bought a remington 788 have some questions

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Ian Johnson

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I put a remington 788 on layaway today at cabelas, I like 308 and have heard nothing but great things about these rifles. Im also getting into handloading and was wondering if anybody else out there loads for their 308 788, what bullets does it like? also Ive never seen one with a straight grip like this one, is that uncommon?

thanks
Ian
 
A straight grip model 788 would not be common at all.
It would be some sort of aftermarket or homemade stock somebody bolted on it.

It cannot be a factory stock as far as I know.
(Buyer Beware!)


As for handloads?

A .308 is a .308.
It should shoot any bullet weight you want to use between 110 grain and 200 grain at least.

You have to find your own load for your own rifle.
Nobody can tell you what it, or any other .308 is going to shoot best.

rc
 
rcmodel is right, the 788 was discontinued cause it was and is so accurate for the price, I buy every one I can find, my .308 shoots best with 165 grain, 150 does good too. try different loads especially if you handload, you are gonna be the one shooting that fine rifle.
 
788

I have two 788's; a .22-250 and a .30-30 and they are both accurate rifles. If you handload, probably ought to full length resize your cases as the bolt handles are somewhat susceptable to damace due to rough handling involved in extracting a stuck case.l
 
Got one in 22-250, heavy as all git out but shoots great , first centerfire I owned would not trade it for a new gun now. Still shoots just as good as it did when new,
 
I only have one 788. Bought new in 1978 in 308. I loaded some for it many years ago but found mine did not seem to care what was loaded as for bullet type or weight i used. loaded it was all was a very accurate rifle and to find one that is not a MOA rifle may have as much to do with the quality of an old barrel as much as the shooter. Even the stock trigger can be tuned well to 2lbs .

Besure that your lugs are smooth ,no bures and keep them lubed with someting like Pro-Gold . Box mags can be costly today and a bit more limited . They rattle a bit in the woods. A small piece of green wood can be wedged between the mag and bottom metal to make it quiet. Darn these old rifles even with there little issues are sooo loved.

My old rifle was even free floated new .

Seems hot loads can cause some lucking lug bending and then people bag on the bolt handel and ripe them off. Keep the lug lubed and pressures below max and it will be great.
 
The 308 is very easy to load for. I included a link to hodgdons website to refer to good loads.

http://hodgdon.com/

Every gun is different, but I've had VERY good luck with Varget powder and Hornady 150 and 165 Gr bullets. Somepowders gave good speed, but not accuracy, others good accuracy, but were slow. Varget is the winner in both categories of the powders I've tried.

Talk to enough reloaders and you will find a lot with similar results. Another powder well thought of is Alliants RL-15. I tried both RL-15 and Varget. I got the same accuracy with both, but just abou 25 fps more speed with Varget

Alliants website

http://www.alliantpowder.com/

I worked up to a max load with both powders with no problems in my rifles. Yours my be different, so start low and work up
 
The most accurate rifle I ever owned was a 788 in .222. Never should have sold it. It had a really awful trigger. I cut a few coils out of the trigger spring that really helped a lot.
 
I've got a 788 in .223, like TwoEyedJack said, the most accurate rifle I own! Too bad you sold it TEJ, you can get a Timney for it now for $129 ! I put one on mine about a year 1/2 ago, came set @ 32 oz's, now I can put 4 rounds into one ragged hole @ 100 yards! P-dogs don't stand a chance out to 450 yards.
 
Some shooters/reloaders have criticized the Model 788 for having rear locking lugs, which causes a bit more case stretching when fired. I think that is true but, when I was reloading cases fired from a Model 788 chambered for .243 that I once had, I didn't find the need to trim them any more than I did with more conventional (front locking lugs) bolt-action rifles (but then, I never "stretch" case life on any of my rifles much past five reloadings). Sure wish I had that Model 788 back-it was a real tack driver.
 
My .308 788 Carbine is an accurate rifle, and I used it for a while in NRA High Power Rifle matches.

As mentioned above, most people would like a better trigger.

The magazine retention is a bit weak in the heavier calibers, especially after a lot of use. My extended 5-rounders didn't help that much! Recoil combined with added leverage and momentum occasionally let the magazine move.

My rifle is good with most of the loads I tried, but my favorite loads for it involved 150-grain bullets and WW748.
 
I have always liked 788's. I bought my first one in .22-250, but traded it away after a year or two. I still kick myself for that!

Years later I started looking for nice used ones at gun shows. Right now I have four:

1. .44 Magnum w/walnut stock.
2. .30-30 (Unfired).
3. Left-hand .308.
4. Left-hand 6mm.

I looked for a 788 in .30-30 for several years. About fifteen or twenty years ago I walked into a motorcycle/gun shop in Fayetteville, Arkansas, and mentioned it to the owner. He said he thought he had one new in the box under a bunch of motorcycle parts over in the corner. I figured he was kidding, but I dug through some fenders and tanks and saw the familiar green box. I felt like I found the Holy Grail!

The box had water damage from the rain, but the gun was pristine. Needless to say I pulled out my checkbook and took my new acquisition home. I need to shoot it, but I keep talking myself out of it.

788's are sorta like cats. People either love them or hate them. I like 'em both!
 
Re: 788s and questions......

I will get in on this too. I love my 788 and it was my first deer rifle and it served well. I still have it. Its was topped with a Leupold 1.5x5 and I used 150 Federals all the time. Later on I reloaded and used 165 Hornady Interlocks. The deer couldnt tell. Accuracy is very very good.

Being a rear locker I did experience limited case life but who cares. And yes the headspace was within specs and I also adjusted my dies up a smidge but gave up on that. I want reliability and was not searching for max case life and benchrest accuracy. I have other things more important in life to be concerned about but it is accurate and pleasing.

Try Boyds for a stock as they make many beautiful drop in stocks that only require a minimum of fitting if you have the knowledge. Good luck and have fun. (Straight stocks were not original equipment on the 788).
 
I buy every 788 mag I see if the price is right. I also put one of those Allen ammo sleaves with the zipper pouch on all my 788's so I can always keep a mag handy and well kept with each gun.
They are very good guns but I doubt they are worth the premiums that I see on some lately.
 
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