Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Remington 600 vs 788

If you were considering a rifle chambered in 222 Remington and your two choices were the Remington 600 and 788, which would you choose and why?

What are you planning to do with the rifle that you buy?

600s have 18.5" barrels, so the package is short and handy.

788s in 222 have 24" barrel, so the package is a little longer and heavier.

I had a 660 in 222 and thought that it was a great walking varmint rifle and also for calling predators.

I've had a few 788s and they were accurate, but a little heavier than I wanted for a walking varmint rifle. I shot a few 'chuck with a 788 in 22-250 when I was in high school, but preferred the 660 as my shots most came along the edges of small hay fields where 150 yards would be a long shot.

Pass twin locking lugs. Hint..............

I have both which came through the shop and I am thinking about keeping one. The 788 weighs 7lb 9 oz without anything while the 600 weighs 6lb 10 oz without anything. I am leaning towards the 600 because of it's lightweight and balance. The only thing which worries me is the 18.5" barrel. How loud is it going to be and what about muzzle blast and flash. I remember firing a 600 in 243 many years ago and it was very accurate, but also quite loud. I suppose I could handload it and take advantage of some smaller charges of faster burning powder. Thoughts?

I understand. I am a bit traditional and old fashioned in my gun choices.

I had a 660 chambered for the 222 and it was noticeably louder than a 24" barreled Rem 700 in 223. The 600 went down the road and hasn't been replaced yet.

The 788 will need adjustment screws added to the trigger. Or an aftermarket one installed. I’d bet it would be more accurate as well partially due to its weight.

788

Fortunately, my choices aren’t limited to either of those cheap rifles. Not saying they don’t shoot, but like the Savage 340, they’re built to a price, a low price.

I’ll take a two-lug Sako, vintage not critical. After that, a properly tricked-out Howa Mini, the SS Oz version please, or one of the CZ minis, or other scaled-down ones from Yurrup.

Other than turn-bolts, a nice Low Wall or trim kipplauf.

You’re in a pretty good position to score a nice one, so don’t rush yourself. If you just can’t wait, the 600 and good plugs.

I have a 788 in .30-30, and really like the rifle. However, I'd go for the 600 in this case. Small parts can be hard to find if they break for the 788, I have a spare extractor squirreled away on my GS recommendation.

That is my one concern with the 600.

I added adjustment screws to my 581 and as I understand it is the same trigger group, so that wouldn't be a problem. I would expect it to be more accurate too. Although the stock on this 788 is not free floated while this 600 is free floated. Did the 788's have a free floated stock?

I would love to find a two lug Sako like a L461 or A1. They are bringing crazy money right now though. I may try the 600 for awhile. I want something nice to carry for fall turkey season.

The only thing besides the short barrel I don't like are the plastic triggerguard/floorplate and the way the magazine, magazine block, follower, and follower spring have to be oriented to get the rifle back together. You almost need three hands or have gorilla strength in your fingers. I ended having to take a piece of fishing line to wrap around and to compress the follower and follower spring to keep it in place while I assembled the rifle. I then cut the fishing line and pulled it out. I also ordered an aluminum replacement triggerguard from Willie @ Coquille Valley Machine Works who is a member here on the 'fire. It looks like a quality piece and makes me lean harder this way too.

The 600 is essentially a 700 with an abbreviated bridge and tang. It is strong and rigid. The 788 is an exercise in cheapness which worked out surprisingly well. I can make something out of a 600. A 788 is always a 788. GD

I've really liked the 600's and 660's I have experience with moreso than the one 788 I've used

Does anyone know if the screw/pin in the stock needs to be there or can it be removed/filed? I noticed the trigger housing is hitting it.

I also noticed that the 600 was part of trigger recall. Does anyone know what the problem was for it? The safety lever on this one locks the bolt. Is that the problem which was changed?

I can see what you mean. Another goal of mine was to find an action capable of being changed to a 17 Fireball. With the mag loaded I can feed all the rounds.

Good point about parts.

Thanks. Which cartridges were they chambered for?

My vote is for the 788. If it's a big choice in your world just keep them both.

Keep both.

I have several 600s and 660s and there is a lot of family tradition with them. My uncle who as most people have explained was an exceptional man used it chambered in a 243 Winchester as his only rifle for a long time. He actually used it down in Valdez hunting sitka blacktails on Bly and Naked Islands for two years before being surprised by a large brown bear while he was hauling out a large buck. He went to a Weatherby Vanguard in 300 Winchester Mag.

I bought three of them for hunting up in Ambler Country. Garderner Gentleman was the owner of the Kobuk River Lodge and was an inveterate guncrank who had an ffl and time to chase rifles. I told him that I would like to have 1 in 243 Win as a good village snowgo rifle for everything and he found and purchased three of them. Two in 243 Win and 1 in 308 Win. They served well. The prettiest one was a wedding gift to my wife. The 660s and 600s are dainty little rifles that were favorites of the late Col. Charles Askins. They were not well liked by Jack O'Connor. However, people who had them knew. They were great rifles. You need a butter knife to get the bolt out but otherwise besides the weird plastic that warps over time they are great little rifles.

The 788 is a bit heavier and the barrel is heavier. People will tell you that they have those good triforce barrels and with a fast lock time are pretty accurate. I used one in 22-250 that had a cheap simmons 3-9 scope and a curtain string for its sling. It did everything I wanted and more. I shot even a grizzly and a moose with that rifle. My dad had purchased it initially and he wanted it back. When he passed it went to my sister and brother-in-law who sold it off for a trip to Jamaica. Still pissed about it.

Heimo Korth uses one in 22-250 for everything on the Colleen River. He has probably dumped more moose and caribou with that rifle than I will ever see after living up there for 50 years. He lives off of that rifle. The one thing that is a weakness with the 788 is that the magazines are a bitch to find.Otherwise both are great.

The 222 or triple deuce is one cartridge that you never hear of an inaccurate rifle. Sure, I am sure that some are out there but nobody talks about them. I have a 788 carbine 243 on layaway at one gunstore and a 660 remington in 222 with a weaver scope on layaway at another. You get a lot of gun for the money with both.

Ask myself almost the same question over 30 years ago at a
gun show. Was looking to buy a 788 in 308, found a 660 for
similar money.

Eventually that 660 found itself in a Brown Pounder.

There are a few things I don't care for, but it's the gun every new one
is measured against. And it has remained The One.

All 243. Each and every one

I remember seeing Heimo Korth on a tv show and remember seeing him shoot a caribou with his Remington 788. They never said what it was chambered in, so I am glad to know it. At the time when I saw the show I was not expecting to see a Remington 788 used as a true survival gun for someone living off the grid. I guess he never talked to one of the experts. Lol.

The 600 is the better looking of the two, but the prices they demand lately are very high. 788s seem to be easier to find, I saw one in 243 a few days ago for $450

And all he ever fed it were factory 55 grains. His daughter told me that

Varmint bullets too. I love it.

I had a 600 in 222 when I was trapping coyotes for a living. My truck was a Mazda B2600 standard can. The 600 was perfect for the truck and it got used frequently when I wanted to catch a quick calling stand. And it was a bug hole shooter.

However, in my quest for more velocity and longer range capabilities, it got traded off for a 788 in 22-250. Also a bug hole shooter but nowhere near as handy a truck gun in that small pickup.

So it boils down to application. I’d be inclined to choose the 600.

Something to think about - the Remington 600 (the original 600 with the vent rib) had a lighter contour barrel than the Remington Mohawk 600, I have had numerous examples of both 600 and 660 and the Mohawk 600's were always more accurate. The Mohawk's in 222 were near match grade accuracy, I won many turkeys and hams at local meat shoot matches with them.

I have also owned at least a half-dozen Rem 788's through the years and while they were accurate the handling qualities of them do not come near to the 600.

drover

Always thought the 660 is what they should’ve started with. The M7 was better yet; despite its shortcomings for other purposes, they’re nice hunting rifles. Everything isn’t about long-range. Still, if I were starting out, I’d look for another Alpine or if money weren’t an issue, another Fieldcraft or one of the new NULAs in 6.5 since they boogered the twist of the 7-08.

788's are Goat Fhuqks. Hint...............

I am leaning that way too.

Lucky for me this one is a Mohawk. I agree the 788 feels heavy and a bit clunky in comparison. I am also not crazy about the detachable magazine.

600's are horribly botched,due their bottom "metal",bolt handle and stocks. They wear the schittiest of Big Green fire control systems too. Hint..............

Another "chitty" Rem 600......




17 Mach IV














ya!

GWB

The 788 was a cheap rifle when introduced. Later loonies discovered they had a very fast lock time and could be quite accurate. Cast bullet shooters love them in 30/30. Of the 2 the 600 is a far more durable action.

geedubya,

That is a beautiful rifle. A maple stock, right? I have plans of possibly turning this into a 17 Fireball in the future. I tried some of 17 Fireball rounds in the magazine and it fed fine. Did you have any ejection issues?

I'd get the 600 because I always thought they were cool and besides, I already have a 788 in .222.

I’d consider a .204 as well.

The most accurate rifle I ever owned was a 722 in 222. The bore was pitted and rusty when I got it, but it shot 1 hole all day. I would just pick which ever gun feels the best to you. I never heard anyone complain about accuracy in either.

I have PARTS of a 600.It was a great little rifle (6mm).Had a 788 22-250 accurate but a very [bleep] clunky clumsy rifle .Get the 600 you will love it .My dad handed me mine 58 years ago .I handed it to a close relative and got it back in pieces minus the bolt !

Nice! Who made the stock?

Wow! That is terrible. Did they reload it too hot?

HS Precision

222? Anschutz.

Lost it .Must have been on a real bender. It sets in the corner waiting till I hit the lottery and I will get one from PT & G Sad

That’s too bad.

The wood on that rifle is unbelievable. Any idea on the stain and finish used on that rifle.
Did you make that stock ?
Thanks for sharing pictures of that rifle.

Hal

I always wanted a 600 in 6mm Rem. I just liked the look of the rib . I grew up in the 60’s .

My wife bought me a Ruger 77in 6 mm for Christmas. One year , it’s been my go to rifle since.

I've had a 600 in 223 and used it for all manner of hunting and control work. Love the rifle even if you have to remove some of the warts, as soon as I got it I had the rib removed and the forend rounded. Over the years replaced the trigger guard and finally had to replace the barrel and went with a 6x45. It has been killing stuff for me for 58 yrs and will continue to as long as I can keep going.

This year I purchased a 788 in 222 Rem and it is a dandy rig, very accurate. I replaced the trigger with a Timney and set it up for coyote hunting. Again I like it.

I do have a Sako Vixen fullstock in 222 Rem that I use for coyotes also. It is accurate enough but truly hate that scopes have to be mounted so high to clear the bolt handle. All the advantages of the small light weight rig go out the window with tall clunky scope mounts. Luckily I have a Leupold compact 2-7 that can be mounted low but if anything happens to that there are no replacements.

So 788 or 600 they will both work fine. The 600 you can use Remage barrels so changing cartridges and purpose is just a trip to the basement. If you want to use it always as a 222 Rem and don't plan to do any customizing the 788 works.

Have you tried the Remage barrels on your 600?

I bought a 788 in 22-250 in about 1974. Shot it alot. Snagged a 600 Mohawk in 308 around 1976. Hunted with it a good bit over the next 25 or so years. Both rifles were pleasingly accurate despite heavy triggers. The 600 trigger was especially bad as it was also quite gritty. Wish I still had both of 'em. A man should never sell an accurate rifle.

I have owned numerous examples of both and I prefer the 600 series rifles over the 788 but I also do a lot of my shooting from the truck and the shorter barrel of the 600s are easier to handle from there. Accuracy wise for field use I did not see any real accuracy difference between the 600's and 788's.

I do not like the original 600 though, they had a thinner barrel contour than the 660 and Mohawk 600. I always got better accuracy from those.

drover

Thank you, Drover. It is a 600 Mohawk. I measured the barrel diameter at the muzzle and it is .610 while the 788 that I had measured .580

Crappy 600 here in 7-08 built by Chic Donnelly.

I am impressed ! beautiful

Beautiful rifle!