Local gunsmith who knows how much I prefer older guns to newer ones called me with a lead he has on a Rem 788 in 44 Mag. He has the gun in his possession now and has shot it. Says it has very little sign of use and shoots/functions well. Asking price is $450. I see the 788 online for $350 up but was thinking it would be worth the asking price in .44 Mag.

Agree?

You sure don't see many of the 788's in 44 mag. I sure see alot of USED ones for 375 to 425 in the other calibers. When I see a minty cond one they allways want 450-550 for the common chamberings. I think a guy could allways get his money back on that one. Magnum Man

.44 Magnums and .30/30's are rare in the 788. Personally, I'd jump on it. In fact, if you don't want it, I do.

thanks guys...i saw the other calibers but not the 44

thanks guys...i saw the other calibers but not the 44

Every gun show here in town, some guy comes in with a NIB .44 for sale, he's got $700 or so, on the price. Considering that, your smith ain't hurtin' ya much.

Remington 788s in 44 Magnum are very uncommon and $450 seems like a great price in the condition that you've described. Make sure that the magazine is in good shape, 'cause a replacement would probably run in the $150+/- range.

Jeff

I havent seen a 788 in 44 magnum in a very long time, last
one was priced $650, if I remember correctly.

I think I'd jump at it. I don't believe that I have ever seen one in a 44 mag in person. The 788 is kind of ugly IMO, but they shoot. You'd never get hurt at that price, and I'm guessing you could make a bit if you desired to part with it.

Should be a fun gun! What's the competition? Ruger 77/44? If they were priced the same....

$450 for one in 44 mag is a very good price. Now and then one pops up around here (PA), usually for $650 and up and they don't last long.

Don't sweat the mags. Gun Parts (Numerich) has repros identical to the orginals, probably still less than $40, new.

I would/will buy the the by gun.

I dont recall ever running across one. Maybe not many around here.
I own a 788 in 22-250. Just dont remember seeing one in 44 mag..
Sounds like fun... Would love to see what it would do at 200 yards.
....SmokeRolls

thats half what the 44 sells for on line. buy it, then if you dont like it you can trade for a rifle double the value.

If the magazine is good. I'd get it. If you don't like it you'll get your money back+.

rear lug guns are scarey accurate.

I'd like to try one out with the new Hornady flex tip ammo. I think it would be interesting.

IIRC the 44 mag is the rarest of the 788's.

I owned one back when they were new. That thing kicked harder than any rifle I ever owned. It was down right painful. Kicked harder than my .264 Winchester Magnum. Not only that, it wasn't very accurate. I kept the 788 in .223 Remington and traded off the .44 Magnum as quickly as possible.

Best rifle in .44 Magnum I ever owned was the Ruger Deerstalker semiauto carbine. If you are looking for a .44 Magnum, I suggest looking up one of those. Recoil was mild and accuracy good enough at about 2" at 100 yards with factory loads.

The 788 is a neat little rifle, but for some reason the .44 Magnum version stock and weight made it a poor choice. My 788 in .223 will shoot under .75" at 100 yards.

I'd be very tempted.


ddj

at that price, you can get it...play with it and see if you like it, and you'll never get hurt on the resale. If resale wasn't an issue, I'd sure be tempted to whack that sucker off to about 18 inches, put a 3x leupold on it and load it to the firewall with those pointed .44 magnum bullets. make a heck of a 150 yard deer sticker.

....Me too, sounds like fun.
..SmokeRolls

You gonna shoot it or stash it away? If you plan to use it, that seems like a good deal to me. If you are just going to put it back, wait for a better deal.

IF you decide to pass... Let me know where it is, please. I'm close enough to run down and get it.

replacing one?

Git it now.

Nope, gonna keep my Ruger .44 Mag. Carbine. This would just be another...... You can't have too many......

can you?

glad you got it back. thats the one that grew legs, right?

yeah,it wandered away from camp and couple weeks later found its way back. Go figure.

maybe it was looking for answers.

By brother has one and its scary accurate with about any factory fodder you stuff in it. His wears a 4x leupold compact and its a neat little rig.

+1

I got it yesterday. Unlike the plain no grain wood on some 788's, this one is sitting in nice walnut. Guy i bought it from said it was one of the early models...I will try to get some pics up. If someone will email me, I can email then some pics to put up. Computer problems here and working off cell phone. It is in excellent shape.

Enjoy it and best wishes.

i had a 788 a few years back and it had a canjar trigger in it ,very fun and accurate with cast lead on steel silhouettes, one day i decide i have had my fun with it and put it up for sale , i got 1000 bucks for it , so i missed my 44 mag rifle and now have one of the even rarer imi timberwolf models

$450.00 for that 788 is still a good buy , i do have a couple extra magazines if you even need one