Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Old rifle memories

I dug my old Remington 788 .243 out of the safe. It was the first center fire rifle. My Dad bought it for me when I was 14-15 for getting good grades. It originally had a Weaver K4 on top. It now has an old Weaver K6 on it. Many great memories of spending all day on summer Saturdays groundhog hunting with my Dad in Knox County Ohio. I lost my Dad one year ago today. Last rifle that I would ever part with.

Ron

I, too, got a 788 in .243 from my Dad, at about the same age. 'Twas also my first centerfire.

I'll raise a glass this evening to our departed fathers.

FC

I grew up shooting ground hogs with an Ithaca LSA55 .22-250 in Morrow County. My brother had a 788 in .243. I still have my rifle, and it still shoots well, but alas he sold his.

My dad helped me pick out my rifle, used, at Norton Sporting Goods in November 1984. I just lost my dad in December.

Greg Perry

The 788 is a cool rifle. I saw one the other day that I thought about buying. It was very unique: Set up with target sights. I'm sure it is a tack driver. Looked like new too and I don't think it was much money.. I should have actually picked it up and checked it out better..

I have a Remington 700 Classic in 7×57 that I bought in 1982 that I killed a nice 8pt in Alabama last weekend with it....I have a lot of hunting memories with that rifle and have killed my share of deer with it.

Nice looking 788 and it carries some great memories on top of that...Enjoy!...Hb

I put a 788 Remington in 243 Winchester on layaway last week. You used to see them for about 300.00. Not anymore. The one I am getting for 500.00 has a Burris 4X scope from the Colorado days and is a shortie. I was there picking up an Angle Eject 30/30 Model 94 Winchester for 500.00 and I saw it languishing and figured that I hadn't bought a Remington since buying a 580 and figured that feller was lonely.

I have a rifle winchester 06 made in the 70,s. I was 15 I worked pumping gas to buy got it for around 90. Redfield scope cost 80. I slipped on a hill side in Idaho chipped the stock. My buddy helped refinish and glued a new piece of wood in it. I killed a lot of deer with that gun. I will never sell it. I don't hunt with it much any more but it has a lot of memories.

I had a 788 in 243 as well, great rifle.

My dad, mother, and I all shot our first deer with a Model 94 in 32 ws.

My brother has it now.

I do have my dad's pre-64 model 70.

Had one as well. Wish I'd kept it.

Me too!

I have a Ruger NO.1S in 45-70 that I bought back in 1993. I've used it on deer and wild hogs. I've shot it a lot mostly with my cast bullet loads. It still has the same Leopold fixed 2x scope that I mounted on it when I bought the rifle.
I have lots of good memories tied up in that old shooter.

Cool stories.

I own the first "hi powered" rifle I can remember being around.

Mom bought my step dad a 700 BDL in 6mm in about 82 or 83.

I bought it from him when they fell on hard times a few years back. Over paid but I didn't want somebody else getting it.

Pretty cool to think back on Friday nights before Missouri opener. Step dad use to go to some relatives out of town to hunt.

Get there on Friday nights and all those wood/blued rifles laying out getting 1 last going over.

Seems these new stainless, synthetic, cearkote rifles don't have quite the same draw or soul.

I bought my 700 BDL in 83 when I still lived in N.Y. Mine is a 30-06 and I got my first deer with it(In Nebraska) and I still hunt with it.

You are right, these newer guns seem to lack some character.

Hoppe's #9 wafts heavily(though ineffectual) and poor choices abounded. Hint.

With my own loot,at 17,my first centerfire came to fruition and I exhumed (6) 7-08 spouts upon that receiver alone. Pards still cuss"THE Magnificent Seven",if only because I killed Bucks,Bulls and Boars out from under them all,with same. Hint.

To this day,it ain't even close to "fair". Hint..............

I also spent many summers with my dad shooting groundhogs in SE PA, and his favorite rifle was a Rem 788 in the 222. Lost my pops on 9/1/20 and still think about him everyday and all the good times we had together hunting, shooting, at gun shows/shops.

My son is now 13 and I try to take him out hunting any chance I can get and I hope he passes it on to his kid someday, and that he can think back of all the good times we had together like I did with my dad.

1903 Springfield