Was fortunate to purchase a nib model 788 22-250.Had to open up stock a little to free float as barrel as was touching in a couple points but Im now ready to reload.Ive decided to go with Sierra 52gr.HPBT Match bullets and would like to try a load of varget for starters.I am confined to a oal length however that will feed properly from the clip . Was wondering if anyone else had a 788 and with similar load with a suggested oal I might try.If you use a different powder or ect. would really appreciate any input to help me get started.Thanks much.

Well I havent been here in a while but I to own a Rem 788 in .22-250. I love this rifle. It was gifted to me at age 16 from my dad and I am 36 now. The only ammo run thru this gun is my hand loads. I pretty much only use IMR. So here is my pet load; "IMR 4064 33.6gr topped off with a Hornday 55gr SXSP bullet" @ 3,400fps and mucho deadly on ground squirls and 5 rounds all under a dime w/o seeing paper cut @ 150 yrds. And my second fav load is "Varget 34gr topped with a Nosler 40gr bal. tip" this moves at 3,625fps. I run the COL to 2.395". This length will run neatly thru 788 mags. 1 thing to remmeber, The 55gr Hornady SXSP is said to explode just outside the barrel when pushed past 3,700fps-TRUST ME! I've had it happen with that bullet!!! Happy hunting

Thanks for the info Dutchboy.Gives me a good idea where to start playing with the OAL.I too am partial to 40gr NBTs and Varget in my previous 250s but I had a tendency to hot rod them a somewhat with good accuracy.I agree they really are a nice rifle.I own a 788 in 222 cal that will reform my lousy shooting to look like ragged hole benchrest quality.Gotta love a gun like that.

If the boat tail bullet doesn't work try the 53gr flat based bullet. I've had good luck with H380 in my 22-250s. Where in the world did you find a NIB 788???

Its a long story but as usual these things contain a lot of luck.I was advertising on a local board that I would like to puchase one thinking more than likely it would be used.I had forgotten about the post until sometime later a fellow notified me to let me know he had a new one and just never had the need to use it.The rest is history and Im proud to be able to give it a good home.

38 grains of H380 with that bullet is great in my rifle. I have shot Varget with the same bullet and it did well but was slightly edged out in my rifle by H380, yours may like it just fine give it a whirl.
I would check the OAL of your magazine against the OAL of your barrel just to see where you are in the grand scheme, my guess is they are similar. I would probably start as long as the magazine allows if acceptable to the chamber/barrel and work back from there.
Good luck with the new rig.

Snellstrom,like your suggestion.Will compare the two.I did a OAl to lands measurement when I loaded some 40gr.BTs for break-in and recall they were way back but sometimes a long jump works well in the right load combination.Breakin shot lousy and gave me two separate groups so it is now getting its barrel floated and bedded.Will recrown next if necessary but will hopefully shoot without.Sometimes they just need a little proding.

I spent the better part of a month 10 years ago testing various powders and bullets in my 22-250, a custom rifle on a Mauser 98 action with a 26" Douglas barrel, and a Canjar single set trigger.
My particular rifle shoots Sierra's 55 gn HPBT with 32.6 grains of Benchmark best; 3 shots into a 1/4" group at 100 yards using a 36x benchrest scope I use for developing loads. Second best powder was/is Varget, 35.5 grains of it, same bullet and all loads use Federal 210M primers.
I've had two earlier 22-250's that shot the 52 grain Sierra HPBT with 38.0 grains of H-380, and one before that shot 34.0 grains og IMR-4320 better than the 380 powder. Each rifle is slightly different, so try different combinations to see what works best in your rifle.