Frontierfrank
New member
I love me some 788's. First new rifle I owned was a 788 .22-250 bought at the Base Exchange in Bedford, Mass on a 2nd looey's salary in '68 or '69. Shoots dime sized groups at 100 yd. Cost new $88 and change as I recall.
Bought another new 788 in PA after I got out of the military. It was 6mm Rem and not as accurate as the .22-250. 3/4" groups were fairly common; sub-MOA reliably. Cost new was $110. Decided to clean out all the copper fouling and groups at 100 yd opened to 1.25".
Bought a used 788 carbine in IN in the 90s. Caliber was .308 Win. and someone had tried to glass bed the action in the wood stock. They did a poor job. Put it in a drop-in plastic Ramline stock (remember them?) and got it shooting. It was picky. Nothing did very well (1.5"@100yd) until it got to 125gr. Handloads. Then it perked right up. If you kept the barrel cool, it came close to the .22-250's precision. Cost used: $250. Handy little thing.
Still have 'em all. Sadly, no .30-30s or 44 mags. Saw 'em at gun shows going for not too much, but laughed at the calibers. The greater fool, I.
The moral of this 788 tale is; If you have one that shoots, don't mess with it.
Bought another new 788 in PA after I got out of the military. It was 6mm Rem and not as accurate as the .22-250. 3/4" groups were fairly common; sub-MOA reliably. Cost new was $110. Decided to clean out all the copper fouling and groups at 100 yd opened to 1.25".
Bought a used 788 carbine in IN in the 90s. Caliber was .308 Win. and someone had tried to glass bed the action in the wood stock. They did a poor job. Put it in a drop-in plastic Ramline stock (remember them?) and got it shooting. It was picky. Nothing did very well (1.5"@100yd) until it got to 125gr. Handloads. Then it perked right up. If you kept the barrel cool, it came close to the .22-250's precision. Cost used: $250. Handy little thing.
Still have 'em all. Sadly, no .30-30s or 44 mags. Saw 'em at gun shows going for not too much, but laughed at the calibers. The greater fool, I.
The moral of this 788 tale is; If you have one that shoots, don't mess with it.