Remington 788

Norm99

Norm99

CGN Regular
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Newfoundland
Just picked up this one, in .308, what a little beauty! Sights seems to be plumming in color but everything else looks like new. Looks like one of the later productions and I can't wait to try it out. This makes the fourth rifle I will have to develop loads for. I think I like some of those economy rifles just as much as I like the higher end stuff. Anyone else shooting one of these?

788c.jpg
 
788's are usually very accurate--when I was shooting high power rifle silhouettes the 788 was a preferred rifle especially in 7-08. For the dollar in their day they outshot the Remington 700's. The triggers sometimes need some work but not always.

I once had one in .222 that would regularly shoot .5" 5 shot groups with 52 gr match bullets and 4198. Still regret selling the one I had in 30-30 win--was the best cast bullet rifle ever.

They are ugly but most shoot well beyond their looks.
 
I have 788s in 222 and 308 calibre.
During my almost 11 years in Saskatchewan, the 308 took about 24 whitetails.
Now the 222 itself, I've owned much longer, and it has taken inumerable gophers, hundreds of snowshoehares and jackrabbits combined, a half dozen foxes almost the same in coyotes, a beaver and one wolf.
The wolf was the only animal that required two shots. (eastern townships of Ontario, 1988)
 
I had one in .22-250 and liked it a lot as a gun, but sold it because I didn't really want that calibre. If it had been in .223 or .308 I would still have it.
 
I have one in 222, one of the first year production with a walnut stock , great shooter. I also have one in 30-30 with a custom stock, but ain't shot that one yet. FS
 
I wore one out in 223 years ago in Saskatchewan.
It took a few years of hunting coyotes and dusting gophers.
Re-barreled to 17 Rem it is still going strong... :)
 
the sights turn purple because they are an investment cast which is a reaction to the bluing salts this is sometimes seen on early rug er tang safety rifles as well I did remington's warranty work for yrs Never seen one with a factory walnut stock there whole premise was the economy market that is why they used birch in the first place The second version with the upgraded bolt were carbines only 18.5'' bbl except for the .223. Made from 67-83 carbine version 80-83
 
Bought a 22-250 for 'yote hunting this past november. Took it to the range and was pleasantly surprised with its accuracy.

My old man has a carbine in 308 and I always thought it was a neat gun. When I got mine I was a little disappointed as the bolt through is very rough compared to my dad's 308. I think I will see if I can find a smith to time/smooth it out and put a trigger in it for next season, but will use it as is for now.

JD
 
I love my Left-hand .308 788. I bought it used a few years ago, and it came with a real nice walnut stock.
Am I correct in assuming the walnut stocks are aftermarket?
 
Norm99;
In the fall of 1982 my wife bought a 788 carbine in .308.

Since that time, I've worked on at least 3 other 788's that I can recall right now and shot against many more back in the '80's when I did a bit of shooting in Hunter Rifle class at the local club level. All of the 788's that I've run across have shot acceptably well, some, like my wife's and a couple of the others shot much better than they had any right to.

I'll note that I did restock my wife's with a walnut semi-inletted blank, but that was for cosmetic reasons, not for function. As with any other rifles that live very long at our house, her's has been bedded with marine epoxy.

As noted by other posters, the 788's were known for a fast lock time and a stiff action, as the small ejection port and single feed slot milled in the bottom made for a lot more metal remaining than other actions. I've always thought that a tubular designed receiver should make it a bit easier to thread straight as well, but I could be wrong about that.

They had a bit of a weakness in the trigger design in that the bolt release is a pin which rises up in front of the sear portion of the trigger that engages the cocking lug on the bolt. If the pin, which isn't particularly large, happens to break, then the entire trigger unit will need to be replaced.

The factory trigger in all the 788's that I worked on were non-adjustable as well. They could however be taken apart, have the mating surfaces stoned and the sear spring replaced and improved in that way.

Timney also makes a replacement trigger unit for them. I picked one up from Western Gun Parts last summer and installed it in my wife's 788 and was very pleased with the result.

Hopefully that was some use to you. Good luck with your new rifle.

Regards,
Dwayne
 
788

Recently aquired a left hand in 6mm, and I will take this one to the grave! I've hunted and owned numerous firearms for a span that covers decades, and this is one the most accurate guns I've ever owned.
 
Picked up a 788 in 308 NIB from an estate sale last year, ran the vin and it was made in 1974 , dropped it off at the smiths to float the barrel and with 150 gr powershock ( fed ) she has done a best of .4 @ 100 meters with a leupold 4-12, nice fitting rifles but the bolts always feel a little 'gritty' :)
 
I've had a Rem 788 in .308 Win and the elusive .30-30 Win ctg model before. Great little rifles!

I currently have a 18.5" barrel factory 788 carbine in 7mm-08 that is in the "keeper" category. It came with a rather beatup wood stock. I replaced it with a vintage Ramline; one of the ones that came with a Pachmayr declerator installed from the factory. The barreled action just dropped right in with no other fitting or bedding. I topped it with an econo Tasco worldclass plus 2.5-10x44mm scope. This little rifle is amazinly accurate "just as is" and is a testament to the adage that you don't necessarily have to out-lay bags of cash to get an accurate rifle/scope combo.

My 788 in 7mm-08:

2004-08-12_202514_2Rem788TWC.jpg


2004-08-12_202613_2Rem788cu.jpg


2007-10-27_091302_1aCoffee.gif

NAA.
 
Last edited:
44Bore said:
I once had one in .222 that would regularly shoot .5" 5 shot groups with 52 gr match bullets and 4198. Still regret selling the one I had in 30-30 win...
Click to expand...

Sounds exactly like my story. I've got one in .222 and it'd a true 1/2 MOA gun with a stiff load of W748 and a 50gr. VMax.

I also had one in .30-30 that was in mint shape. It shot alright but I had plans to make it into a .219 Zipper. Alas, the lean years of college had me sell a few guns and my 788 in .30-30 went because I wasn't using it. In hindsight, I really should have sold something I could replace!:bangHead:

Bottom line the 788 is a great gun and if price is the benchmark of potential then they all shoot way better than they should.
 
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