remington 788

[StevieK]

Ben, for those of us that weren't around at that time, do you recall what a rem 700 was selling for? Just to put the cost into perspective

 

[norskie]

No one has argued the fact that 788's shoot. people are only arguing the cost. There are lots of cheap rifles that shoot. They are old guns, for the price that people are trying to sell them for you can buy a rem 700 of the same era for the same price. I saw a rem 788 in 6mm rem with a bushnell 3200 sell quite fast on the EE for $650 (actual sale price may have differed). I just bought a Rem 700 in 6mm rem with the same scope for $625. They are old used guns with no collectors value so their price should not be going up

Hey Stevie,

I own a 788 in a 22-250 that shoots better than it should.

I agree there may be many "old" rifles that shoot well - but 788's seem to do very well and have earned a rep as a rifle that is inherently accurate. It is true that you can but remmy 700's of similar vintage for similar money.

Why did Remington discontinue them? I read it was due to the fact folks started picking them up in place of the 700 when they found out how well they shot and functioned.

As for the collectable value - they keep building 700's but it's hard to buy a new 788.

And for what it is worth - I hate the birch stock and the mags. I likely wouldn't spend huge on another, but can understand why some might.

 

[Fassteel]

Hey Stevie,

I own a 788 in a 22-250 that shoots better than it should.

I agree there may be many "old" rifles that shoot well - but 788's seem to do very well and have earned a rep as a rifle that is inherently accurate. It is true that you can but remmy 700's of similar vintage for similar money.

Why did Remington discontinue them? I read it was due to the fact folks started picking them up in place of the 700 when they found out how well they shot and functioned.

As for the collectable value - they keep building 700's but it's hard to buy a new 788.

And for what it is worth - I hate the birch stock and the mags. I likely wouldn't spend huge on another, but can understand why some might.

If are fortunate enough to find 1st year production rifles, they all came with Walnut stocks. I have in in 222 and a custom stocked 788 in 30-30. FS

 

[Norlander]

I have a left-handed 788 in 6mm Rem. It is very accurate. I've killed a few deer with it and it really does a number on foxes and woodchucks.
Jerry

 

[SuperCub]

Some one tell me what I'm missing here.

Here's your answer ...

(with a bonus of pretty stellar accuracy for the cash layout)

I think they shot well because of the long receiver thread, fairly chunky barrels and fast lock time.

My neighbour's 788/.243 shoots sub MOA with Rem CoreLokts with an older Weaver scope.

The little rifle now wears a stainless 17 Rem barrel and is still a tackdriver and my favorite varmint gun.... a keeper for sure !

They were inexpensive, reliable, and accurate.

actually campaigned that bone stock little rifle at several local "turkey shoots" and did quite well competing against more expensive rigs and more knowledgeable people.

I have one in 308 dating back to 1974 , shoots .4 all day long with cheap ass fed power shok.......

I've got one in .222.Probally the most accurite rifle I own.

PS: The commonly used word most associated with them is accurate. That's not bad in my books.

This thing shot like no other rifle I had seen up to that time,

It still shoots pretty good.

It was very accurate

I gotta say they were accurate and never gave us a bit of trouble.

I've never owned one (a 788) that didn't shoot well,

788's shoot.

They do shoot well.

I own a 788 in a 22-250 that shoots better than it should.

It is very accurate.

 

[mbogo3]

And if ever shot out a takeoff 700 barrel can be fitted.................I had a .223 +22-250..................Harold

 

[Garand]

Excellent rifle, I bought one in .308 at Canadian Tire in Barrie Ontario in 1979 for $279.00. Wish I had never sold it.

 

[SHELL SHUCKER]

Back in the mid 80's I owned 788's in .223, 7mm '08 and .44 mag. All of them shot
wonderful groups. The real suprise was the .44 mag. With this gun I shot a 3 shot
group at 200 yds. with Remington 240 gr. JSP factory ammo that measured just
1 3/8"! And that was with a Bushnell 1.5-4.5 X Scopechief on top. Very nice for a
cheap "bush gun". That was a witnessed group by the way.
The only reason I sold the gun was because it wouldn't shoot lead bullets very well
cause the rifling was too shallow, and I like to throw lead.

My other 788's shot better than any factory M700's that I've owned and I really wish
I had kept them. As far as rear locking actions are concerned, the 788 was about the
strongest of any of them, and is perfect for conversion to cartridges like the .45 ACP,
7.62x25 Tokarev, .38 Super etc. for super plinkers.

Remington could, and should bring back the 788 because with the CNC machining,
synthetic stocks & magazines, they could build and sell these rifles better than before and at a cost similar to a Stevens bolt gun.

Ask a good bench rest ,varmint or pine cone shooter which gun they would prefer to use as a build project or working gun. Better yet ask a good engineer.
C'mon Remington, suck it up and bring it back!

 

[Huntin' Gun]

There's a 788 in 7-08 for sale on the EE right now. Has a Ram-line stock. To me this should be no higher than about $400, and that is still probably too steep. The asking on this gun is $695. YIKES!
Sure it may be accurate, but it's no fine piece. The allure of these things is accuracy for little $. For $700 and shipping on top, I'd rather just buy a brand new M70 FWT!

 

[A&Shuntr]

All this talk has resparked my interest in the old 788. Credit card was debited today

 

[frogger]

Inherited mine from my dad when he passed - it looks like crap as my father used it as a tool and didn't mind bungy cording it to the rack of the 4 wheeler - the only thing I have done to it is put on some new glass as the fixed 4 power tasco didn't cut it anymore - I can shoot a ragged hole with 180gr rem core locks at 100 yards - I have been told I should refinish the stock but all the bumps and bruses look to be in just the right spots so they will be left where they are

 

[prosper]

I had one. I found that there's more to a gun than accuracy, though. Sure, it shot well enough, but there's a ton of guns that shoot well. I sold it because it just didn't call out to me. The trigger sucked, though I could have lived with that, or upgraded to an aftermarket trigger. What I didn't like was the russian-tractor-feel to the gun. The finish was poor, the stock and metalwork ugly, the magazines and bottom metal just seemed cheap. As to the accuracy - it was good, but not fantastic: if they really are that fantastic of a gun, why don't you see any of them in the benchrest circles? You can get a brand new Stevens for less than the price of a used 788, and those at least, have the advantage of a huge aftermarket and a presence in the precision shooting circles. Basically with these (and other) cult-guns, the hype really drives up the price, way past the point that made them so compelling in the first place. For $300 to $400, the 788 is an amazing gun, an accurate shooter whose faults can be overlooked at the price. For the $550-$600 that they seem to go for on the EE - you can get a far better gun, with better accuracy potential and aesthetics.

 

[Pathfinder]

All things being equal...I should be able to sell a Stevens 200 for 800$ in 20 or 30 years !!!

I wanted to pick one up in 222 and couldnt' get past paying as much for an old econo gun and picked up a newer Tikka for 50$ more.

I probably will end up picking one up later on just to satisfy my curiousity.

 

[Republic of Alberta]

My 788 is about 10x better than my Stevens.. and that is even when the bolt handle is broke off. I should get someone to Tig it back on then re-bbl the old girl, she deserves it.

 

[farshot]

Another factor was that you could get them left handed - friend of mine has re-bbld his 22-250 twice

I believe it is the fast lock time - that at the time was great. Who knows now why they command $500???

 

[Bearcat]

the 788

It isn't about how any rifle looks. It's how well it shoots. 788's shoot.

I know several people who own them in various calibres, and ever one of them are very accurate shooters !!!!

 

[Fassteel]

I had one. I found that there's more to a gun than accuracy, though. Sure, it shot well enough, but there's a ton of guns that shoot well. I sold it because it just didn't call out to me. The trigger sucked, though I could have lived with that, or upgraded to an aftermarket trigger. What I didn't like was the russian-tractor-feel to the gun. The finish was poor, the stock and metalwork ugly, the magazines and bottom metal just seemed cheap. As to the accuracy - it was good, but not fantastic: if they really are that fantastic of a gun, why don't you see any of them in the benchrest circles? You can get a brand new Stevens for less than the price of a used 788, and those at least, have the advantage of a huge aftermarket and a presence in the precision shooting circles. Basically with these (and other) cult-guns, the hype really drives up the price, way past the point that made them so compelling in the first place. For $300 to $400, the 788 is an amazing gun, an accurate shooter whose faults can be overlooked at the price. For the $550-$600 that they seem to go for on the EE - you can get a far better gun, with better accuracy potential and aesthetics.

Ain't no cache in a Stevens 200. Benchrest circles c'mon Brad. FS

 

[HUNTERROD]

788 's are great old rifle, i had 3 of em, one 308, one 6mm remington, one in 30-30, yes they are "plain janes" but they do their job well, granted the person behing the trigger is able to do his job, ive shot sub MOA with the 6mm, and the 30 30, mags were sort of rattle'y,lol, wood was plain, but in general, an all around gd hunting rifle, would pick up another one in a heartbeat in 308,

 

[gunrunner100]

I've had a couple over the years. Presently have one in 223.

 

[Jeff/1911]

Well, with all this talk about Remington 788's I just had to buy one myself in .222. I got this one today from EPPS for $399.

I had a older BDL Varmint in .222 recently, and had to sell it to raise some money - but I fell in love with the .222 Remington cartridge in the process.