Got a chance to get a 7 Mag Sendero take off barrel and a Rem 788 action. Want to build a 7mm Benchrest (7mm Br). Ideas? Would I have to cut much of the barrel for rechamber? Who makes a 788 stock?

I don't think that possible to rechamber 7 REM MAG to 7 BR in REM BARREL because you need to cut all the chamber in 7 REM and you are over the barrel shoulder so dia is not enought to make the new thread , that perhaps possible with a 7.08 REM barrel ( some shooter have recut/rechamber 22 BR in 22.250 barrel ) .

MAC MILLAN can inlett some stock for 788 action
depend if you need hunting or target stock

good shooting

DAN TEC

In addition to cobbling together big bores I dabble in benchrest and long range rifes.

Tha answer is no for many reasons. DanTec covered the basics.

And you are wasting your time to try to build a BR rifle using a factory barrel. The twist is wrong for BR bullets. Quality just is not there either.

Although not a true BR action, the 788 can be made into a good shooter. If you are interested I will send you a photo of a 788 that has shot under 2-1/2 inches at 550 yards. It is a switch barrel rifle, three 27 inch H.V. taper barrels, in 7mm-08, 243 Ackley and 308. In a heavy McMillan stock, pillar bedded, blind magazine. I trued the action, installed a Hollands lug, and chambered & fitted the barrels.

[ 09-08-2002, 18:23: Message edited by: John Ricks ]

What about the differences in the bolt face between 7 mag and 7-08. I've heard of opening up the bolt face, but not the other way around.

Al,
You really can't use the 7mag barrel, as the shoulder diameter is the wrong width compared to the length of the chamber you will need to remove to cut a clean chamber. BUT, all is not lost.
I'll assume you are fairly handy, and you have access to either a lathe or a good gunsmith. I;ve done 708 off a 7 mag, but I put it in a small ring, so that's a fish of another color.
Anyway, call up shilen, pacnor, etc and tell them you want a heavy conture (i like #4 for a BR rifle.. especially if you are planning on making it hunter class). If you like you can have it threaded and chambered, or either, for 7 br. Specifiy minimum chamber. This should set you back less than 250, for a match barrel. 22" is a pretty efficent length for 708, so I bet a little shorter might work for br.
On the stock, well, you have a nice chance to do away with the monstrosity of the 788 mag, and make it a blind/hidden mag and not have that huge hole in it. Okay, my opinion aside, richard's microfit makes nice benchstyle stocks, CHEAP and will do it in 788, with or without mag. http://www.rifle-stocks.com/target_style's.htm

since the 788 has the fastest lock time of any CONVENTIONAL commercial rifle, you have a great place to start. Further, you can use just about any m700 trigger, jewell to shilen to canjar. Also, the 7br would be a great round for this, with it's rear locking lugs. I've built 2 in 708, one in the factory stock, one is a lefthanded stock, right drive, bench thumbhole. Both shoot in the 3s, and that was during barrel break in, an both where designed for deer rifles.

In short, spend the other 250 for a nice barrel, and never look back. It's a great action for target shooting, even if it's not an unlimited class BR rifle.

oh, yeah, I've gotta get this in.... If you REALLY want something on a 788, rebarrel it to 358, with a 1/10 barrel, #3 conture, 20", and make a WICKED north american all around big game rifle.
jeffe