Remington 788 - Lets hear about them

coyoteman23

coyoteman23

New member
I might have a chance to get a Remington 788 in .222 pretty cheap in the near future. I was wondering what everyone thought of them. What are yalls pros and cons? It will mostly be used for target shooting and spotlighting rabbits and such. I took a look on gunbroker and there was quite a few 788 in .222 for sale so I didn't know if that was a bad sign or not. Thanks

coyoteman23
 
I just bought one at a pawn shop. It was a very early production model that even had a real walnut stock. I bought for a song, and just got to shoot last weekend. I don't handload yet, but it still shot real well. Don't know what kind of groups, as I was out shooting w/ my kids. I was shooting eggs at 50 yards no problem. I had just put a 3-9x40 Bushnell ScopeChief on it that day, and didn't take much fine tuning it, but it still shot great. I would buy it if you can buy it right.

kevlars
 
the 788 is an older rifle sold in the 70's. they were made in sporter and carbine. they were good shooter and still are. there are still alot in use out there. they were known for having a quick lock time, so guys would use the action for custom rifles. the only thing I didn't like about them was the safety. it is on the right side and could be bumped off not a problem as long as you knew to watch it
I say buy it if the price is right
 
25 years ago I bought a 788 in .308 for my son as his first deer rifle. Paid $115.00 for it new at a Pamida store with a 4x Bushnell scope mounted on it. It is still one of the most accurate rifles he owns. He has killed a ton of deer with it and this year my 14 year old grandson will use it as he joins the family on his first deer hunt.

Can't go wrong if the price is right.
 
The 788 is the ugly duckling economy rifle that often outshot the fancy plush M700 top of the line rifle.
 
MY 788 6mm averages in the .6s with 85 grain sierra BTHP Gamekings with a 2.5x10 Weaver. I have a feeling my group sizes would shrink if I had a bigger piece of glass on there.

The 788s are rough guns but they seem to shoot well. I bought mine to use for a calling rifle and I wont mind if it gets a few dings in it. It is perfect for my uses.
 
Thanks for all the info guys. I don't know what it is about the 788's but I really like the looks of them. Maybe it is the classic look that rifles use to have and not the tactical you see now a days. Don't get me wrong I have a tactical looking rifle now but I want something that is light weight and doesn't matter if it gets dinged up in the truck or on my ATV. I am going to try and find me one in either .222 or .223. Thanks again and if anyone else has any info lets hear it.

coyoteman23
 
I had a 788 in .222 Rem. It didn't shoot particularly well with new brass, but after fireforming the cases it would put five shots into about 5/8" at 100 yards. With new cases, it would shoot about 1 1/4" at the same distance. I think the chamber was a bit on the large end of tolerances.

The main problems I had with the 788 were with the factory trigger, which can be replaced or tuned fairly easily, the hardwood stock which warped so much I had to replace it with a synthetic stock to avoid having to sand out the barrel channel every couple of weeks and the high cost of replacement magazines.

The last feature can be a major unexpected expense of owning one. That's why I would opt for a Stevens 200 over a 788.

They have an occasional problem with the handles breaking off the bolt (which I suspect is due to owner's using force to open a bolt stuck due to a high pressure round being fired). Replacement bolts are impossible to buy from the factory, but can be repaired, although fairly expensive, considering the cost of the gun, to do.
 
I have one that my mother used for deer hunting

she give it to me and has since not seem the light of day

its an ugly ugly rifle but I have heard with a good laminate or synthetic stock they are shooters
 
I had a 788 in 6mm remington for about 20 years....
I sold it ....... wish i still had it.....I broke the handle off and had it resoldered on...then I sold it to get a savage that i could replace the barrels on... also in the 6mm it would stretch the cases just a little...... becuz of the rear locking lugs.... and i had to fl resize more often than i do in front lug rifles..... I don't think the case stretching is any issue at all in 222-223 rifles.... and most of the 222-223's are tackdrivers...


accurate guns ....... have had a near cult following... in that people wanted them after remington quit making them....
the receiver and the rear locking lugs make for a rigid set up.


I think they are good guns to buy cheap and use the way they came from the factory....

If you are going to get a gun to get a gunsmith to work on...rebarrel etc.... there are a lot better guns to put your money into....

to buy for 200 to $300 bucks and shoot.... they are great guns if the barrel is not shot out....

form my value system, I do not think they are worth more than a new stevens 200 but most do.... i think they are bringing more than that on most of the auction sites.

R
 
I use to have one in .223 /22-250 &.243. Only have the .44 magnum left. Never had one that would not shoot very small groups.
 
i had a 22-250 years ago that would shoot minute of pie plate at 100, 6mm shot fairly descent neither one impressed at the least but it sounds like alot of you all have them and they shoot great maybe i just got to bad ones that were shot out Ron
 
They are slowly becoming a cult collector item, for those who have shot them know why. My 223 built in 1976 completely stock will out shoot many custom rifles. The last group I shot was 3 shots 2 holes at 100 yards and measured .048 from outside the hole to outside the next hole. I know there is a formula to figure out the group size, all I know is it is way sub moa. The only negative is their bolt handle is cast and breaks off pretty easily, other than that they are not pretty but shoot like a million dollars
 
I have three, One in .308, one in 6mm, and one in .243. Would not take for any of them. Would not pass up a chance to get one in .222, .223 or 22-250 if they came along to add to my collection.
Tony
 
Shot my first deer with a 788 .308 carbine at age 6. My father has had them in .308 as well as 6mm. I think someone already mentiond that they have a shorter lock time and rear lugs, which my father liked. He however hated teh triggers and the bolt handle, so he sold them a long time ago and replaced them with Winchester 70's. Just discovered that my fater in law has one in .223 that almost never gets out of the gunsafe. Recently sparked a little predator intrest in him and he plans on using it. great little guns
 
I've got a lefty 788 in 6mm Remington in an E.C. Bishop & Sons stock that I've had since prolly 1973 or thereabouts. It's been fed Remmie 80 gr. Powr-Lokt hollow points and 100 gr. Core-Lokt's using IMR-4350. It shoots real well. It was my first centerfire rifle, and I'll keep it till I die. I also have a righty .22-250 that I haven't really shot much, but have no doubts that it'll shoot, too. The 788 always was a sleeper in the accuracy department. Factory rifles were never things of beauty, but they got a good rep as shooters.
 
I just found one in 7mm-08. They quit making them to boost 700 sales. Most were grabbed by the benchrest folks. Like the 7mm-08, loved by the benchrest folks. The same shop had a 600 in 244. a friend is going to get it for light bullets when rechambered in 6mm-284.
Rob
 
I have one that started life out as a 223, but is now a 17Rem. I've had them in 243 and 308. All of mine have been very accurate.
 
I was watching the pawn shops for one in 22.250 (I have yet to see one) when I got this one in .243. I got it tax and all for $270.

It's plain, but it plain shoots! I'm using 58 grain Hornady v-max

CoyoteDouble11-06.jpg


A friend has on in 6mm (the only one I've seen) and I have seen several in .308 while I was looking. I may have seen a couple in .222, but they don't show up much around here.

It would be hard for me to pass on one at a good price if I found it in .22-250.

This one has a 17 inch barrel which I really like for carrying.
 
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