Remington 788 .223 - cheap shouldn't be this good!

[radford56]

”I talked my wife into letting me buy it as a gift to myself” How sad... (guess that is why I am no longer married!)

While that might sound a little sad, believe me it really isn't. She's awesome, in fact she bought me an Accuracy International AT rifle as a Christmas gift this December....and threw in a Vortex Razor scope to top it off.

Maybe you should have stayed married!

 

[NZ_Fclass]

Turned into Palma rifles in this Part of the world, Often the action would be sleeved.

 

[polebilly]

If by chance you have a 788 that does not shoot well, I've found they respond well to some serious torque applied to the action screws. Turn them till you think they can't take it and the groups shrink.

 

[Tommie]

If by chance you have a 788 that does not shoot well, I've found they respond well to some serious torque applied to the action screws. Turn them till you think they can't take it and the groups shrink.

The day I find a 788 that doesn’t shoot well...I’m buying a lottery ticket.

 

[Alguapo]

I saw a Remington 788 .223 at Cabelas in Farmington Utah today. I had a 788 .243 purchased brand new back in 1969 for $169.00. The one at Cabelas they wanted $599.00. Ouch. And yes that .243 was incredibly accurate.

 

[Pyscodog]

I have had several 788's through the years. All different calibers except the Holy Grail 44 Mag. Now I have one in 222. I put it in a Boyd's Maple stock, got the factory trigger down to 1 1/2-2lbs. and bed the action. It shoots way better than most would think it should. I don't seem to shoot it much these days but its a tack driver when I do take it out and very pleasing to look at as well.

 

[EOD Rob]

I found a NIB .223 Remington 788 in a hardware/gun store in Pensacola, FL in the early 1990s - can't remember the exact year. Just so happened it was really close to my birthday and I talked my wife into letting me buy it as a gift to myself. I shot it a little, but for some reason it ended up in the back of the safe for quite a few years.

I'm currently making an effort to go through the safe and put some of the safe queens back in circulation - or put them up for sale. On a whim I pulled the 788 out, mounted an old Weaver 16x (kind of the correct vintage optic for this rifle) and took it to the range last week. I primarily load .223 with heavy bullets for fast twist AR-15s, so I had to look around for something suitable for the 788's twist rate. I finally found a box of Winchester factory 45 grain .223 ammunition that I bought and stuck on the shelf so I decided to use these to check out the 788.

After checking the zero at 25 yards, I moved to the 100 yard range and decided to shoot the 10 rounds that I had left into one group. I could tell it was going pretty good through the scope, but when I pulled the target, I was surprised to see that the 10 shot group measured right at .8 inches center to center! Maybe just luck, but I don't really think so. And I have to tell you, the trigger on this rifle is so bad that while I was shooting, I kept checking to make sure I hadn't inadvertently engaged the safety.

I guess this one is a keeper, but I have to do something about that trigger. I know these rifles had a reputation for being more accurate than they should be based on their price, but do they routinely shoot this well?

This must be a Pensacola area thing radford! 12 yrs ago when I was going through EOD school at Eglin AF Base near Pensacola, I walk into the base Exchange and found a Howa 1500 in 308. This was when they first really started to show up on the market. Was not looking for a tack driver, more of a beat around truck gun. Something i would not worry about getting scratched up. Price was cheap ($400 range) so I bought it.
Went to the range with a box of Fed Gold Medal Match 168gr just to see what she could do. WOW, ended the day with 2 5shot groups at .75" with factory ammo.
Went home and started loading for her and got her clear down to .311" groups. She is now my go to gun if I have to make a shot on the farm!!! She does not miss much, even at distance.

 

[Ggmac]

I found a NIB .223 Remington 788 in a hardware/gun store in Pensacola, FL in the early 1990s - can't remember the exact year. Just so happened it was really close to my birthday and I talked my wife into letting me buy it as a gift to myself. I shot it a little, but for some reason it ended up in the back of the safe for quite a few years.

I'm currently making an effort to go through the safe and put some of the safe queens back in circulation - or put them up for sale. On a whim I pulled the 788 out, mounted an old Weaver 16x (kind of the correct vintage optic for this rifle) and took it to the range last week. I primarily load .223 with heavy bullets for fast twist AR-15s, so I had to look around for something suitable for the 788's twist rate. I finally found a box of Winchester factory 45 grain .223 ammunition that I bought and stuck on the shelf so I decided to use these to check out the 788.

After checking the zero at 25 yards, I moved to the 100 yard range and decided to shoot the 10 rounds that I had left into one group. I could tell it was going pretty good through the scope, but when I pulled the target, I was surprised to see that the 10 shot group measured right at .8 inches center to center! Maybe just luck, but I don't really think so. And I have to tell you, the trigger on this rifle is so bad that while I was shooting, I kept checking to make sure I hadn't inadvertently engaged the safety.

I guess this one is a keeper, but I have to do something about that trigger. I know these rifles had a reputation for being more accurate than they should be based on their price, but do they routinely shoot this well?

I had a few 700 223 varmit rifles that i sold once i shot my 788 223 . Reworked the trigger and still have it , plus many more 788s .

 

[radford56]

I had a few 700 223 varmit rifles that i sold once i shot my 788 223 . Reworked the trigger and still have it , plus many more 788s .

I only have the one, but I keep hoping I'll stumble across one in 30-30 in good shape. I might have to take that one home with me if it's reasonably priced.

 

[Tommie]

I only have the one, but I keep hoping I'll stumble across one in 30-30 in good shape. I might have to take that one home with me if it's reasonably priced.

I’ve owned two 30-30 788’s. They slam the door shut on the “30-30’s are inaccurate” theory.

 

[mac86951]

Well, I'll say it then. 30-30s are inaccurate! Does this mean I'll come across a 788? My 222 is a great indicator.

 

[Howland]

My 788 in .22-250Rem is the most accurate rifle I've ever shot. I picked it up at a gun show for $225. I probably way overpaid back then, but it would take a lot more than that to convince me to let it go. More than anyone would pay based on it's appearance. It's showing its wear and carries the vintage C-10 fixed 10x that was mounted on it when I bought it. It has sounded the death knell of many woodchucks.

 

[VaRandy]

Cooper 21 in Mach IV shoots 25 grain pills at 3560. It is my only carry rifle, Zeiss Daivari 10 power allows me to get everything it can give out of it.

 

[VaRandy]

.260 Ackley with Bat Tactical Action, McMillian A5 with Brux 30 inch MTM contour, Recoil Eliminator Brake, Nightforce Rings and Nightforce ATACR 5.5.x 25 Tremore-3 reticle/mils shooting 140 Bergers at 2950.

 

[Tommie]

Cooper 21 in Mach IV shoots 25 grain pills at 3560. It is my only carry rifle, Zeiss Daivari 10 power allows me to get everything it can give out of it.

.260 Ackley with Bat Tactical Action, McMillian A5 with Brux 30 inch MTM contour, Recoil Eliminator Brake, Nightforce Rings and Nightforce ATACR 5.5.x 25 Tremore-3 reticle/mils shooting 140 Bergers at 2950.

I know there’s some 788 reference here. Just gotta be.

 

[snert]

I know there’s some 788 reference here. Just gotta be.

Yes, the 788 was a prototype, sorta...