new 788 thread

[odis]

Hi guys, went to a gun shop to pick up some reloading supplies today and saw something that shocked me and that was a 788 in 30-30 in very good condition and had been bedded and a trigger job done to it. The mag. was in good shape and the barrel looked pristeen. Its being sold on consignment for $499.00 is that a realistic price? I bought one in 79 for I think $150.00 in .222, it was extremely accurate if I used real trigger discipline, I want to buy a 30-30 for my wife and this just seems to fill the bill because I will reload for it. I would appreciate some input before I chunk any money down for it. I know the rifle has a following on this board.

[.30/30 Guy]

There are 5 listed on GB now ranging from $399 to $750. Average is about $560.

If you could get the low priced one at the current price then you would pay $400 + $25 shipping + $25 transfer fee = $450

[2ndAmendmentNut]

$499.00 is that a realistic price?

Sounds like a fair price to me. Not a rip off and not a super great deal.

[badgeredd]

What I've been seeing at gun shows lately says that it is not too high priced. Granted I have 2 788s that I did pay considerably less for, but the market is crazy on some firearms and the 788 in general is one. The 30-30 is very desireable so the price is even higher. I saw one chambered 6mm Remington last week for $400and was POed because I didn't have the cash. My opinion is that it is a fair price in today's market.

Edd

[odis]

Thanks guys, I really liked the one that I had years ago in 222, I remember the NRA using one as their slave action for testing a number of chamberings back in the 80s and the 30-30 for cast bullets being their favorite. I'm going to buy it and pick up a decent scope for it.

[oksmle]

Odis .... Where are you located?

[Mk42gunner]

I like 788s, I have had a couple of them in .222 and .223 Rem. The .222 was one of the most accurate rifles I have had.

That said, I would rather spend $500 om A 788 in .30-30 than $350+ on a Model 94 Winchester. I guess I remember them going for $100 anywhere too much.


Robert

[odis]

Odis .... Where are you located?Northern Minnesota.

[357maximum]

Man......when I first saw the title I thought maybe/perhaps Remington decided to fix one of their collective rectal cranial inversions with a resounding POP and bring back the 788 ......it was a fun moment.

My uncle has a 788 in 30/30....it is hands down thee most accurate 30/30 I have ever seen. I had a real nice 788 in 308 but I was suffering from the same malody as described above and sold it one day.

[odis]

Man......when I first saw the title I thought maybe/perhaps Remington decided to fix one of their collective rectal cranial inversions with a resounding POP and bring back the 788 ......it was a fun moment.

My uncle has a 788 in 30/30....it is hands down thee most accurate 30/30 I have ever seen. I had a real nice 788 in 308 but I was suffering from the same malody as described above and sold it one day.I doubt you will ever see that happen, they where not a big enough seller.

[missionary5155]

Good morning
My 788 .243 IS the most accurate .243 I ever owned. I use to pop coyotes regular across Illinois bean fields. One of those items that will be last to leave the hive.

[doubs43]

Good morning
My 788 .243 IS the most accurate .243 I ever owned. I use to pop coyotes regular across Illinois bean fields. One of those items that will be last to leave the hive.

The .222 788 I bought new in the mid-1970's was the proverbial tack-driver and one of my favorite rifles ever. Based on that experience I bought a new 788 in .243. It was as bad as the .222 was great. NOTHING shot accurately in it. I had it rebarreled by E.R. Shaw and it shot one bullet weight well... the 75 grain bullet. I sold it in total disgust.

Later, I bought a Parker Hale in .243 and it wasn't much better. That turned me off of the .243 completely. Then, sometime in the very early 1990's, I got a .243 Ruger Model 77 in trade and decided to give it a go. Wonder of wonders, it was a one holer! Then, in a weak moment, I allowed my UPS driver to talk me out of it. He wanted it for his son as a deer rifle. He got his deer too but not long after it was burned up in a house fire.

That was my last .243.

[odis]

Well I did it. Bought the rifle and a set of dies plus a neck sizing die now I have to buy a scope, find some LR primers Buy some cast bullets some Jacketed all for my wife( heeheehee ). For some reason I had 235 pieces off 30-30 brass that I found in my misc. stash of brass that I've scrounged over the last 35 years of shooting in gravel pits. Must be kismet.

[357maximum]

I doubt you will ever see that happen, they where not a big enough seller.

I always felt it was discontinued because the cheaper 788 outshot the Model $700$ at which point corporate greed came into play. It is my opinion and has nil basis in actual facts.....facts I cannot even dream of obtaining.

[oneokie]

I always felt it was discontinued because the cheaper 788 outshot the Model $700$ at which point corporate greed came into play. It is my opinion and has nil basis in actual facts.....facts I cannot even dream of obtaining.

You are not alone in your thinking.

[odis]

I agree with you guys, there are a lot guns that I wish were still made and some I wish had left the drawing boards. Some I can't believe never caught on.

[stephen perry]

The 30-30 was one of the higher production 788's. Lots of them out there. I bought a .223 last year for $300 with brass and dies. I have another I will buy next year for $300 same guy with an after market .454 Casuul barrel mictrometer sights base and rings brass and dies. I even bought a 788 with after market 6x47 Hart barrel brass and dies for $100.

I would say hold on $300 is a good price. $500 is pushing the ptice window on one.

I read earlier you bought the 788. Well forget the money it's not yours anymore. You will enjoy the gun especially if a good trigger job was done.

Stephen Perry
Angeles BR :brokenima

[Uncle Grinch]

I always felt it was discontinued because the cheaper 788 outshot the Model $700$ at which point corporate greed came into play. It is my opinion and has nil basis in actual facts.....facts I cannot even dream of obtaining.

No only did it shoot better than most 700's, if I remember correctly, it even was popular in benchrest with an aluminum sleeve fitted over the action (to stiffen it up). The lock time was extremely fast. I believe that is one of the reasons it was so accurate.

Like most of us.... I wish I had mine back now.

[odis]

I've traced the serial number and it appears to have been made in 67, definatly not a birch stock. I plan on buying a Mueller scope for it and when ever I can find some primers I'll load up the 200 cases that I have sized. I don't cast so any suggestions out there for cast that I can buy? Should I look for light and cheap for fire forming since I also bought a Hornaday neck sizing die?

[shotman]

One thing about the 788 DO NOT let snow or rain get in the bolt and freeze. Many bolt handles were broke that way. Also the 30-30 and 44mag the front of bolt is a 2 piece so it needs light oil up there. I was working on a job and over heard guy wanting to sell a cheap made gun. Said it was a 308 and he needed a 30-06 for deer. I said what do you have . Went to his car and it was a 788 in very nice shape other than someone put a sling on it and set rear swivel right at the butt. I ask him what he would sell it for . Got it for $150 if he could keep the BSA scope. Its got a older Redfield now.

[leadman]

I had a left hand 788 in 308 Win. in the late seventies. Traded it off to buy a muzzleloader.

Still have the muzzleloader but wish I had the 788!

[Frank46]

Well how about the winchester 54 in 30-30? Mine had the bolt reworked by griffin & Howe many years ago. 5 shot magazine, ability to use both iron and scope sights. Easy recoil if the striker tip breaks use one of an 03 or 03A3 carbine barrel 20" Get a nice vintage lyman steel receiver sight (on the 54 it mounts on the left hand side. New a dealer in brooklyn ny who advertised them at $75 for barreled actions. Had a local smith fit the iron to it. Made in 1928. Since they only made about 50,000 or so would be a nice woods rifle. Course now they are collectors items. Just a thought. Frank

[NHlever]

I've only seen one Winchester model 54 in 30-30 in my life. I coon fingered it as much as I could, but just couldn't afford the modest price back then..... nice guns!

[jlchucker]

Well I did it. Bought the rifle and a set of dies plus a neck sizing die now I have to buy a scope, find some LR primers Buy some cast bullets some Jacketed all for my wife( heeheehee ). For some reason I had 235 pieces off 30-30 brass that I found in my misc. stash of brass that I've scrounged over the last 35 years of shooting in gravel pits. Must be kismet.

Buy your wife a mold and forget about the jacketed! Teach her to cast (if she already doesn't know how) and to reload. She'll derive a great deal of pleasure making ammo for you to shoot with, I'm sure.

[Jack Stanley]

The first high power rifle I bought new was a left hand in .308 , Later I found one in six millimeter . Both shot well with whatever I fed them though a friend of mine had a bad go around with a .308 he bought .

Currently I still have a .223 that a local gun plumber built into a nice offhand target rifle , great sights , handrest and adjustable buttplate ... my boss "needed" some other gun and I got lucky . The other one is a thirty-thirty that was disposed of by a correctional facility . Both of these are great shooters and the .223 has got me thinking when I use up the lead loads that was given me for it , I'll cast for it .


I'll bet you are gonna love yours with about any reasonable load .

Jack

[odis]

Well right now I am just waiting for the scope to arrive. I ordered a Mueller 3x9 and my source was out of stock. I have Weaver rings and bases, reloading dies, and some bullets to reload. I'm anxious for the scope to arrive but seeing as its been in the single digits below zero for highs and I have been nursing a nasty cold it doesn't really matter. Hope to post some shooting results before the end of the month. Thanks for the interest. odis

[waco]

i picked my 788 in .308 up about 10 years ago.
what a tack driver with j-words and varget
just over half inch groups @ 100 yrds
havent shot much cast in it though
had the action bedded and a sweet triger job done to it
payed $350 if memory serves
i hated the way the stock looked though, so i sanded it down and stained it green!
looks pretty cool now!

[Crash_Corrigan]

I had 788 in 22-250. I was a plain jane but wow could it shoot! Excellent trigger and a joy to carry around. With a decent scope and if it was not too windy I could get 1" groups all day long with a decent rest.

Sadly I let it go to pay for a Taurus 1911 pistol.

[thegatman]

I have a 788 in 308 that shoots great. I have it in a Ramline stock with a great trigger job. I paid around $250 for it. I will not part with it. My son wanted one so I found one in 308 for him. I had to have some extractor work done on it but it shoots sweet.
Good luck with yours.
:-P

[Four Fingers of Death]

I've always fancied a 788 in 30/30 and one rebarrelled to 35/30/30. I've never seen a 30/30 in Australia. Lots of 222s, 22/250s, some 243s and 7/08 and a few 308s.

My friend has one that was a donor rifle, it was a 308 Carbine (16 1/2" Bbl). It was rebarrelled when new to something or other and recently had the unused 308 barrel refitted and sold to my mate who put about 20 J words through it. It would be all right as a cast boolit hunter, virtually a 30/30 bolt gun, Trouble is I have a 30/30 Marlin, a 30/30 pre 64 Winny, a 30/30 Classic and a 30/30 Mossberg, not to mention a few 32/20s and a 308 Police Remington pump, soooooooo, it is prettywell excess to requirements.

[Multigunner]

I had a 788 in .243, got it on sale for about 80 bucks. Later my engine blew so I traded the rifle for a junk car that had a motor I could use. I put the motor in my car and sold the rest of the car for more than I paid for the rifle, so moneywise I came out ahead.
I'd figured the 788 rifles would always be available and planned to pick up a .308 next time they were on sale, but never got around to it, and then one day no more 788s.

I don't think I'd pay more than 200 for a used 788 even if it has collector value, its a very good shooter, but uninspiring with a few irritating design details that keep it from being as good as it could be.

The .30-30 and .243 chamberings are probably the best suited to the design.

I may know where I can get a .44 Magnum 788 cheap, but its missing the bolt. I hear the .30-30 bolt will work with the .44.

[Willbird]

No only did it shoot better than most 700's, if I remember correctly, it even was popular in benchrest with an aluminum sleeve fitted over the action (to stiffen it up). The lock time was extremely fast. I believe that is one of the reasons it was so accurate.

Like most of us.... I wish I had mine back now.

The 788 would not be a good benchrest action, it is too springy with the rear mounted lugs. Sleeved 700's and xp100's were quite popular.

The things that supposedly made a 788 accurate....

Longer barrel thread into the receiver
Stiffer receiver due to single column magazine

In the end I bet the 788 wound up costing MORE to make than the 700/xp100/model 7 due to the fact that those actions are all very similar and could be run with the same machines and tooling, just a cnc program change is needed to make one instead of another.

I have two 788 30-30....one has been fired and used, the other is just like it came from the factory....not minty new in the box, but unfired...they are neat guns.

Bill

[HangFireW8]

An engineer named Stuart Otteson wrote some excellent books about bolt action rifles a few years back. The story on the 788 was that it cost more than a 700 to make and sold for less. The plan was there was supposed to be savings in the tooling to be used by other rifles including some rimfires with rear locking as well, but in the end it still took more tooling, more machining, more hours, and more material to make a 788 than a 700.

The fact that it was cannibalizing sales of the 700 probably didn't help either.

I had a .308 788, cost me a deer when the pin failed to fall. Not sure if it failed to cock or jammed but the next cartridge fired, but by then it was too late, Mr Whitetail got away. Unfired cart had the tiniest of firing pin marks on the primer.

With the rear locking bolt, I would avoid the 6mm version. In .308Win with full house hunting loads, I had to full length size my cases to get the shoulder back to where it should be.

Sold it off and used the money for a Kimber 84M Montana in the same caliber, never looked back. While accurate, the 788 let me down and no one could tell me why.

Now my .223 788, that's a one hole shooter, not for sale.

I would pick up another 788, in most any caliber, if the price is right, but the price is rarely right anymore.

-HF

[roverboy]

The only ones I've ever seen were in .243. I've never seen another caliber.

[Four Fingers of Death]

22/250 seem to be the calibre most encountered here, closely followed by the 222.

[tuckerdog]

.222 788 is most accurate rifle I own 22.5 gr 3031 50grn v-max 3 in a nickle when im on my game [outers varminter rest]100yds at range

[Tony65x55]

I just fired my new (to me) Rem 788 .308 Carbine for the first time. The load is 31/IMR-3031 under a Lee 170 gr FP WQWW. Wow, accurate rifle.

http://s987.photobucket.com/albums/ae357/Tony65x55/?action=view&current=308Rem788Targetjpg.jpg&newest=1

Range 100 yards, 20 mph wind, sub zero temps.

I'm a happy guy