Remington 788

younghunter12 · 12-15-2006, 04:41 PM

Hi. I'm lookin for a good cheaper gun. In last years Field and Stream the 788 was in the Steal these Deer Slayers. It said that a good one was $375 very good $400 and excellent $500. My point is that I found a excellent for$365.

The question is what is your good/bad expericences with the 788. Is your accruacy very good or bad. This gun is a 243 and I'm planning on using this for deer and maybe varmits. Thanks for your input. YH12.

Johnny_Revolver · 12-15-2006, 04:52 PM

Remington 788`s are great rifles, if you do a search you`ll prolly find a recent thread where they were discussed at length.

I had one in .308 for some time and like fool let it go, I`ve noticed one in the lists at my local gun shop for great price, it`s calling me like a siren. I dare not ask to see it till after xmas.

lefty o · 12-15-2006, 10:55 PM

the 788 is a great rifle. not very pretty, but they are usually very accurate.

younghunter12 · 12-16-2006, 01:46 PM

Is it a very heavy rifle because I tried to carry an enfield this deer season and that thing felt like a 20pound weight after the first day. YH12

lefty o · 12-16-2006, 02:15 PM

not very heavy. i think you need to go look at the rifle before you make up your mind to buy it.

Johnny_Revolver · 12-16-2006, 06:10 PM

788`s are quite portable, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, I wouldnt call them ugly. Lefty is right though ( heh.. ) go look at the thing in person and check it out in detail, take a bore light if you have one or know someone with one.

I`ve seen 788`s come up in threads in quite a few forums, and I`ve yet to see anyone have a real negative comment. But bear in mind I beleive they stopped making them in 1982, I`d have to check my files to confirm this but it was around then. I will check this out.. I`ll buy another one I reckon. I`d love a left handed one, but I got bugger all chance of finding one here.

870shooter · 12-17-2006, 08:52 AM

I've got an 788/308 Win. It's a Tack driver. Not real pretty but shoots as well as any of my 2 700's and better than my 7400/'06. Great little gun but not "Pretty".
One thing however, WATCH THE SAFETY ON THE 788! Mine slips off very easily. I have never found a way to improve it. You may wish to ask your local gunsmith if he can improve it or suggest a remedy to this problem. Maybe a different trigger but i don't know who makes one for it. The bunch around here should be able to provide some helpful insight.

Remington quit making this neat $89.95 rifle very quickly after it started to cut into 700 sales back in the mid 70's. I think they were made in 308; 243 & 358, if I remember correctly. You may find it difficult to locate a extra mag for it. I don't use mine much anymore, but I'd never sell it either. Remembr: YOU CAN NEVER HAVE TO MANY GUNS!!!
GOOD LUCK AND SAFE SHOOTING!

mr mom · 12-17-2006, 09:00 AM

dont forget they made the 788 in .44 mag....
i have been told by 1 smith that the 788 is a goof action to make a sil rifle from... i picked up a 788 in .308 for my son and it was 300 bucks and it was only shot 7 times.... find the right load for it and it will shoot as good as my savage.

lefty o · 12-17-2006, 02:41 PM

also made in 6mm remington.

BattleRifleG3 · 12-18-2006, 09:57 AM

"a goof action to make a sil rifle from"

No comprendo.

mr mom · 12-18-2006, 12:03 PM

good !!!!! my finger slipped , sorry...
about the only bad thing i have ever herd about the 788 is the bolt handle will breake off....
a gun smith that i talk to told me to pick up a 788 in .308 and send it to him to make a sil rifle for the kids... i got this 1 and it was in to good shape to mess with at this time....

BattleRifleG3 · 12-19-2006, 10:22 AM

What's a "sil" rifle?

Johnny_Revolver · 12-19-2006, 03:22 PM

Silouette?

jungleworker · 12-22-2006, 10:14 PM

The 788 is a very good rifle. I get the feeling Remington accidently made a good and CHEAP weapon and after realizing this; they stopped making it so we'd be forced to buy 700's

Before putting down any money though I would do the following...

Find out how old the rifle is and make certain you have a competent gunsmith look it over. Then go shoot it. If it passes the test, then buy it. The .243 is a good whitetail deer round and don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

pfundine · 07-22-2008, 09:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jungleworker

The 788 is a very good rifle. I get the feeling Remington accidently made a good and CHEAP weapon and after realizing this; they stopped making it so we'd be forced to buy 700's

Before putting down any money though I would do the following...

Find out how old the rifle is and make certain you have a competent gunsmith look it over. Then go shoot it. If it passes the test, then buy it. The .243 is a good whitetail deer round and don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

it is a shame that remington stopped production

1 - watch the safety
2 - easy on the bolt - it will break the safety and come apart. you can still put it back in and contiue shooting though...

.243 is a awesome bullet. buy the 100 grain remington core loc psp.
i've personally killed at least 4 white tailed deer at 400 plus yds. one at over 650. it was a hail mary shot that broke his back, and left my hunting partners dumbfounded.

rdale501 · 07-23-2008, 03:26 PM

I had a 788 in .308 and the bolt did break off. I just happened to know an exceptional welder. I took it to him and he used a procedure where electric welding is done inside a gas flame. I think he said it was argon gas. The process pulls metal from the two surfaces being joined and doesn't add any from the electrode. Kind of like melting the two together. Anyway it was a super job and with just a little smooting of the weld itself and a tube of blueing compound, you could not even tell it was not factory. This is the only gun I have ever sold and I wish I had it back.

12-15-2006, 04:41 PM	#1
younghunter12 Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 28	Remington 788 Hi. I'm lookin for a good cheaper gun. In last years Field and Stream the 788 was in the Steal these Deer Slayers. It said that a good one was $375 very good $400 and excellent $500. My point is that I found a excellent for$365. The question is what is your good/bad expericences with the 788. Is your accruacy very good or bad. This gun is a 243 and I'm planning on using this for deer and maybe varmits. Thanks for your input. YH12.

12-17-2006, 08:52 AM	#7
870shooter Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Janesville, WI Posts: 15	788 safety I've got an 788/308 Win. It's a Tack driver. Not real pretty but shoots as well as any of my 2 700's and better than my 7400/'06. Great little gun but not "Pretty". One thing however, WATCH THE SAFETY ON THE 788! Mine slips off very easily. I have never found a way to improve it. You may wish to ask your local gunsmith if he can improve it or suggest a remedy to this problem. Maybe a different trigger but i don't know who makes one for it. The bunch around here should be able to provide some helpful insight. Remington quit making this neat $89.95 rifle very quickly after it started to cut into 700 sales back in the mid 70's. I think they were made in 308; 243 & 358, if I remember correctly. You may find it difficult to locate a extra mag for it. I don't use mine much anymore, but I'd never sell it either. Remembr: YOU CAN NEVER HAVE TO MANY GUNS!!! GOOD LUCK AND SAFE SHOOTING!

12-18-2006, 09:57 AM	#10
BattleRifleG3 Super Moderator Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Western PA Posts: 11,401 Images: 13	"a goof action to make a sil rifle from" No comprendo. __________________ Trust is earned, not... GIVEN away. - Worf

12-19-2006, 10:22 AM	#12
BattleRifleG3 Super Moderator Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Western PA Posts: 11,401 Images: 13	What's a "sil" rifle? __________________ Trust is earned, not... GIVEN away. - Worf

12-15-2006, 04:52 PM	#2
Johnny_Revolver Gun Liker Join Date: May 2005 Location: Queensland, Australia Posts: 1,209 Blog Entries: 6	Remington 788`s are great rifles, if you do a search you`ll prolly find a recent thread where they were discussed at length. I had one in .308 for some time and like fool let it go, I`ve noticed one in the lists at my local gun shop for great price, it`s calling me like a siren. I dare not ask to see it till after xmas.

12-15-2006, 10:55 PM	#3
lefty o Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: mn Posts: 4,783	the 788 is a great rifle. not very pretty, but they are usually very accurate.

12-16-2006, 01:46 PM	#4
younghunter12 Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 28	Is it a very heavy rifle because I tried to carry an enfield this deer season and that thing felt like a 20pound weight after the first day. YH12

12-16-2006, 02:15 PM	#5
lefty o Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: mn Posts: 4,783	not very heavy. i think you need to go look at the rifle before you make up your mind to buy it.

12-16-2006, 06:10 PM	#6
Johnny_Revolver Gun Liker Join Date: May 2005 Location: Queensland, Australia Posts: 1,209 Blog Entries: 6	788`s are quite portable, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, I wouldnt call them ugly. Lefty is right though ( heh.. ) go look at the thing in person and check it out in detail, take a bore light if you have one or know someone with one. I`ve seen 788`s come up in threads in quite a few forums, and I`ve yet to see anyone have a real negative comment. But bear in mind I beleive they stopped making them in 1982, I`d have to check my files to confirm this but it was around then. I will check this out.. I`ll buy another one I reckon. I`d love a left handed one, but I got bugger all chance of finding one here.

12-17-2006, 09:00 AM	#8
mr mom Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 216	dont forget they made the 788 in .44 mag.... i have been told by 1 smith that the 788 is a goof action to make a sil rifle from... i picked up a 788 in .308 for my son and it was 300 bucks and it was only shot 7 times.... find the right load for it and it will shoot as good as my savage.

12-17-2006, 02:41 PM	#9
lefty o Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: mn Posts: 4,783	also made in 6mm remington.

12-18-2006, 12:03 PM	#11
mr mom Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 216	good !!!!! my finger slipped , sorry... about the only bad thing i have ever herd about the 788 is the bolt handle will breake off.... a gun smith that i talk to told me to pick up a 788 in .308 and send it to him to make a sil rifle for the kids... i got this 1 and it was in to good shape to mess with at this time....

12-19-2006, 03:22 PM	#13
Johnny_Revolver Gun Liker Join Date: May 2005 Location: Queensland, Australia Posts: 1,209 Blog Entries: 6	Silouette?

12-22-2006, 10:14 PM	#14
jungleworker Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 25	The 788 is a very good rifle. I get the feeling Remington accidently made a good and CHEAP weapon and after realizing this; they stopped making it so we'd be forced to buy 700's Before putting down any money though I would do the following... Find out how old the rifle is and make certain you have a competent gunsmith look it over. Then go shoot it. If it passes the test, then buy it. The .243 is a good whitetail deer round and don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

07-23-2008, 03:26 PM	#16
rdale501 Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: oregon Posts: 398	I had a 788 in .308 and the bolt did break off. I just happened to know an exceptional welder. I took it to him and he used a procedure where electric welding is done inside a gas flame. I think he said it was argon gas. The process pulls metal from the two surfaces being joined and doesn't add any from the electrode. Kind of like melting the two together. Anyway it was a super job and with just a little smooting of the weld itself and a tube of blueing compound, you could not even tell it was not factory. This is the only gun I have ever sold and I wish I had it back.