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Joined: Aug 2006
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I know I'am not the only one on here that loves these little rifles but I'am in the market for a 25-06, 7mmo8 and a 336 35 remy when i find a good one but I think I may have to add a 788 in 243! A freind of mine has one up for sale and I'am trying to get him to sale it to me and I guess I'll have to make room for it in the cabinet. I just like the fell of the 788, its stock fits me just right and everyone that I have shot is a great shooter and like I said nothing special about them, but I know people who will swear that the reason the 788 was discontinued was because they were a better rifle than the 700!!

BP-B6

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I started out with a 788 carbine in 308 at ager 14 that was as heavy as a fence post and I sold it after one season! Now I miss the rifle and would like a 243 long barrel version, but I have a hard time paying the high used prices for them when better rifles are around for similar price. Paying a good price for a sentimental gun isn't a big deal to me, but they have those bad bolt issues too.

I spotted a 243 at a shop that I may go look at now that it is the lean sales season and dealing may be better now... Darn you for reminding me about that rifle of my youth.
Humdinger


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Originally Posted by humdinger
........... but they have those bad bolt issues too.




??? Care to illuminate?


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I have several 788s in 243 and I love em all. Just got my custom 243 back with a Broughton #6.5 and a McMillian stock on it and it shoots very very well. As for bolt problems my handle came off but that was operator error. I have never had an issue as of yet and I have had some of my 788s for some time. HAPPY HUNTING

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i have one in a 22-250 and its a pure shooter love that rifle, in fact most of my inlaws have one too, im tempted to look for another in the triple duce if can find one.


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Biggest bear I have ever seen killed was with a 788 in 7mm-08, date was 1985.

I have seen a few bolts break off over the years. Never seen one not shoot but 9 rear locking lugs and removable mag doesn't do much for me.


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Why everyone loves the 788 is because they are, for the most part, scary accurate. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder!

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Pyro - A dear friend of mine passed away last summer. He had a 788 in 222Rem. If his widow does not have it, than His son in law does.

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My Dad bought a new 788 .243 with a 4X Weaver scope for me as a reward for all A's on my report card my 8th Grade year. With 43 grains of IMR4350 and an 85 grain Sierra Softpoint it shoots 5 shots at 100yds. that you can cover with a dime. I bet I have killed a dumptruck load of groundhogs with that rifle. It now has a 6X Weaver old style scope on it.

Ron


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Had one in .308, never really liked it. I didn't like the clanky magazine hanging down or the safety lever.

Mike


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I just got one in .223, but haven't got to shooting it yet. It's the first one I've owned and was surprised at how heavy it is.



.

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Were wonderfully accurate for a factory rifle in their day. 60 degree bolt lift was nice and quick but lacked the camming power to easily open the bolt handle on too stout reloads. Some guys say that the rear locking allow a bit of reciever flex on overly stout handloads contributing to the problem. I don't know about that, but a gunsmith friend of mine welded a few bolt handles on the things when reloaders got overly ambitious. He never saw that with the 222 base cartridges, so maybe they did flex a little. Can't talk negative about the little rifles when loaded correctly, other than they were plain to look at and the trigger wasn't adjustable, but thats why they were priced good. My dad has one in 222 that is wonderful to shoot prairie dogs with.
dan

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Despite the looks and such ... They did the most important thing a rifle should do (shoot straight, over and over) at a very good price for the day.

Back in there day many a 788 could show up at a range and shoot right with some of the best of the bench crowd.

Just imagine a fellow with a full custom route paper puncher with handloads and then there is this newbie shooting right up there with him with his UGLY, cheap factory thing, and many a time 'green' box factory ammo smile

Not all but many of the 788's were quite accurate and when they came in 7mm-08 those especially seemed 'scary' accurate, and the working stiff could buy it and a box of ammo without breaking the budget.

Just for reference, the 788 at one time was chambered in 30-30 and 44 mag. If I ever came across either I would seriously be tempted to buy.


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I have heard of guys rebarreling 788s to 358 Win, but
have never handled one. I saw a custom 6x45MM on a 788
action a few years ago, wish I would have bought it.

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There's a lefthanded one in 260Rem coming up on Guns America one day soon.


I saw a movie where only the military and the police had guns. It was called Schindler's List.
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When my Dad bought mine in 1975, I think he paid $110 for it. He bought my older brother one in .308 in 1973 and paid $80 for it. We both still have them (he's 50 and I'm 48) although we don't shoot them much anymore. Fond memories of a Father who bought us guns, taught us to reload, and took us hunting and fishing.

Ron















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Many didn't like the rear lock up on the action, I heard criticism that the action flexed a bit because of the rear locking lugs, cases stretched more than normal. Same criticism for the old Schultz and Larsen (usually chambered in the 7x61 S&H; hardly see them anymore).

I never had one, can't confirm.

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I have several M788s, going back to the late 70s. All are very accurate and still work fine. Only issue has been a broken bolt stop pin in the original one bought new (22-250). My fault, learned not to let the bolt "slam" back against that little pin so often.

Have seen some of them at ridiculous prices over the past few years, but found one in 243 and in pretty nice shape, for $300 last year. All it really needed was a new stock, Midway had a Ramline on sale for $69, problem solved.

Even had a new spare mag for it on hand. Picked up a brand new 308 mag from an ol' boy's shop a few years back, for someone that needed one. By the time I got the mag, he'd already found one so I kept it. Still in the original blister pack, $20.

As for stretched cases, none of my loads were ever near max, so case life has been fine.


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tikka are the new 788's they are also even clip fed,

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Somebody in Washington state probably has mine. I let it go for $300.00 on a new Ruger Varmit Model 22.250.

The 788 was a .22-250 also, with a Canjar trigger, some kind of high power scope and a really nice, new, Fajen stock. I don't think it ever shot any of my loads over an inch at 100 yds. Most were way less than that.

I used to shoot a lot and just couldn't stand fumbling around with that magazine situation or the rear lugs. The Ruger with the benchrest magazine follower is slicker than bug juice. It does not shoot better than the 788 but I believe the axiom:

"Life is too short to hunt with an ugly gun."

YMMV


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