Went to the Gun Show today.

[Ben]

I went to the gun show today in Birmingham.
It was a fairly nice show.
I've always wanted one of these, a Rem. 788, 30-30.
This one has a walnut stock and a pristine bore.
I'd rate the rifle at about 97%.
3 1/2 lb. clean , crisp trigger . I'm lucky on this one , a decent trigger is a rare find on a Rem. Mod. 788 .
I negotiated with the owner on the price for a few minutes.
I ended up getting the rifle for an even $500 ( out the door ) less the scope .
A lot of money, but these 788's ( in this condition ) are getting harder and harder to find ( and more and more expensive ) .
I have a bazillion .30 cal. moulds and a half ton of once fired 30-30 brass.

This should be fun.

Ben

I have mounted ( for right now ) a Sightron , 6 X 42 target scope with spider webs , an A/0 and an 1/8 minute dot reticle. Fine scope for target work on a bright sunny day. Totally worthless in the woods at 4 p.m. in the winter time.

 

[fiver]

don't be goin and hot rodding the thing.

the 466 will work just fine.

you know what kills me?
Remington could have kept everything about this rifle and worked over the extractor to a sako type and made it their Budget rifle and been out classing the competition while still making money on the deal.

 

[Ben]

don't be goin and hot rodding the thing.

the 466 will work just fine.

you know what kills me?
Remington could have kept everything about this rifle and worked over the extractor to a sako type and made it their Budget rifle and been out classing the competition while still making money on the deal.

Exactly !!!!!!!!!!!!

Ben

 

[Brother_Love]

Ben,
Very nice find! I have never felt like they were ugly rifles as others do. In fact I think they are quite handsome. Let us know how it shoots.
Malcolm

 

[Ben]

Thanks Malcolm !

I'm looking forward to some fine cast bullet shooting with this one.

Ben

 

[Ben]

Seems I was a little younger man when mine was made :

 

[Ian]

Nice find, Ben, I love the ol' trienta-trienta too, though I have yet to own a bolt-action version. Looks like empties are going to whack the windage cap, will that reticle still make sense if you roll the scope to the left 90°?

 

[Ben]

Ian,

Yes, it won't make any difference.
If empties strike the cap, I'll make the 90 degree move that you speak of.

Thanks,
Ben

 

[Ben]

People say if you drop a round into the barrel and close the bolt on a 788, 30-30 Win., you can break the extractor. If you feed ALL rounds from the mag. box, you'll most likely never have a problem with it.

May be a waste of $30, but a nice 788 Rifle with no extractor is useless to me at the range. Parts are getting harder and harder to find. So, a few min. ago I ordered a Rem. 788, 30-30 Win, factory original extractor. May never need it, but nice to know it is in grease , wrapped in wax paper in my parts box.

Thought that I better get it while I could................

Ben

 

[Brad]

Our guns shows around here are pretty poor. Not many deals to be had. Not much in the ways of components either. Might be why I don't bother any more.

Nice rifle Ben, that should be a really good shooter.

 

[Ben]

Thanks Brad,

Everything I read says it is a great .30 cal. cast bullet shooter. I hope so.

Ben

 

[4060MAY]

be careful with the bolt handle, it is silver soldered on
my friend broke his the first time at Ridgway, 1990, Tom Manno went home and brought the bolt from his and my friend was able to finish the match, caliber was 308w

 

[Ben]

4060MAY,

Yes, a good point.
The rounds MUST chamber easy while you're reloading at your bench PRIOR to your trip to the range.
If the rounds chamber smoothly, there isn't likely to be a problem.

Thanks for the reminder.

Ben

 

[JWFilips]

Ben,
I missed one similar to this at a NY gun show my buddy attended ( just before I got my Savage 340) I told him to look out for one and thru out a figure of $475 ( never thinking he would find one)
Well he did and it was almost mint and the guy wanted $500 with 6 X Weaver....He walked away because it was $25 more then I asked to spend!!!!

Good luck to you!

I have a Sportsman 78 which is it's replacement I have shot a few thousand Cast rounds through it "Single shot" never using the magazine! ( I like to seat my rounds out long!)
(I doubt remington changed the extractor system)
Jim

 

[Ben]

Yes, they did change the extractor system.
The Sportsman 78 and the Rem. 788 30-30 are not similar.

The rimmed 30-30 cartridge prevented Rem. from using their standard rimless 721, 722 , Mod. 700 extractor system.

 

[KHornet]

Should have bought one new when they were about 78.00.

Paul

 

[Ben]

I can remember walking into a local hardware store ( 1967 ) and seeing them for $89.95.

 

[Brother_Love]

Ben,
Don't know about you but $500 is easier for me to get today than $80 was in 1967.

Malcolm

 

[Ben]

Might as well be 80 Million back in those days.

It was 1955, ..........My dad was a barber and cut hair for .25 a head. I found a used Win. Mod. 67, .22 LR. The store wanted $8.50 for the rifle. A very nice , clean Win.

I asked my Dad if he would buy it for me, I remember my Dad saying, " Son, I don't have $8.50 ".

Ben

 

[JWFilips]

Ben,
With my Dad making the best pay he ever had in a year in 1965 @ $4000 ( after coming out of the mines....Scranton PA)
I can fully relate to that
Jim