A little history...I do understand how far you are into this project and figured I’d help talk you off the cliff. I’ll take the 788 off your hands. Then your free to get a 700 action
I just hate to see a 308 carbine size 788 go out of existence, since that’s what I looked for… and settled on the rifle length I found. Wanted the shorter one. Looked for a while.
Anyway- Hope whatever you do… you get to enjoy the time behind the trigger. We never get enough of that.
A little history...
Mine came home new from a gunshow in 1982 or 83 (IIRC) with a plain, no-grain, birch stock and a box of 180 gr. Winchester Silvertips for $112.00.
About 10 years later I changed the stock to a Ramline unit. (Remember those?) I kept the original stock around until about 10 years ago when I ran across it during a cleaning frenzy and tossed it because I didn't think I would ever use it again.
I have been itching to do a build based on this particular rifle for a number of years. Now that I am semi-retired and 66 years old, I felt it was now or never. So I pulled the trigger so to speak. Back when Timney just started making triggers for the 788, I went by the Timney shop in Glendale, AZ and bought a trigger and the Timney shop installed it for no charge. (I still have the original one.)
By the time I am done, I expect I will have $3,000 in this build by the time it is ready for the range. That includes a new Lilja barrel, new XX Claro Walnut stock, new 1-piece base, new rings and a new Swarovski 5-25x50 scope. I will keep the original barrel and the Ramline stock, too.
Odds are, custom anything, you won't get your money back, so why sweat it.
My project is also moving along...my manners stock arrived on Monday....it is freaking gorgeous for a synthetic stock, I cannot speak highly enough of those guys. I spent a good chunk of yesterday going back and forth between stock guys and barrel guys to ensure the profile is correct as the barrel is being profiled this week or next. Went with a 20" Bartlein 2B profile, fluted with a 1.4" shank (it's about a magnum sporter profile, fluting will shave a little weight). New estimates are for barrel work, cerakote etc. to be finished around mid-NOV. That will put the stock at 6 months and the barreled action at right about 10 months. So I still might make our 2022 late doe season.
I'm already thinking about my next one, which will have a Defiance ANTi action since I can't seem to find a used REM M7 cheap enough to make re-working worthwhile.
Please start a thread on this
Just as soon as it's all together!!
I don't sweat the money or I would not have done the project to begin with. With that said, I still want to get what I pay for. Therefore the messed up Boyds stock is on its way back to where it came from.Odds are, custom anything, you won't get your money back, so why sweat it.
Well, Skyler, it is more of a project born out of affection for the old 788. It's been a pal on many a hunt and many more trips to the range. In my old age I just felt it was time to give the old girl a face lift.Good on you, Poper for making the tough but correct call, and I do pray the forthcoming replacement stock is miles ahead of the matchstick original. I suppose many simply won’t be bothered on seeing mismatched sloppy work, which speaks to how much you have committed to your endeavor.
Did brass flow into the ejector hole in the face of the bolt? The only time I have seen the need of a mallet/hammer to open a bolt was when the pressure got high enough to make the casehead brass flow into the ejector's hole on a Remington 700 action. It left a very bright, shiny circle where the brass was shaved off when the bolt turned.I had to hammer the 788 bolt open.
UPDATE:
The stock went back to Boyds and an unfinished replacement is expected in 3-4 weeks.
Gunsmith came down with COVID last week. And so did I and my wife of 34 years. She is not doing so well, but I appear to be bouncing back ok. Just fatigue, no sense of taste (as opposed to just no taste) and headache.
I intend to get back to prepping brass as my energy level allows.
It will all work out, I am sure. It always does.I’m sorry to hear about your series of misfortune events I hope and pray all goes well for you and your wife! Enjoy the brass prep
If im remembering correctly brass flow in "good" brass is indicative of pressures approaching 70k+.....ive seen it in some lots of soft brass at relatively low pressure tho.Did brass flow into the ejector hole in the face of the bolt? The only time I have seen the need of a mallet/hammer to open a bolt was when the pressure got high enough to make the casehead brass flow into the ejector's hole on a Remington 700 action. It left a very bright, shiny circle where the brass was shaved off when the bolt turned.
Those old Ramline stocks were made of fiberglass,and they were ugly and had some of the worst ergonomics I've ever seen.I have a Model 7 that I put in one of them way back in the late 80's.About 5 years ago I decided to do a makeover on that rifle and put a new barrel on it and redesigned the stock.I started removing material from it with a sawzall and a 4 inch side grinder.Once all the fat was trimmed off,I started back with some fiberglass body filler and a lot of sanding and shaping.When the dust settled,I had a stock that was a pound and a half lighter with McMillan style stippling,a palm swell and pillar bedding and is well balanced and fits me better than any other stock I have.I'll take any of those old things I can find.They were pretty bad,but can be made into a thing of functional beauty.A little history...
Mine came home new from a gunshow in 1982 or 83 (IIRC) with a plain, no-grain, birch stock and a box of 180 gr. Winchester Silvertips for $112.00.
About 10 years later I changed the stock to a Ramline unit. (Remember those?) I kept the original stock around until about 10 years ago when I ran across it during a cleaning frenzy and tossed it because I didn't think I would ever use it again.
I have been itching to do a build based on this particular rifle for a number of years. Now that I am semi-retired and 66 years old, I felt it was now or never. So I pulled the trigger so to speak. Back when Timney just started making triggers for the 788, I went by the Timney shop in Glendale, AZ and bought a trigger and the Timney shop installed it for no charge. (I still have the original one.)
By the time I am done, I expect I will have $3,000 in this build by the time it is ready for the range. That includes a new Lilja barrel, new XX Claro Walnut stock, new 1-piece base, new rings and a new Swarovski 5-25x50 scope. I will keep the original barrel and the Ramline stock, too.