Just bought a rem. 788 that someone has rebarreled to 257 roberts ackley imp. has a 24 in. bull barrel now. shot winchester factory +P ammo & got 1/2" & 5/8 in. groups at 100yds. anyone ever wear one of these guns out? specially bolt lugs or bolt handle trouble? thx, Keith

Rem 788's have developed an almost mythic reputation for accuracy, rear lugs not withstanding! If your groups are 5 shot groups, then that is outstanding for a 257R, improved or not. I doubt any rifles in the USA get worn out by use! Who made the barrel? I have 2 Rem788's, one in 222Rem, and the other in 243 Win.
Peter

A guy down the street has a 788 missing the bolt. He has not located a bolt and I've heard they are the weak link and difficult to find. I have a 600 Rem which is a very cheap built gun---but I like it. That seems to be true of 788 owners.

I've owned and shot a few of the 788's over the years and all were quite accurate. I can't say I've ever heard of anyone wearing one out. The most common problem seems to be lost bolts. And good luck trying to find another. I believe Remington stopped making them because they were outselling they're 700's.

I broke the bolt handle off mine (Left handed 308 bought in 1975) falling on top of it on my way down a mountain (the fast way) in Colorado.

Jim Wisner fixed it better than new.

I bought one in 223 rem and I shot the hell out of it.The only thing that bugged me was the mag.

No and No. Good purchase.

I have 2 788's in 308 that has put a lot of meat in the freezer for me. Mine are later made ones, around 1980. I have worked on several
and it was always the bolt handle coming loose.
Apparently the solder on some didn't hold for some reason. I made a jig to hold the handle
and TIG welded them just like I do M98's.
Works fine. A good inexpensive rifle that shoots
great. I hope you have a chance to wear it out. Good luck.

I have 788 rifles in 223 AI, 6mm-284, 6mm Rem, 22-243 Middlestead, and 7mm-08 carbine. All accurate rifles, if not the fanciest in the world. I like them. - dan

I've had two of them. One was a 220 Swift back in the 70's, the other a 222 Remington. Both shot great and both were ugly as fence posts

The few I've seen that didn't shoot were easily fixed with sandpaper. Once the stocks were worked over and sealed up all was well. I've heard of bolt handles breaking off, but I remember lost magazines being a bigger problem, at least that's the way I remember it.

I got my father inlaws 788 when he died 11 years ago. It was his go to rifle for deer hunting. Its a 308 carbine and I've taken 1 or 2 deer with it. My first impression of this gun was how heavy it is for its size. It just looks lighter than it really is. Also I think the magazine is a bit too noisey. Too much clicking and rattling when carrying or handling the gun. I do like its compactness and it just feels well made to me. It's one gun I will never sell. It will go to one of my kids or future grandkids.

Greg

I've got a 6mm and bought an as new 223 this summer, It hasn't but about 20 rounds through it. The 6 will shoot cloverleafs with 70 AND 90 grain ballistic tips. I've been toying with sending the triggers to Mike Bryant for his magic this winter. Anyone have him work theirs over?

I have two 308,22-250 perhaps the two most accurate rifles i have owned never had a problem with either

I've only had experience with 2, one a 308 that is very accurate, and has accounted for many kills. The other was a .243 that my bil bought a few months back....didn't shoot worth a hoot, I think the barrel was bulged or the rifling gone. Couldn't get a decent group if we tried. He ended up selling it...too much of a headache. The previous owner neglected it too much IMHO, we cleaned out copious amounts of copper fouling, even then it didn't shoot.

After saying that, if you get a well maintained 788, then it should be just as good as my old .308.

A 788 in 44 Magnum was one of the "funnest" guns I ever shot. It wasn't mine and I've never run across another for sale. I think the 788 made a fine 30-30 for the reloader too.

I recently bought a 788 in 30-30 with the idea of shooting cast bullet loads. I won't have to work them through a loading gate. A word of caution, I ordered a couple of spare mags from the Sportsman's Guide. They were way out of spec. and wouldn't even fit in the mag well. If you saw the add and ordered any for 30-30, which are scarce, don't put them away in a drawer and not check them out.

I'm a fan and like em, personal opinion.
I have heard people say that being rear lockers the action can stretch and and cause problems after enough use, I've also heard others say "bull-feathers" to that one??
I can say I currently have a .22-250 that is a seriously accurate rifle on it's number 3, count em 3, as in 3rd barrel. Shot out the factory barrel, shot out a McGowen and am now probably 1,500ish rounds into a Weisman and it's a long way from gone.
I take very good care of my rifles but even with that in mind I'd guess this rifle has had somewhere near 16,000+ rounds through it, "Really"! Not bad for a butt ugly rifle that cost under a $100.00 brand new.
Like I said, I'm a fan!

I bought my .308 in 1972 when I thought it would be my one and only centerfire rifle! I only used it for groundhogs for several years - can't hunt deer here in Ohio with centerfire. I finally took it to Namibia in 2005 and it did me proud! Yes it is a little heavy but it has never failed me yet.
John

quote:

Originally posted by GoWyo:
I've got a 6mm and bought an as new 223 this summer, It hasn't but about 20 rounds through it. The 6 will shoot cloverleafs with 70 AND 90 grain ballistic tips. I've been toying with sending the triggers to Mike Bryant for his magic this winter. Anyone have him work theirs over?

I just do my own. The instructions are online. Also there are Timneys available now. Canjar used to make triggers for 788's (I have two that are little works of art) but I am not sure that they still do.

As too the bolts stretching, as long as you keep your ammo and reloads to factory pressures you will have no problems. Not a good gun for hot rodding though. - dan

Have oone in 223 very accurate,had one in 44mag it shot good with every load i tried.

I have a LH 6MM and it's a coyote thumper. Shot a white tail with it a couple of years ago using 100 grain Partitions. A great shooter and I'd love to have another one so I could re-barrel it to 257 Roberts.

I once owned a Remington M-788 in .30-30 Win and wish I'd kept it! GREAT LITTLE RIFLE!!

thx to all that replied, obvisouly it seems as though these are great little guns. I now have 4 of em. .222 , 6mm, .257 ackley imp., & .308. will be selling the 6 & 308, the 308 is supposed to be sold. anyone use one of the boyds thumbhole stocks? Keith

RE: thumbhole stocks. I think they're great shooting from the bench but ackward as hell in the field. Go thru the motions of taking your thumb out of the hole, flipping the safety off, and re-inserting your thumb in the hole whilst trying to gain a sight picture as you bring the rifle to your shoulder. Meanwhile, the biggest buck you have ever seen in your life is bounding over the river and thru the woods away. ;(

There is a great lesson to be learned in the 788:
One doesn't have to spend a large amount of money to get great accuracy.

Savage has also proven this with their bolt rifles.

I have a 6mm now that is quite accurate. Have had a 243 & 308.

My question with the 257 Roberts is the magazine lenght. I had problems with seating bullets out and still fitting in the short'ish magazine they have.

They are solid accurate guns. A bit of polishing of rougher edges makes a difference.

Pete A.

I bought one several years ago in mint condition. The bolt handle broke off within the first 20 rounds of firing.

You had to remind me of one of the silliest things I ever did!....trading a 788 for a muzzle loader I never needed.

Growing up on a cattle ranch in the 70's, I bought a 788 in 22-250 and put a Weaver K-10 on it for a coyote rifle. With Sierra HP bullets, it would shoot the occasional 0.5" 5 shot group with most of them under 0.75". This was in rural area where 30-30's and surplus SMLE 303's were the hot ticket. The old timers looked at my like I had 3 eyes when I pulled it out of the case. Coyotes were at a premium in the mid to late 70's and that rifle pretty much paid for an engineering degree with coyote pelts.

Buy one of every caliber you can find. I know I will. Recently found a custom stocked 222. Won't let up until I have them all!

I have a 308 that with nosler 168gr J4s it will do 2.5 at 300 yards.

quote:

I believe Remington stopped making them because they were outselling they're 700's.

Not reaslly. They sold poorly because they were homely, same as the 600-660 series and Savage's 110.

They were built as inexpensive hunting rifes but many were chambered in varminting, pistol and lever cartridges. There's just not a lot of demand for that in rear locking bolt guns, then or now.

I had a 788 w the 18"bbl, in 308. I was shooting Silhoutte and decided to see how it would do at 500 meters.

It out shot my Rem. 700 competition rifle that I had 1,500 big ones in.

Guys laughed when I got it out, they did not laugh when they saw the target.

Hey Dan, all,

I just found this on GGVG archives. So, here is the homegrown option, should you choose to accept this mission and fail, there is always Timney and Numerich. Now I note that there was a post stating that there two trigger revisions on 788's so this diagram may not be correct for all. Drill and tap at your own risk.



Dan, I hope i caught you before you went on your search. Thanks anyway.

I'm going Cow elk hunting in the AM. 6mm with 100 gr. Grand slams, shiloh sharps .45-70 with 460 gr LBT's, or .338 WM? Being this is the medium bore board, I'll just say .338 to keep the peace. (not a 788)
Happy New year AR.

I had a friend modify two of my 788 triggers like that and it works like a charm.
Don't expect Timney to have triggers. Or they didn't last time I checked. I called them quite a while back and they were gonna make a run "soon" and so I ordered two. I'm still waiting. Midway carried replacement triggers as coming soon for a while and then dropped them.

For replacement triggers, try Graf and Sons. I got a Timney 788 trigger (Graf PN TY788) in June of 2009.

Works like a charm and is currently set at about 2 1/2#. Might lessen it it about 2#.

Don

Any one on here willing to convert my 788 trigger to the one shown in the drawing above?


If so, How much?

Thanks

I have worn out more than 2 pair of boots kicking myself in the butt for trading my 223 for a 7 mm mag.I would like to find one in 30-30 one day.

Iremember a few years back at gun shows you could pick them up for a couple hundred dollars. Saw one the other day on gun broker for...$750.00 Whats the going rate for them now?

Trigger, if you've a decent smith in your neck of the woods, he ought to be able to do it from the drawing. It's pretty straight forward. My guy charged me $50 per trigger.
If Graf has drop ins, that might be the way to go????