hello folks, i just picked a 788 in 308 and there is one thing i really do not like about it, in know it came from the factory like that. How does a person fix the bolt safety, the bolt still can be "worked" with the safety on, would a timney trigger fix this?
788 experts
- Thread starter 6.5x55swm
- Start date
It is designed that way... Remington (being as big as they were) were open to being sued by cash hungry parasites... there was a claim that is was unsafe to have a loaded rifle (a chambered live round) that you had to take the safety off in order to unload it... I think it probably cost Remington millions...
So Remington sent out recalls and changed thousands of rifles and have not made a "bolt locking safety" since.
So Remington sent out recalls and changed thousands of rifles and have not made a "bolt locking safety" since.
+100,000,000+
Op,
Find a 788 bolt lock safety to replace the bastardized non bolt lock safety.
Will let you know tomorrow.
You see ads looking for bolts because of bolt handles getting broken off. Usually a handle can be reattached with silver braze, but sometimes there is enough damage to the rear collar of the bolt that reattachment isn't practical. The last 788s had an improved bolt design, from the standoint of handle attachment. You can spot these because: the trigger guard plate/magazine surround is inletted and not surface mounted; the bolt handle has a slight rear sweep; if the bolt plug is removed, the diameter of the threads is smaller than on earlier 788s. The thicker rear collar of the bolt allowed for more surface area for the factory induction braze assembly.
You see ads looking for bolts because of bolt handles getting broken off. Usually a handle can be reattached with silver braze, but sometimes there is enough damage to the rear collar of the bolt that reattachment isn't practical. The last 788s had an improved bolt design, from the standoint of handle attachment. You can spot these because: the trigger guard plate/magazine surround is inletted and not surface mounted; the bolt handle has a slight rear sweep; if the bolt plug is removed, the diameter of the threads is smaller than on earlier 788s. The thicker rear collar of the bolt allowed for more surface area for the factory induction braze assembly.
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highlander
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Newfoundland
Yep, there were any number of flaws with this gun; the safety/bolt release not working or breaking, the chambers corroding early in life causing shells to jam, and bolt handles breaking.
The magazines were crappy too.
A good gun to stay away from.
gunrunner100
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- NW Ontario
And yet they work and shoot well.
These rifles tend to be very accurate.
But they do have design warts. The design could have been refined. They were discontinued because the receiver was more expensive to manufacture than the 700. It didn't turn out to be effective as an economy rifle.
There were the other attempts at economy designs, to compete with the Savages, Mossbergs, etc. The 710, the 770. These didn't work out so well. Now the 783. This seems to be a very good one.
But they do have design warts. The design could have been refined. They were discontinued because the receiver was more expensive to manufacture than the 700. It didn't turn out to be effective as an economy rifle.
There were the other attempts at economy designs, to compete with the Savages, Mossbergs, etc. The 710, the 770. These didn't work out so well. Now the 783. This seems to be a very good one.
I've owned at least a dozen 788's. Haven't had any of those issues. I have had handles come off on one 600 and two 700's. Both had very little solder on the joint. - dan
There are 2 firing pin shroud thread diameters on Rem 788's.
The 30-30 & 44Mag use 9/16"/.562" diameter thread.
All other caliber bolts used 5/8"/.625" diameter thread.
I've TIG welded thousands of 788 bolt handles over the years.
Of the 9 bolt lugs on a 788 bolt body-only 3 lugs by design cam/cycle the bolt into battery.
The 30-30 & 44Mag use 9/16"/.562" diameter thread.
All other caliber bolts used 5/8"/.625" diameter thread.
I've TIG welded thousands of 788 bolt handles over the years.
Of the 9 bolt lugs on a 788 bolt body-only 3 lugs by design cam/cycle the bolt into battery.
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I have never worked on a 788 in .30-30 or .44 Magnum. All my experience has been with .222/3, .22-.250, .243, .308, etc. I have encountered both sizes of shroud thread diameters. It was my observation that a swept back handle and the smaller diameter went together.
As far as repairing detached bolt handles goes, I did one using a blank 110 Savage handle with the wrap around collar. Turned down the bolt collar, leaving a shoulder. Fitted the bolt handle, silver brazed it in place, cut the cocking cam. Seemed to be a more solid assembly than the having the stump of the handle induction brazed into its hole. Winchester made some M70 bolts with collared handles.
As far as repairing detached bolt handles goes, I did one using a blank 110 Savage handle with the wrap around collar. Turned down the bolt collar, leaving a shoulder. Fitted the bolt handle, silver brazed it in place, cut the cocking cam. Seemed to be a more solid assembly than the having the stump of the handle induction brazed into its hole. Winchester made some M70 bolts with collared handles.
Wow,more work than a 788 is worth!
When a 788 handle is peeled off the body the location stud w/ shroud threads to match usually has a burr introduced in the process.
Reworking by silver brazing will require chasing the shroud threads to accept the f/pin shroud.
I TIG weld them after prep as a challenge & as life goes in cycles,I haven't touched a 788 bolt/handle in months.
710/715/770 bolt handles are the current cycle of the $200 rifles & are a lot easier than a 788 bolt/handle.
Win 70 New Haven CRF,PF & C-PF bolt handles are collared onto the turned/shouldered straight line knurled diameter of the bolt body.
Some say that the handle is epoxied or silver brazed or soldered to the bolt body.
Of the hundreds that I have fusion TIG welded to date I've not witnessed any glued or soldered/brazed.
Some die hard Winney 70 owners swear that the bolt/handle is of 1 piece construction.
To those,I suggest spinning the f/pin assy from the bolt body & explaining why there is 2 layers of material in the f/pin cocking cam area or a visible seam just forward of the handle.
303EppsFan
CGN Regular
- Location
- Almonte,Ontario
I tend to disagree. Bought a used one in .222 Rem for my brother over 20 years ago. He killed literally hundreds of ground hogs with it. It will easily put 5 rounds under an inch at 100 yards to this day.My son has it now and continues to kill coyotes and ground hogs with it. It never gets cleaned more than any other rifle I've owned and has had none of the other issues you mention. Mind you I don't try to turn a .222 Rem into a .22-250 or think it's appropriate to beat a bolt handle open with a 2x4 so...........
