Remington 788 -anyone here got one?

[Bridgy]

I have a 22, a 243 and a 30-30 (and a 12G) and my time is pretty limited lately, so I decided I was better off selling the 222 and putting the money towards something nice for my son. I loved shooting the 222 though, I bet I'll have another one eventually!

[Rod_outbak]

[quote="Dossa456"]
Hey Bridgy; yea I’m real impressed with it. Would you say the trigger has had any work done to it. Liking the idea of a timney though. Really looks the part now with the vortex on top. Taking for a proper run Wednesday mate. Will let u know the results, also I registered it the next day I picked it up lol. If ur ever up this way and wanna have a shot you can just need some notice.
[/quote]

Mate, I sent you a private message this arvo, but then realised you mightnt have gotten around to figuring them out.
I found the parts(left them with the LGS in case someone else might have a 788 and need parts), and there is an EGW picatinny rail, a Timney trigger, my original trigger, possibly 2 wooden stocks, at least a couple of spare mags, and my old bolt, which has been modded for a Sako-style extractor, as well as a heap of other bits & pieces.
LGS also tells me he has received another 788 .223 there that he needs to chop, so we are going to have a look at whats worthwhile on that one as well.

I'll likely not get the chance to get into town until mid next week to retrieve them, but if you can PM me with a mailing address, I'll get them in the post when I get the chance.

Cheers,

Rod.

[Dossa456]

Hi Rod yep still thumbing my way around the forum, have sent you a PM

[Dossa456]

Hi all took the 788 out last night with an hour of sunlight to sight it in and just have a play and do my vineyard lap.
Let’s just say I am very impressed. When I work out how to put up pictures I’ll show you some targets shooting factory ammo sighted in at “roughly a fox away distance” think I stepped out 75-80 paces. As mentioned only an hour of sunlight so was the most rushed shoot of the back of the Ute effort with a slight breeze into my face and but still over the moon with how this 788 shoots. My mate who came with me also has the 788 we made a few comparisons which was also good learnings. The trigger on mine is considerable amount lighter. Got me thinking of the history of this rifle and the Many kms it has travelled and the many more it will travel as I won’t part with it now.

[Stix]

Did someone say "Seven Eightee Eight".....???

Made my ears prick up & my head swivel around...(in days gone by that used to happen when someone said 'tits', now it happens if someone says 788...!)

Love mine...was the ol' mans.
Everyone tells me to sell it, but it doesnt shoot no more...some of the pics below show me draining some of the last bits of life out of her.

As has been mentioned, they have a name for bad triggers, & its interesting what Marksman says about them being dangerous....because, i developed a flinch from shooting this one. (may sound weird but its true).
Unbeknowns to me, i was starting to flinch & eventually honed in on it being due to the trigger releasing at different tension--in other words, i couldnt tell when it was going to release the shot.
Everyone says i was nuts & making excuses, so i took it to someone who had a trigger pull weight doova thinggy-bob & it showed the trigger releasing anywhere between approx 2.2lbs to 3.8lbs, but was mostly between the 2.5-3 mark...

My ol'man told me he had the trigger done on it which didnt make sense, so i got it cleaned out & now...let me tell you...whilst i dont know much about the mechanics of the trigger, it is one of the crispest triggers on a production rifle that ive shot...
I have my Tikka's wound back to as light as possible with the factory spring, & although my 788 is a little heavier (bit over 2-maybe 2.2-2.5 lbs from memory) it is every bit as crisp as the Tikka trigger.
A few people who owned &/or shot the 788's in their day, who have shot mine initially thing it must be an aftermarket trigger in it.

Ill have to watch out for the cleanliness of it though, although i knew it was just dirty, its good to know about the danger so thanks Marksman... (not that i shoot it anymore)

Id really like to get it re-barreled one day & have a fancy custom chamber in an AI version or something, but i struggle with the cost of doing that vs just trying my luck with buying a Howa.



Anyway, Dossa456, you are a lucky man if Rod is offering you bits & pieces...and you are making me enviuos in that i wish mine still shot well...i really love mine...!

At 70-80 yards you will blow big holes in the foxes even with a 222...once you get used to it, try get comfortable with her out to 200 yds then you'll really start having some fun...

If you dont want all the bits n peices Rod has let me know & i mite buy some off you...!!

Happy to meet up if you like...most shooting i do is at bunnies between 100-250 yds & i love hunting my foxes with a spotlight...so if you're in to that...

Mine is a 22-250

Stripped the stock

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Baking the tru oil

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Another Coat

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Yea baby...!!

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Plain but pretty looking rifle i rekon...!!

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[Dossa456]

Yea mate no worries; happy to just pass on parts mate and see stuff go to good homes and keep these old girls going. Yea after sighting in at 80 yards did a vineyard lap. Resulted in cleaning up game out to 100-120 maybe and was very accurate, I’ll tinker with it a bit more probably on the weekend, and get the vortex /788 combo tack driving out to 200. Last night was really that first play experiment trouble was the sun didn’t stay up long enough.
Funny u mention the trigger I really like the way mine shoots but now I recall I remember saying to my mate “ s**t I wasn’t meant to let that shot go of just yet” resulted in a 2 inch flyer from the rest of the group. I’ll drop the timmney in straight away. As my mate also has the 788 and some spare parts I’ll pm you once we go over Them all, this most likely will be my go to rifle once tinkering complete.

[Rod_outbak]

[quote="Dossa456"]
Yea mate no worries; happy to just pass on parts mate and see stuff go to good homes and keep these old girls going. Yea after sighting in at 80 yards did a vineyard lap. Resulted in cleaning up game out to 100-120 maybe and was very accurate, I’ll tinker with it a bit more probably on the weekend, and get the vortex /788 combo tack driving out to 200. Last night was really that first play experiment trouble was the sun didn’t stay up long enough.
Funny u mention the trigger I really like the way mine shoots but now I recall I remember saying to my mate “ s**t I wasn’t meant to let that shot go of just yet” resulted in a 2 inch flyer from the rest of the group. I’ll drop the timmney in straight away. As my mate also has the 788 and some spare parts I’ll pm you once we go over Them all, this most likely will be my go to rifle once tinkering complete.
[/quote]

Heh....

Yesterday, I found the parts I had stripped off a previous 788 .223 the LGS was chopping, and he still has the parts of mine incl the Timney trigger and modded bolt (Sako-style Extractor) waiting for me to collect. I'll pick them up tomorrow when I get into town.
LGS also has a third 788 .222 that he is happy for me to strip parts from as well, so you might end up with a lot of bits & pieces.
If any of them are of use to other 788 owners, then happy days.
There is also a half-decent wood stock that I have partly stripped and sanded, but the jobs not complete.
Is that something you'd want as well? It looks in decent shape overall.
Not sure if I'll get them into the mail tomorrow; depends on the other stuff I've got to get done in town first. Sometime mid-next week at the latest, though.
[Got to find a freaking box long enough to fit them all in!]

Cheers,

Rod.

[bladeracer]

I wish I still had paperwork with my serial number, somebody must still have mine somewhere!

[Dossa456]

Hi Rod
Yep would be great , I’ll go through all the bits then ensure I pass on to others that need.
Also just PM me the postage cost and I’ll ensure I cover that mate. I’ll put up on this thread for the 788 guys. And yea stix happy to meet. Two foxes went down to the spotlight last night mate, PM if u want. Still a to hesitant to put locations and photos ect up on a public forum. Not usually my thing but this post has taught me a bundle and buy the generosity is also going to extend the life of the 788 for a bit longer yet.
Cheers All

[Dossa456]

Worked out how to upload a picture .
Here is the first 5 shot group i have shot out the 788-
80 odd yards, sun nearly down of the back of the ute, with a slight breeze in my face also after after running back from checking a few sighters as i chucked a new scope on her. This is why i was impressed. The circle is 1inch- used factory 50grns - I shot a good 3 round group with some 40grn stuff me mate had but the sun was down by that point, was a good arvo untill the spotlight switch on the 140 fell into the handle, luckily in the on position.

[Dossa456]

and this was the 40grn hornady stuff- didn't check the packet exactly just grabbed 3 rounds of my mate and sen them down.
Really keen to a actually spend a few hours at a 100-150 now and get her shooting sweet.

[gunnnie]

Good to see 788's getting some lovin'.
My first 788 was also my first rifles after a barren 5yrs thanks to my ex & needing to sell my toys!
Loved that rifle, didn't look great but it shot like stink.
After picking up the 788 in 22PPC I needed to add a few more. A 222 with no stock turned up then the 22-250. I'm going to chase Cameron H up for a couple of stocks to give both these old gems a new lease on life.

Would like to get one of the 7-08 models. Will have to chase up a couple of Timney triggers too.

[bladeracer]

Good to see 788's getting some lovin'.
My first 788 was also my first rifles after a barren 5yrs thanks to my ex & needing to sell my toys!
Loved that rifle, didn't look great but it shot like stink.
After picking up the 788 in 22PPC I needed to add a few more. A 222 with no stock turned up then the 22-250. I'm going to chase Cameron H up for a couple of stocks to give both these old gems a new lease on life.

Would like to get one of the 7-08 models. Will have to chase up a couple of Timney triggers too.

I wanted the 7mm-08 when I was a kid to go with my .222Rem, but I just didn't have any need for back then. It's the reason I made sure I got the 7mm-08 this time around

[gunnnie]

Haven't seen a 788 in 7-08 in years. Keep trawling thru the various second hand gun sites but nothing yet. I'm patient though, one will turn up eventually.

[Stix]

Good to see 788's getting some lovin'.
My first 788 was also my first rifles after a barren 5yrs thanks to my ex & needing to sell my toys!
Loved that rifle, didn't look great but it shot like stink.
After picking up the 788 in 22PPC I needed to add a few more. A 222 with no stock turned up then the 22-250. I'm going to chase Cameron H up for a couple of stocks to give both these old gems a new lease on life.

Would like to get one of the 7-08 models. Will have to chase up a couple of Timney triggers too.

I wanted the 7mm-08 when I was a kid to go with my .222Rem, but I just didn't have any need for back then. It's the reason I made sure I got the 7mm-08 this time around

Yes guys...i keep a lookout for them in 7-08 as well...!!
However im waiting on a give-away 22-250 or 308 that is shot out....
I csme across a couple a year or so back, but he wanted too much for them & they really had been butchered...

And Blade...whats this pityful crap about "not needing one back then"...as if you NEED 90% of what you have now... sorry mate...that excuse coming from you just doesnt wash mate...!!!

[bladeracer]

Yes guys...i keep a lookout for them in 7-08 as well...!!
However im waiting on a give-away 22-250 or 308 that is shot out....
I csme across a couple a year or so back, but he wanted too much for them & they really had been butchered...

And Blade...whats this pityful crap about "not needing one back then"...as if you NEED 90% of what you have now... sorry mate...that excuse coming from you just doesnt wash mate...!!!

Yes, I didn't think I'd sneak that past even while I was typing it
I had eleven rifles and shotguns when I was seventeen, which I thought was rather a large haul back then

[sir-wal]

Hi all, please excuse me for dragging up an old thread but i was scouting around the net looking for a magazine for my mod 788 222 and came across this forum and had to sign up to post on here.
Where ever i have looked they either don't ship to Australia or are asking an arm or leg for one which is frustrating so does anyone know where i can get one at a reasonable price ?
Back in 2011 it was stolen along with 8 other firearms while i was away from home working, nothing worse than coming home to see the mess made of my cabinet to get them out of there, some were very old and had more sentimental value to me than anything else.
Other items of value were stolen as well.
During the last gun amnesty it was handed in to a gun dealer missing it's case, sling and magazine but i was amazed it still had the scope on it and whoever had it even cleaned up the stock and it looks quite good.
Anyway.......enough of that, can anyone point me in the right direction to get one at a fair price ? Tried one of the local gun dealers and he said he cant get one and good luck with finding one.

Cheers

PS
I have enjoyed reading all the posts on this thread and the only problem i have ever had with mine was not long after i first bought it, a few of us were out fox shooting one day, i had my trusty shotgun in my hands with the 222 slung over my shoulder, we were walking along when all of a sudden BOOM !
Everyone looked around wondering who just fired a shot but were mostly looking at me as if i fired one, i took the rifle off my shoulder, pulled the bolt back and it ejected an empty case so what the hell happened here and how ?
A further inspection found deep rubbing marks around the safety and trigger area from my gun belt for the 12g, it was enough to knock the safety into fire mode and then knock the trigger.
I have never used a gun belt since and this is going back nearly 40 years ago.

Once again cheers and thanks in advance for any help.

[bladeracer]

Hi all, please excuse me for dragging up an old thread but i was scouting around the net looking for a magazine for my mod 788 222 and came across this forum and had to sign up to post on here.
Where ever i have looked they either don't ship to Australia or are asking an arm or leg for one which is frustrating so does anyone know where i can get one at a reasonable price ?
Back in 2011 it was stolen along with 8 other firearms while i was away from home working, nothing worse than coming home to see the mess made of my cabinet to get them out of there, some were very old and had more sentimental value to me than anything else.
Other items of value were stolen as well.
During the last gun amnesty it was handed in to a gun dealer missing it's case, sling and magazine but i was amazed it still had the scope on it and whoever had it even cleaned up the stock and it looks quite good.
Anyway.......enough of that, can anyone point me in the right direction to get one at a fair price ? Tried one of the local gun dealers and he said he cant get one and good luck with finding one.

Cheers

PS
I have enjoyed reading all the posts on this thread and the only problem i have ever had with mine was not long after i first bought it, a few of us were out fox shooting one day, i had my trusty shotgun in my hands with the 222 slung over my shoulder, we were walking along when all of a sudden BOOM !
Everyone looked around wondering who just fired a shot but were mostly looking at me as if i fired one, i took the rifle off my shoulder, pulled the bolt back and it ejected an empty case so what the hell happened here and how ?
A further inspection found deep rubbing marks around the safety and trigger area from my gun belt for the 12g, it was enough to knock the safety into fire mode and then knock the trigger.
I have never used a gun belt since and this is going back nearly 40 years ago.

Once again cheers and thanks in advance for any help.

Magazine prices here can be extreme anyway, it's a small market, sometimes you can buy a complete rifle for a little more than people ask for the mag. Brownells.com.au might be worth a try. They don't have the .223 mag listed but the .308 mag is $50. https://www.brownells.com.au/index.php?route=product/product&path=21300&product_id=13283
You can try ordering from other US dealers bubt then you need a B709, a US$250 export fee, on top of the freight.

I know people happy to pay $140 for magazines, but I'll stick with my $60 mags.

As for your ND, there is never any reason to have a round chambered when the rifle is slung over your shoulder.

[RoginaJack]

yep, I've got a 222 and am using factory 50gr SP Remington ammo through it. That's the only ammo I've used, limited choice here.

As you say, the trigger takes a bit of getting used to but shoots OK. I've had no trouble with the safety or bolt release, seems good.

See target - The first 3 shots, trigger took me by surprise a bit plus scope needed adjustment but the next few rounds were OK.

Rem 222.jpg (105.85 KiB) Viewed 5664 times

PS. QGE has a Rem 788 222 mag for sale ($75 ?) and there are a couple on used guns too.

[Stix]

Shoots good, nice one...!
Have you had it at 100 or 200 yet...?...

And what's with the trigger RJ, or what is it you have to get used to...?
Is it just heavy...?

If it hasnt been hacked at before, a good trigger man should be able to get it to a nice 2-2.5 lb...

[RoginaJack]

Yo Stix, Nah, hasn't been hacked, just a bit heavy and different to the 243Win. Tikka.

Yep, it shoots Ok at 200 - 300yds.

[gunnnie]

Yeah unfortunately the 788's were not known for light triggers. That said, a competent 'smith who knows their way around a trigger, can turn a sow's ear into a silk purse.
I had the trigger on mine done by Pete Nesbit in Casino back in '02 & it was magic.
The mod'ed 788 22PPC I have now, has also had trigger work done & is beautifully crisp & light.
I have another 788 in 22-250 & am thinking of putting a Timney trigger into it.

[RoginaJack]

Hi Gunnnie, The Timney trigger has entered my thought pattern too. Next time i'm down Casino way I'll check out Peter re costs etc....

Cheers

[gunnnie]

Good to see mate. Its been a long time since I last shook Pete's hand.
Not sure if he's still doing any smithing to be honest. Hope he is for your sake, as he is bloody good & doesn't charge like a wounded bull.
With the cost of a Timney what it is, even if Pete has put his price up, it'll still be bloody well worthwhile. Be looking fwd to hearing how you go.

[Stix]

My 788 is at about 2.25-2.5 lb mark & snaps like my Sako...crisp, with a good thud...!

But be warned...if you get the trigger done be well prepared to rebarrel it much sooner...!!

[marrinup]

Just joined this forum and good to see articles on the Remington 788, I have had one for over 10 years and just love the rifle, my favorite hunting bit of gear just so accurate and easy to use. When I got mine the trigger was woeful, pulled it apart and found the spring was a small stiff coiled job so I replaced it with one from a Parker biro, well now it is just brilliant and nice and light and crisp.
The best thing was that it cost nothing and made a world of difference to shot placement and accuracy, just got to love the 788 in 222 cal, with a decent scope hand loaded ammo. (52 gn Sierra pills over 19.5 Gns of Reloader 7), it can plug a stubbie top 10 times out of 10 at 100 m bench rested.

[RoginaJack]

Yeah, 'I've got a 788 in .222R and it shoots great. Trigger could do with a bit of work,

Rem 222.jpg (105.85 KiB) Viewed 4843 times

[juano86]

i picked up a 788 in .222 a few months back... i havent shot it yet though, iv got it pulled apart refurbishing the stock and rebluing the barrel / action. cant wait to get it back together and have a play.

[Oldbloke]

i picked up a 788 in .222 a few months back... i havent shot it yet though, iv got it pulled apart refurbishing the stock and rebluing the barrel / action. cant wait to get it back together and have a play.

How are you going to do that?

[Bugman]

Had one many years ago. Terrific and very underrated 222. The crowning glory with mine is that I had the action bedded and then went to the local SSAA range and shot my silver award. Then went back the following weekend and shot my gold award. All using hand loads. But can't remember exact loads I used except that I was using Sierra projectiles. I ended up trading it in on something else......DOH!