I love my Remington 788 in .223
- Thread starter Lee Barner
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mrrick
Member
Love mine in .308 and 6mm Rem. A most underrated rifle.
It sure is! I remember when it appeared in 1967. It was first chambered in .222, .22-250, .30-30, and .44 Magnum. Other calibers appeared later, probably to increase it's appeal when it was not going to be a threat to the 700. A great trigger and a super-strong action.
Kaaskop49
Shield #5103
788
Your 223 will make a great coyote rifle. I own a 223 and a 6mm 788, I have taken Several dozen coyotes with these two rifles during the past 30 years. I paid $150. For each rifle and they have paid for themselves several times over in coyote pelts.
Your 223 will make a great coyote rifle. I own a 223 and a 6mm 788, I have taken Several dozen coyotes with these two rifles during the past 30 years. I paid $150. For each rifle and they have paid for themselves several times over in coyote pelts.
I have a box stock 788 with an old Weaver K4 in .308 that shoots VERY well indeed. 200 yards gives groups of just under 1.74 inches over a rest....An inexpensive rifle like this just should not do that!
My load is a replication of military M852, using a 165 Sierra GameKing instead of a MatchKing, 42 grs. of IMR-4895. Lake City casings and CCI primers.....chronographs at 2650 fps.
The 788 is an incredibly under-rated rifle indeed!
Randy
My load is a replication of military M852, using a 165 Sierra GameKing instead of a MatchKing, 42 grs. of IMR-4895. Lake City casings and CCI primers.....chronographs at 2650 fps.
The 788 is an incredibly under-rated rifle indeed!
Randy
Fishinfool
Member
The owner of a local gun shop I frequent owns one in .222 Rem. He has a target he likes showing people. Don't remember the exact size group, but it is basically 5 shots into one slightly ragged hole at 100 yards. Not bad for an inexpensive field rifle.
Larry
Larry
OLDSTER
Member
Arguably the best "bang-for-your-buck" bolt action rifle ever made. My "doggin" buddy has been shooting one in "triple deuce" for years, and it still shoots a ragged hole group from a rest at 100 yds
TAC
Member
A Remington 788 in .223 is a hot~ticket, and will bring you big buck$, should you ever decide to sell it.
In their day the 788 was the best buy in accuracy. Men routinely brought their 788 to the range along with a few much more expensive bolt actions then left mildly pissed because the 788 grouped the tightest. Making those groups a little easier to realize 788s have one of the shortest if not the shortest lock times of production rifles.
I had them in .30-30, .223 and a couple in .44 Magnum. In that order they were built on the 788's long, medium and short actions. .44 Magnum was the only short action chambering and is one of the scarcest standard production Remingtons. The .44 Magnums would group 5 jacketed bullets into 1 1/4" at 100 yards but did not group well with cast bullets. In my experience the 788 was the most accurate .30-30 ever built. It grouped great at 100 yards with cast bullets the first day out. I had a Leupold 3-9 Vari-X II on my .223. Leupold added a target elevation knob and reset its parrallex to 400 yards for free. It was a great prairie dog rifle. If it was not for criminals I would still have them.
The fatal problem with the 788 was that they were made on the same machinery as a series of .22 rimfires that were not inexpensive enough to compete. Discontinuing the rimfires drug down the 788 line.
I had them in .30-30, .223 and a couple in .44 Magnum. In that order they were built on the 788's long, medium and short actions. .44 Magnum was the only short action chambering and is one of the scarcest standard production Remingtons. The .44 Magnums would group 5 jacketed bullets into 1 1/4" at 100 yards but did not group well with cast bullets. In my experience the 788 was the most accurate .30-30 ever built. It grouped great at 100 yards with cast bullets the first day out. I had a Leupold 3-9 Vari-X II on my .223. Leupold added a target elevation knob and reset its parrallex to 400 yards for free. It was a great prairie dog rifle. If it was not for criminals I would still have them.
The fatal problem with the 788 was that they were made on the same machinery as a series of .22 rimfires that were not inexpensive enough to compete. Discontinuing the rimfires drug down the 788 line.
The first rifle I ever purchased (as opposed to what I inherited) was a Remington 788 in .308 Winchester. 1971. I think I paid $150 for it. I see them for sale today at $650. Amazing.
The stories I have about its tack driving capabilities are endless. On the range, in the field, it is still my go to hunting rifle. After my eyes required glasses I stuck a nice 4x scope on it (and that's 30 years ago!) and continued to rely on it ever since. No other changes; it's all original - oh, maybe I put a Decelerator pad on it a long time ago, just because I could.
Most years, when I take it to the range for zeroing, I shoot it at 100 yards, fire 3 rounds, get a tiny group right where I want it, so I put it away and shoot other guns. It's an amazing rifle. Of my long guns it's pretty much the last one I'd ever part with.
The stories I have about its tack driving capabilities are endless. On the range, in the field, it is still my go to hunting rifle. After my eyes required glasses I stuck a nice 4x scope on it (and that's 30 years ago!) and continued to rely on it ever since. No other changes; it's all original - oh, maybe I put a Decelerator pad on it a long time ago, just because I could.
Most years, when I take it to the range for zeroing, I shoot it at 100 yards, fire 3 rounds, get a tiny group right where I want it, so I put it away and shoot other guns. It's an amazing rifle. Of my long guns it's pretty much the last one I'd ever part with.
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I have never saw one that wouldn't shoot. I wish they were made with a mag. like the M700. A few years ago a so called friend had a .223 like new that really shot and I knew he wouldn't keep it long and he said I could have first chance. He lied. I have one in .308. I reduced the load for grandson using a 170 gr. flat point Hornady at 2000fps and it will shoot 3 shots in less than 1/2 in. at 100 yds. He shot 9 times and killed 10 deer. Larry
sureshotbob
Member
I had a 788 in .22-250 I put a Ramline stock on it. It was very accurate but the snob in me traded it off for a Ruger #1 in the same cal. . But sold the Ruger do to the best I could get it to shoot was a 1 1/2".
788s have thin magazines and small ejection ports to better resist receiver stretching with their rear lock up. Besides, since we can not legally have loaded long guns in a vehicle I like a magazine that fits in a shirt pocket.
4barrel
Member
I have a 788 in 44 magnum.
We can have loaded guns in vehicles and I never thought much about the detachable mag. until my grandson lost it. It was in a couple of acres of woods and we walked slow and looked good and after a couple of hours we found it. After that when he was moving I had him remove the mag. and put it in his pocket. Larry
Remington has had a lot of flops with cartridges, that they beat
to death, and reintroduced. I think they snatched defeat from the
jaws of victory with 2 rifles. I am not a Remington fan, but I have
never seen a bad 788 in any calibre. In my area a 788 will bring
the same or more than a 700BDL. Then the 600-660 series, another inexpensive dependable and accurate rifle. Way ahead
of its time ( ha-ha) nobody ever told it, that it was a scout rifle.
I've had them all except the 6.5mag. Ever since Jeff Cooper
"Discovered" the scout rifle concept, everyone came out with them at premium prices. This was about the same time Gore
was inventing the Internet. The only reason I saw to discontinue
these rifles was to keep them from cutting into 700 sales.
to death, and reintroduced. I think they snatched defeat from the
jaws of victory with 2 rifles. I am not a Remington fan, but I have
never seen a bad 788 in any calibre. In my area a 788 will bring
the same or more than a 700BDL. Then the 600-660 series, another inexpensive dependable and accurate rifle. Way ahead
of its time ( ha-ha) nobody ever told it, that it was a scout rifle.
I've had them all except the 6.5mag. Ever since Jeff Cooper
"Discovered" the scout rifle concept, everyone came out with them at premium prices. This was about the same time Gore
was inventing the Internet. The only reason I saw to discontinue
these rifles was to keep them from cutting into 700 sales.
Tex1001
Member
Does anyone know where there is a 223 magazine available? I can't find one at ANY price.
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I don't have Alzheimer's- My wife had me tested.
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I don't have Alzheimer's- My wife had me tested.
Haunt ebay, they pop up on occasion but you'll pay a premium price.
I bought my 788 in .223 Rem. around 1980 and it's still shooting sub MOA groups. It's been updated with a Timney trigger and a Boyd's thumbhole stock. I'll never sell this little tack driver.
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Blackshirt
Member
I had a 788 in .243 and .308. Back in the mid-seventies, these rifles frequently went on sale. I bought each of mine brand new for $120...and they threw in a Tasco 4x scope with each. Many a Texas whitetail were taken with these rifles. I sold both of mine when money was tight and the kids were young. The .308 went to my uncle, who still hunts with it. Great rifles...
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