For you gunsmithy types that know far more than I do, I need some information. How tough would it be to convert a Remington 788 in .308 to a 25.284? Would the clip have to be modified? Any other major or expensive modifications needed?

I am no pro gunsmith by any means but I would think that the 284 case would be too fat for the 788's single stack magazine. even if it fits it might be too snug and hang up on you. You might end up with a single shot rifle with a detatchable mag.

Good Luck...JD

jd_1, I was wondering that same thing which is why I asked about the magazine. I would imagine it could be modified somehow though.

I am a gunsmith who occasionally gets talked into a project which causes me grief and I know it going in. Just not too smart I guess.
Dumb as I am though, you wouldn't be able to talk me into trying to make this work! The 788 just isn't a good choice for this conversion. Regards, Bill

Sky:

I don't know what the retail market is like in Montanna, but a decent used 788 in .308 is a fine rifle, and one in Minnesota wouldn't last two days on a dealer's shelf. They sell like hotcakes. I would recommend selling it and buying something a little easier to work with.

BigSky perhaps I could buy it if you wanted-still need one for that stock I showed you last year.

"GET TO THE HILL"

Dog

Big Sky- I own a number of 788's (including a couple of wildcats) and have modified magazines to make them work. The problem is really with the width of the 284 case. The magazine can be sectioned and made wider (and the well opened up), but this really is a pain. Far better to go to a 25-308 improved. It's a lot less work. FWIW - Dan

Mark, that might be an option. The metal on this rifle is in very good shape. However the guy that owned it fancied himself a woodworker. Unfortunately I don't think anyone else thought so. In short he really made a mess of the stock. I was just going to toss the stock so it didn't matter much to me. Anyway if you are interested fire an email my way, maybe we can work something out. Trades for scopes or rifles for me to you know.

Sky, I'm with Dan on the 25-308 IMP and another you may consider is the .257 DGR. It is a necked down .260 with some minor differences but performance is there. Check it out at [URL=http://www.duanesguns.com/257.html][/URL] it will work in a short action and can seat the bullets out farther than the '08 Imp.

[This message has been edited by BigNate (edited 04-13-2002).]

I saw a 788 coverted to 284. The guy was a tinkerer, not a gunsmith though. He milled/ground the ribs out of the inside of the magazine, then brazed the holes back in back in flat. Ugly, but it worked.