Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Rem 788 salvage.

A buddy of mine gave me some reloading tools and supplies. He has a 22/250 Rem 788 that was his fathers (dates 1974) Bad shape, the muzzle was covered in rust and the trigger was frozen to the rear. I offered to see what I could do with it.

When I got home I cleaned it. The patch was not promising but I only got that chatter resistance in the last 3/4 to 1/2 inch. At the end the patch went through with even resistance but the end was still dark. Rifling was evident and sharper than I would expect. I've actually seen many Mauser barrels in that same condition that shot fine. I took out the trigger and blasted it with PB Blaster, no luck. I put it in my mixture to soak. ( ATF fluid, Acetone, Bacardi 151) I left it in there for 6 days, shaking the jar a couple times a day. This morning I took it out and worked it. Everything freed up, or so I thought. I found I could not remove the bolt. A little aggressive working of the safety and that started working fine. Then I found it would not eject. Remove the ejector and clean it and its recess and that works fine now.

Now test fire. loaded up with components he gave me. Old red box Remington 52 grain match bullets. CCI LR primers in the 70's vintage white and green box and IMR 3031, 34 grains. He also gave me several packets of Remington Klean Bore SR primers in the red box and 500 Alcan SR primers. First round at 100 yards. no clue. My immediate thought was I'm going to have to cut and re-crown that barrel. Moved up to 25, two low left black. 50 yards, two high left black . 100 yards high left white, first shot was a flyer then 4 into 3/4". Not too shabby.

Now looking to load development. I'll have that fun and even load two boxes for the return. I'll give him the data but his son will have to start loading to get more. That or find factory ammo that shoots good. Not going to run to Garry every time you need ammo, not going to happen.

Glad you got it running again.

But anyone who lets a rifle get in the shape that one was in doesn't deserve it back.

It's fun bringing a gun back to life.
And not paying some " smithy" to do it makes it even better.

👍👍👍👍👍

He didn't do it. They were in an attic in Florida for years, his dad disabled. With that he got two savage 99's, one in 300 savage and one 243. A sporterized 6.5 Jap and a Remington 700 Classic in 250 Savage.

Typical 788! Shoots better than most even full of rust.

Had one of these in 222 Rem., and was shocked (in a good way), at how well it shot. Bought it new.

Great rifles.

Don’t fugk it up.

Oh wow a 788 that shot well that you don’t own any more.

788's are interesting rifles, made in a few unique calibers & even a couple of "lefties". If you're going another step, Sarco makes a nice replacement stock at a great price!

Click HERE

.44 Mag & 30-30

Which old Remington bolt gun model had the infamous lock time?

And who isn't shocked when an inherently inaccurate cartridge like the 222 shoots well.

788s are the only Remmies I've ever owned. No 700 has ever crossed my doorstep. Still have three; gave one in .223 to a dear friend.

I've owned two of them! My first was also my first center fire rifle and in the rare 30-30 Win. chambering. I bucked a lot of hay bales that summer to pay for it. My second one was in 22/250 Rem and served as my coyote rifle. Both were amazingly accurate factory rifles.

I killed my first deer with a 788 in 308 with my own handloads. 150 grain Nosler.

Still have my old 788 222 and it still shoots damn nice. Mb

LOL

What year was that?

2015?

Can I have the other three?

If memory serves, it was the 788. A widespread rep for great accuracy.

Actions from these seen in serious 100 yard benchrest competition until Pandas & the like started being readily available.

Remington might be tagged for making another stupid mistake for discontinuing it, but likely sales were down or cost of manufacture to close to the 700 ???

I love 788s---at least the ones with heavy barrels like the .222 and .223 versions. Most accurate factory rifles I've ever owned. There are many factory rifles I've never owned, but I don't feel like I'm missing much, still in possession of two of the three 788s I've owned. Didn't much care for the 788 in 6mm, but that probably had more to do with me than the rifle.