But at the prices they go for these days ....... they are not a bargain ...... and there are some new rifles that give it a real run "for it's money" ..........

The exception being chamberings in .30-30 and .44 mag ........ not many real peers to those AND I would dare say .... bolt compression would hardly be a issue in those milder cartridges either.

Bolt compression was an issue with benchresters rebarrelling from 222/223 to 6mm PPC (changing the bolt face) and then overstuffing the case, as they always do.

I hear you on the price issue. For $200, a bargain. For $300 or more, pass.

-HF

[HangFireW8]

My grandfather gave me my 788 in .308. Who knows how many deer he took with it before giving it to me. I like it because it is a light rifle and easily toted all day

Light? Did you have the carbine version?

The heavy receiver and straight taper barrel make most of them a bit on the heavy side.

-HF

[HangFireW8]

Riveted-in extractor? Really?

Yup.

-HF

[Three44s]

My 788 is a .22-250 ....... what with the case taper and larger volume than a PPC it's probably more of an issue ..... but I don't/did not fire as many rounds as a bench rester ..........

........ just DRT'ing a bunch of Eastern Wa. coyotes and an occasional daliance with ground squirrels ....... LOL!

I think others addressed that though and I also use the Lee Collet die and except for the first firing ..... it eliminates head space issues until bolt lift gets too draggy ..... then ...... a careful adjustment of a full length sizer would be in order.

Regards

Three 44s

[Bret4207]

My 788 is a .22-250 ....... what with the case taper and larger volume than a PPC it's probably more of an issue ..... but I don't/did not fire as many rounds as a bench rester ..........

........ just DRT'ing a bunch of Eastern Wa. coyotes and an occasional daliance with ground squirrels ....... LOL!

I think others addressed that though and I also use the Lee Collet die and except for the first firing ..... it eliminates head space issues until bolt lift gets too draggy ..... then ...... a careful adjustment of a full length sizer would be in order.

Regards

Three 44s

Ditto, same with my 788x22-250.

[Pioneer2]

Rem 788 's can be modified to a Sako type extractor...........................Also came in .44 magnum...Harold

[barnetmill]

I traded a remington 742 in .308 for a 788 in .308. with 22" barrel. The 788 is like new. Belonged to a widow that sold it to a friend. The friend only wanted the scope that was on it. I have mounted a burris 3x9 with target turret knobs on it. I have yet to work with it. My gunsmith told me to get rid of the 742 because they tend to break and remington will not supply parts and besides he likes rear lock action rifles. Trigger pull is usable, but really needs to be lighter to wring out the full potential of this rifle.
Is there anyway to tell when a 788 was made by the serial number?

[shotman]

well last 2 posters wellcome serial no I am not sure they were only made about 12 years. The trigger pull is not bad but if you work on them be advised that the trigger attachement is silver soldered on so if you dont support it it will break off. It is a pain to get right. If anyone wants a 22- 250 custom for 400 there is one on trap shooters

[oneokie]

Is there anyway to tell when a 788 was made by the serial number?

No, to the serial number. There are letters (2 or 3) stamped on the left side of the barrel in front of the receiver that is the date code used by Remington.

Do a Google search for Remington years of mfg.

[Bill Church]

I have a 788 in 243 but the handle fell off of the bolt while I was shooting with my son-in-law. Does anyone have or know were I can get one reasonable priced. I've found a place on the Remington web page that fixes the reasonable, but its on the other side of the state.

[oneokie]

I have a 788 in 243 but the handle fell off of the bolt while I was shooting with my son-in-law. Does anyone have or know were I can get one reasonable priced. I've found a place on the Remington web page that fixes the reasonable, but its on the other side of the state.

If you have the handle and the bold body, it probably would simplest to mail the pieces to the fixit place. If you replace the complete bolt, you will probably have head space issues, and I think the cost of a replacement bolt will shock you.

[waksupi]

Bill, that is a pretty simple fix. Just send to bolt off to be rewelded, and be done with it. No paperwork to deal with.

Welcome aboard, by the way!

[HangFireW8]

Bill, that is a pretty simple fix. Just send to bolt off to be rewelded, and be done with it. No paperwork to deal with.

Welcome aboard, by the way!

Been there, done that. Advise against it.

The 788 uses bolt handle engagement to a cam on the back of the receiver for primary extraction.

If that handle is welded on a few hundredths further back, you lose a good chunk of your leverage when extracting a tight cartridge. Basically you'll be pulling straight back on the handle instead of letting the designed leverage do the job.

Wisner's promised a few years back to make new, to-spec 788 bolts. Don't know if they ever got around to it.

http://www.wisnersinc.com/

-HF