More Remington Model 788 questions

[Silverado04]

As you may have seen in my other trigger thread, I've got a few more questions on another note here about this Remington Model 788.

One, the barrel has a few screws. One in the front and two side by side closer to the receiver. Would these be for iron sights? If they are, and if i could hypothetically find compatible sights, how complicated is it to install them myself? Would I just need a sight alignment and adjustment tool?

Secondly, I found a take off barrel in .308 off of a 788 on the CGN EE for $100 shipped. Apparently it is unfired, and is a target barrel (not sure how this would differ from just a factory .308 barrel). Was taken off by a gunsmith to build a target rifle some years ago.

What all would be involved in getting it swapped out onto my .308 788? What kind of cost would it be from a smith? (I'm gonna send some e-mails to some smiths, but I thought I'd ask for a roundabout number)

It seems to be a relatively cheap way to get a brand new barrel on this rifle, considering the shape the current barrel might be in. Being a 788 take off, it should just be a screw out/screw in with headspacing right? Can't be that expensive? Thoughts?

Thanks for your input!

[Dick284]

Where to start.
Yes the sights if they are original will just screw on to the holes, the rub may be getting the plug screws out, as they often corrode into place, if plug screws weren't used the threads in the holes will need chasing, and yes Virginia gun screws are their own thread pitch.

As for the barrel swap, well first the smith, will need to use an action vise and a barrel wrench to remove the original barrel, then he may or may not, but if he's worth a darn will true the action, thus ensuring the inner dimensions of the receiver are perpendicular to the receiver face. Then he will ensure that any threads are of the correct pitch and size. He will have to headspace the new barrel onto the action, which will likely mean he would need to set back the shoulder a turn or so and thread that accordingly. Re assembly will be opposite of removal, then if the smith is inclined, which he should be will re crown the muzzle.

I'm sure I missed a step if two, but I think I've painted a fairly good picture for you.

[ACKLEY ABE]

Now you're gonna scare him, Dick.......

It will not be inexpensive, but a lot of fine target rifles have been built on 788's.

As Dicks says, theres a fair bit of work to do, if you do it correctly...and if you are going to spend that kind of money, do you want to use a takeoff or do you want to use a new custom bbl.

Does your current bbl shoot well...and what do you expect to gain with the new one? Does it justify swapping bbbls? Questions only you can answer.

The work that Dick is talking about amounts to several hundred dollars.

Would I do it. Yip. And in fact if you decide not to, let me know and I'll put it one of my 788's. If you do it...let us know how it works out..

btw...I just looked at your other post, your stk doesn't look too bad, but Boyds have some nice semi- finished stks for real reasonable prices. My sons first rifle (788 in 222) now sits in a pepper laminate thumbhole. Kinda dresses the old "plain Jane" up a bit.

[JustBen]

I wouldn't even bother thinking about a barrel swap until you see how yours shoots.

And if you are going to do a barrel swap, I'd consider putting a match grade barrel on it anyways. Depending on what you wanted to do with it, you could even think about changing caliber too. 260 Rem Ackley Improved would be a great caliber for deer, especially in a 788. Not so good if you don't reload, mind you.

[Silverado04]

Well this is just a sentimental rifle of my dad's. It will just be a bush hunting rifle, so in terms of squeezing every last drop of accuracy out it is not quite what I'm after. I'd like it to shoot well, but only to the limit of economic feasibility.

I have not shot it yet. My brother took it out last september to get it sighted in for hunting season, and he could not get it to group. I'm going to take it out with a few boxes and some handloads myself and put it through the rigor before I make any decisions, but that won't be for a couple weeks. I'm just thinking ahead in case it really is mucked up.

The fella with the barrel was leading me to believe I could get the barrel changed out for like $100, which is why it seemed so enticing. I wouldn't mind paying a little extra, but within limits.

I would just expect that a barrel swap to this unfired one should, in my untrained inexperience eye, bring it back to factory or nearly there accuracy just in a swap, which would be more than ample for now as a bush rifle.

Would be planning to try to bed it, and with the laminate options, that at least gives me two shots at it.

[Leeper]

The installation of a take-off barrel is simplicity itself unless you want it to index with the sights on top. In that case, a certain amount of set-back will most likely be necessary. A complete true-up of the receiver and bolt might be something one would want to do if he were building a match rifle but to do so for a simple barrel swap is an example of flushing money to no effect.
There were no factory match barrels on the 788's so the barrel in question is either an after-market barrel or someone is blowing some smoke.
788 sights frequently reside in junk boxes under various gunsmith's benches. Leeper

[ACKLEY ABE]

Originally Posted by Leeper

The installation of a take-off barrel is simplicity itself unless you want it to index with the sights on top. In that case, a certain amount of set-back will most likely be necessary. A complete true-up of the receiver and bolt might be something one would want to do if he were building a match rifle but to do so for a simple barrel swap is an example of flushing money to no effect.
There were no factory match barrels on the 788's so the barrel in question is either an after-market barrel or someone is blowing some smoke.
788 sights frequently reside in junk boxes under various gunsmith's benches. Leeper

The first cpl of years there was a somewhat "stouter" bbl, I believe, so that may be what he is referring to.

[JustBen]

When I first got my 788 in 243, it wouldn't group at all. After some careful work, I found it was a problem with the barrelled action and how it interacted with the stock. I threw a plastic ramline stock on it and it instantly became an honest 1.5 MOA gun. Floating the barrel and bedding the action would do the same thing.

Of course, this assumes the barrel isn't toast. A borescope could tell you a lot about the barrel.

[Silverado04]

Yeah, it seems that a barrel change, or at least a quality one, is out of my scope right now, so I suppose I'll have to let that idea die.

ACKLEY ABE, if you wanna PM me, I can give you the info for the fella that is selling that barrel on CGN and get you hooked up there.

I think within a more economic budget for improvement a bedding job will be in order. The current stock certainly requires it, the internal of the wood has shaved and it's not the tightest fit. I'm planning on refinishing the stock, but would getting this factory stock bedded and perhaps getting a new laminate bedded be a large difference in term of benefits?

The factory stock doesn't fit me that well, and it would need a recoil pad either way. The plastic cap is unsightly and I'm sure will sting after a couple boxes at the range. So while I would like to keep the factory stock, a new lam is certainly on the table.

I wish I knew someone nearby with a borescope.

And double gun sent me a link to a fella selling some 788 sights on CGN, so we'll see about that!

[nitro-express]

The rear sight is not too bad a unit, all metal except the plastic rail. The front sight works well enough, sized ok for the rear, but it is just a single piece of metal with no brass bead. It is held on with one screw only. I don't think these sights were used on any other rifle, unique to the 788. Front sight is not a real blue color, I suspect it is made from powdered metal. Rear sight is nice blue.

The 788 rifle was the only rear locking lug action that was ever so widely accepted. It really cut into the 700 sales and there may have been some lawyer issues so it was discontinued. It could be chambered in almost any caliber and action length seemed to be tailored to each caliber. It even worked for rimmed calibers like 30-30 and 44 Mag. The first generation had a straight comb stock, classic design, the following versions had a monte carlo stock and a higher price tag. In the mid 70's I bought 6 one day for 150 $ a piece, in Canada, and had all but one sold by the next morning. I kept a 22-250, painted the stock camo and never looked back. That gun would shoot. I could snipe jack rabbits to just past 200 yards and always through the chest with very little meat lost. After 200 my hold wasn't good enough to ensure hits. I used 52 grain Winchester HP bullets loaded with H414. I've owned a couple of 22-250s after that, and except for a heavy barreled Tika, none could outshoot it, and they cost more than 150 $.

Enjoy your 788.