Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Remington Fans 788 .44 Magnum

My interest in rifles has been almost exclusively towards older deer rifles. I never had any real interest in the 788 but took this one in trade for some work I did. I did like the stock which I thought was pretty nice for a 788. It has a very nice trigger and it fits me well. The .44 magnum seems to be a very effective deer round, something I had not given much thought to either.

For some reason I do not see 788's very often.

44 mag is probably one of the toughest 788s to find along with the 30-30. Great deer round at woods ranges

The only 788’s I own: 44 mag and 30-30.

Your link doesn't work. I'd like to see a pic of your new rifle. I have a 30-30, and like it. The wood on it is pretty nice as well. The older ones were walnut stocked, which were a lot nicer than the newer birch stocked ones.

The 788 in both 44 Mag and 30-30 are scarce. Among the earliest of the 788 Model genre as I recall. Believe about '67 to maybe 70? I have one each. Mine are perhaps more of the "price point origins achieved in a plain, generic stock. I've not shot either very often. Everything I've heard/read over a long time indicated that the 788 turned out as an accuracy surprise as 'quite so'! For what is was in its day and what it remains now, my belief the action design makes it a really bargain rifle!
Just my non-expert take!
Best!
John

Very popular woodchuck killers here in Central NYS were the 222 M788’s back in the 70’s & 80’s. The story was Remington discontinued the 788 because the economical rifle was so accurate it was too much competition for the flagship 700.

I've had a few 788s over the years including the 44 and 30-30. Only one I've got currently is a 22-250 , leupold gloss 4-12 AO . Shoots any load I've tried very well and close to 1/2 " with 1 or 2.

TroutNut: Along with you I have owned MANY Remington 788's over the last 56+ years and all the ones I have shot did so rather accurately.
Sadly I succumbed to the profit motive when 788's began increasing so drastically in value and sold/traded them off.
The only one I have left is a minty one in 223 Remington.
I still puzzle over how Remington could make such an accurate and reliably functioning Rifle for such a small price?

Shawlerbrook: I have heard that "rumor" before as well and I do NOT know if it is factual or not.
If I recall correctly I saw Remington 788's selling for under $75.00 in some of the less popular (back then!) calibers like 30/30 and 44 Magnum.
Anyone have a better recollection of prices for 788's back in the late 60's and early 70's?

Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Small port, round receiver, and evenly spaced multiple lugs and the barrel was made the same as the 700. Pretty easy to see why it is accurate.

Edit: and fast lock time

I stopped by to see one of my uncles this morning. We got to talking about guns like we always do , he's been a collector for years and he's 84 now I think. He said he bought a 788 in 222 in the mid 70s for $79 new . I tried to find an old price list online but no luck.

Bugger: I had forgotten about the "fast lock time" factor - and I recognize the "stiff action" aspect of the 788!
Back in the late 60's and early 70's myself and many of my friends were on "budgets". Some of my friends screwed huge (long and thick!) barrels onto 788 actions and attained superb accuracy.
And, part of the incentive, I am sure, was the advertised/real life fast lock time.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

I worked for a jobber during the 788 time frame and a fellow employee had just purchased a 700 6mm heavy bbl w/ 6-18 Redfield . He had a trigger job and had it glass bedded.
His Brother -in-Law purchased a 6mm 788 w a packaged 3-9 TRASCO even with hand loads for the 700 the 788 would out shoot it each and every day,
At that time they were $79.00 + 20 for the scope
The 788 30-30's were purchased by the cast bullet crowd the 44 mag for the BRUSH hunters the main downside to the LARGE bolt face calibers 22-250.243,6mm and 308 were they did
like to be loaded HOT.


I always wanted a 30-30 to make a AI but never could find one

Jim

Ive got a couple of 788s. A 22-250 and a 7mm 08 carbine. Shop here in town had a 44 years ago but they knew what they had and were asking $750, but thats when common calibers were bringing $350. I had a custom gun in 219 zipper improved that had started life as a 30-30. I wished it was still a 30-30. I got tired of the hassle of making brass for it. I think I sold it on here.

There's one on GB right now.
788 - 44mag

That 788, .44 Mag on GB. Now at over $1100... Err... I guess the the 'big picture' proposition is how many $30 hamburgers that amount will buy!

Good luck to whomever!
Best!
John

Keep the rifle & make ven. burgers

Unless I miscounted there's 5 30-30 788s and 2 in 44 mag on Gunbroker right now

Everyone is cashing in

I’d sell mine for less than that.

As far that goes, I’d let the 30-30 go for less than that too.