From: reb@amc.com (Bob Brunjes)
Newsgroups: rec.guns
Subject: Re: Remington 788's
Date: 3 Oct 92 13:21:58 GMT
Organization: Applied Microsystems, Redmond, WA

In article <1992Oct1.122646.25736@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu> bobd@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu (Bob DeBula) writes:
#In article <1992Sep30.153235.25727@u.washington.edu> toby@carson.u.washington.edu (Toby Bradshaw) writes:
##In article <1992Sep29.143916.17664@amc.com> reb@amc.com (Bob Brunjes) writes:
###After noting my 788, and exchanging winks, he told me that he normally
-----delete-----
##Well, I don't want to flame either Bob or the Rem 788, but a rifle that
##AVERAGE 0.25" is a rare bird in anything but an outright BR rifle.
##At the Kenmore rifle range near you, Bob, there are BR matches for
##factory, custom, and pure BR on the second Saturday of every month.
##0.25 MOA will win it all in ANY of the classes at 300 yards, and
##would win all but the unlimited class at 200 yards.  Why not come
##out and shoot with us?  For $6 you get concrete benches, target
##butts and targets at 100, 200, and 300 yards, and the chance to
##look over some interesting hardware.  I think I speak for everyone
##at the matches, we're always interested in accurate rifles and
##welcome new shooters.
##
That isn't really a flame, Toby, it's just sort of a pilot light (8))
but a point well taken.  I've always wanted to try my hand at bench-
resting, but never knew a starting point.  Let's discuss this email.
#
#It is a bad day at the range when my 788 .22-250 won't do at least
#as well as a few .5" 5 shot groups at 100 yards. I have seen the occasional
#.25" group, but it is fairly rare. Note that *I* probably can't
#shoot that well anymore, but the rifle can. My trigger was obviously

Oh, how this hurts!  Between blurring and weeping, I figure my eyes
have deteriorated to .5 MOA or worse.  Although I have been experimenting
with my computer glasses (~19" overall focus) in my pistol shooting, I
have not yet tried these with the scope.  Fortunately, I have a young
friend who shoots my rifles beautifully, but doesn't know a minute-of-
angle from an axe-handle.  Maybe the two of us can make it to Toby's
bench-rest matches.

#worked over by a previous owner to 1-2 lbs. (it makes me a bit nervous
#to have a "whisper" light trigger on a groundhog rifle actually).
#
#I also don't remember Bob B. claiming that he got or anyone else
#got .25 MOA groups with a 788 at 300 yards ;-).

True.  To be absolute factual, I should have said my 6mm has shot many
.25" (centers) groups at 100 yds.  I realize such a statement has no
value in bench-resters' terms, and I will always defer to the bench-
resters in matters of accuracy and the statistics thereof.
#
#And I'm not defending Bob B. just because his name is Bob either :-).
#
#I remember about 8 or 9 years back, I could've had used 788s in any
#caliber (including the rare .44 Mag. & .30-30) for around $125.

Rumor had it, in the 60s, that the .30-30 788 shot well under an inch
at 100 yards with factory ammunition, and this was the reason the 
gun was later produced in "more varminty" calibers.  Remington used
to run an ad to this effect, apologizing for the fact that the 788
shot more accurately than the 700, typically.  Certainly in photos
of bench-rest matches from the 70s you'd see some unlimited "rail-
guns" with the funny hollow bolt-handle and rounded striker shroud
of the 788.

#This was at a small out of the way Amish gun shop in a remote part of the
#state. I don't think I paid more than $125 for my .22-250 788 10 years
#ago. I stopped through the aforementioned shop this past year
#and such bargains now seem to be part of history, *sigh*. Used to see
#really weird stuff at that shop. One of the stranger things was an
#absolutely gorgeous 25-06 SAKO heavy barrel with some name like "Elmer"
#engraved in a childish scrawl with an electro engraver on the side of
#the receiver. Talk about things to make you ill....
#
#Oh, the other drawbacks of that shop included gas lighting (bad news on
#a warm summer evening) and the requirement of "cash only" (though 10%
#down would hold it for 30 days -- boy did I take advantage of
#that on occassion!). Strangely enough, a microfiche viewer was OK 
#(as was an electrically powered lathe). I never did figure out the
#exact rules. 
#-- 
#==========================================================================
#              Disclaimer: These are my views, not the U's
#
#        "If it's in the paper it must be true!" --- D. Doright 
#

Bob Brunjes		Applied Microsystems Corp
			Redmond, WA
			reb@amc.com