Remington Model 788
An inexpensive, accurate hunting rifle with a distinctive rear-lug bolt.
The Remington 788 is a bolt-action, centerfire rifle that Remington Arms built between 1967 and 1983. It was sold as a low-cost but accurate hunting rifle, meant to go up against cheaper models from other gun makers while the company also offered its pricier Model 700 line. A detachable single-column magazine holds three rounds for larger calibers and four for .222 Rem and .223 Rem. A .22 rimfire version was also made, called the 580, 581, or 582 depending on how it fed. The 540X, a target variant of that .22 series, served the U.S. military as a training rifle and later went to civilians through the Civilian Marksmanship Program.
**Design** The 788 has two standout features. First, its bolt uses nine lugs arranged in three rows of three, locking into the receiver behind the magazine well. This rear-lug setup means the bolt handle only lifts 60 degrees when opening, leaving more room for scopes than the 90-degree lift needed on the Model 700 and other two-lug rifles. Bolt travel is also shorter because of the rear lugs. The bolt shown here is a pre-1975 locking model from a .308 Winchester rifle; with this type, the safety must be in the "fire" or "off" position to rotate the handle and work the bolt. Rifles made from 1975 to 1983 have non-locking bolts that can be operated while the safety is on. Second, the receiver has a smaller ejection port than similar bolt-actions and no bolt lug raceways. The single-stack magazine design creates a smaller feed opening in the receiver’s bottom compared to double-stack rifles. Machining these smaller ports leaves more steel in the receiver between the ejection port and the adjacent feed port, and significantly more steel overall in the area where all receivers are weakest. These traits make the 788’s receiver stiffer and stronger than most competing designs, including the Remington 700, which has the same outside receiver diameter. Since a rifle’s accuracy tends to improve slightly as receiver rigidity increases (because it reduces barrel deflection during firing), the 788 has the structural basis to be a very accurate rifle.
**Variants** A left-handed version came in .308 and 6mm Remington. The Carbine, with an 18.5-inch barrel, was offered in .308 Winchester, 7mm-08, and .243. The stock was revised in 1980, the only major change over the production run.
Quick Facts
- Origin
- United States
- Is Ranged
- Yes
- Designer
- Wayne Leek
- Manufacturer
- Remington Arms
- Production Date
- 1967–1983
- Number
- 565,000
- Cartridge
- .222 Remington / .223 Remington / .22-250 Remington / .243 Winchester / 6mm Remington / 7mm-08 Remington / .308 Winchester / .30-30 Winchester / .44 Remington Magnum
- Action
- Bolt-action repeater
- Feed
- 3-rd, single-column box magazine
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The Remington 788 has two distinguishing design features. The first is its rear-lugged bolt, which has nine lugs in three rows of three that lock into the receiver behind the magazine well. This design allows the bolt handle to lift only 60 degrees on opening, providing more clearance for scopes compared to the 90-degree lift of the Model 700 and other two-lug rifles. Bolt travel is also reduced. Pre-1975 models have a locking bolt that requires the safety to be in the 'fire' or 'off' position to rotate the handle; rifles from 1975 to 1983 have non-locking bolts that can be actuated while the safety is engaged.
The second distinguishing feature is the receiver, which has a smaller ejection port than similar bolt-action rifles and no bolt lug raceways. The single-stack magazine design yields a smaller feed opening in the bottom of the receiver. When machining of these smaller ports is complete, more steel remains in the receiver between the ejection port and adjacent feed port, and significantly more steel overall where all receivers have the least strength. These characteristics made the Remington 788 receiver more rigid and stronger than most competing designs, including the Remington 700, which shares the same outside receiver diameter. A rifle's accuracy tends to increase slightly as receiver rigidity increases, as this reduces barrel deflection during firing.
Reader's Guide
The Remington 788's significance lies in its structural design, which provided a foundation for accuracy at a low price point. Its rear-lugged bolt and reinforced receiver made it more rigid than many contemporaries, including the Remington 700, despite sharing the same outside receiver diameter. This rigidity contributed to reduced barrel deflection during firing, enhancing accuracy potential. The rifle was produced for 13 years across multiple calibers and configurations, including a left-handed version and a carbine variant. A .22 rimfire model series (580, 581, 582) was also produced, and a target version of that series, the 540X, was used by the US military as a training rifle and later disposed through the Civilian Marksmanship Program. Additionally, the Military Armament Corporation (MAC) converted Model 788 rifles into the MAC Destroyer Carbine, a silenced weapon for special operations in Indochina, modified to fire 9×19mm Parabellum rounds and accept Walther P38 magazines.
Did You Know?
- Pre-1975 models have a locking bolt that requires the safety to be off to open; 1975–1983 models have a non-locking bolt.
- A .22 rimfire version was produced as the 580, 581, or 582, depending on feed method.
- The MAC Destroyer Carbine was a converted Model 788 firing 9×19mm Parabellum, fitted with a silencer and Tasco 4× scope.
More in Bolt-Action Rifles, Part 5 1-24
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