Bedding a 788 Remington

[elkaholic]

Hi guys....I picked up a 788 in 22-250 yesterday that has fired only two boxes of ammo and looks like it came off the shelf! I took it out and fired some 50 gr. V-Max thru it and it grouped about 3 1/2" at 100 yards. I took it back to the shop and checked everything and found the lug screw loose as a goose and the tang tightened until it squeeked! I readjusted them , went back and shot a 3/4" group. I plan on pillar bedding and glassing it along with floating the barrel. My question is, what is the best way to deal with the extended thread at the tang when bedding? Any other tips would be appreciated as well. I have bedded several 700's, but never a 788......thanks/Rich

 

[Kevin Cram]

I just pillar bedded a 788 a few weeks ago. I made the tang with the extended threaded portion sit down inside the pillar. I made the pillar 1/2" in diameter and then counterbored the end that the thread extension is on so the thread extension sits down into the counter bore but so that the action itself sits on the top of the pillar. Hope that makes sense.

 

[elkaholic]

I just pillar bedded a 788 a few weeks ago. I made the tang with the extended threaded portion sit down inside the pillar. I made the pillar 1/2" in diameter and then counterbored the end that the thread extension is on so the thread extension sits down into the counter bore but so that the action itself sits on the top of the pillar. Hope that makes sense.

Thanks Kevin. Actually that makes perfect sense and was considering something like that but wanted to hear it from someone rather than experiment.....Rich

 

[elkaholic]

I just pillar bedded a 788 a few weeks ago. I made the tang with the extended threaded portion sit down inside the pillar. I made the pillar 1/2" in diameter and then counterbored the end that the thread extension is on so the thread extension sits down into the counter bore but so that the action itself sits on the top of the pillar. Hope that makes sense.

Kevin.....Did you clearance a little around around the extension when you countersunk the pillar? Also, on the 788, are there any particular problems associated with
rebarreling this rifle from a gunsmith standpoint?.....Rich

 

[Kevin Cram]

Yes,

I left about .020" total clearance around the thread extension. I didn't have any portion of the extension touching the pillar. No problems re-barreling the 788. I've blueprinted them and the only thing I can't due is anything with the all the bolt lugs. As far as installing a new barrel, if you've done a Remington 700 before you won't have any trouble doing a 788.

 

[elkaholic]

Yes,

I left about .020" total clearance around the thread extension. I didn't have any portion of the extension touching the pillar. No problems re-barreling the 788. I've blueprinted them and the only thing I can't due is anything with the all the bolt lugs. As far as installing a new barrel, if you've done a Remington 700 before you won't have any trouble doing a 788.

Thanks Kevin! Would it be beneficial to put a little compound in the lugs and lap it a little? I'm not thinking so much as of now so I don't mess up my headspace, but if I rebarrel.......Rich

 

[Trickymissfit]

Thanks Kevin! Would it be beneficial to put a little compound in the lugs and lap it a little? I'm not thinking so much as of now so I don't mess up my headspace, but if I rebarrel.......Rich

a guy I used to shoot with at work built a .243AI with a 6mmAI reamer on a 788. He pillar bedded it in a similar fashion to the above. Did an extensive rebuild of the bolt complete witha set of bumps on the body. I maybe wrong but I think he built a new body right from the start to fit the bore much closer (I should have paid better attention) Tony found the barrel threads to be way out of square with the reciever body, and ended up with a barrel thread that was somewhere between .06 and .09" bigger in diameter. He lapped the lugs with noncharging lapping compound, and surprisingly they were fairly close to start with. The barrel he used was a take off .243 barrel that had a few rounds thru it when he got it. The gun shot very well when he finally got done with it
gary