Remington 788 in .222 Rem. Mag

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Agsalaska

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A recently acquired a Remington 788 in 222 Rem Mag. I actually do not have my hands on it yet. I was in another city on business and had no way to get it back on the plane. So I put it in layaway at the Pawn Shop and am headed back to pick it up. I did get some feedback from bluekouki86 that ammo is going to be very hard to find. But I absolutely lucked out and found an LGS buddy who had some NOS boxes of Remington from the mid nineties in a storage shed(he was back there digging out all of the ammo he could find).

I am pretty sure I know about the performance. Ive been told it is just hotter than a .223 and I need to learn how to re-load. I would imagine the coyotes will not be able to tell me the difference between the two. ;)

I really want information on the gun. Does anyone have any idea when they were produced in that caliber by Remington. I cannot for the life of me find any evidence that Remington even made the 788 in .222 mag. But I am 99.9%cerrtain it is the original barrel.

Feedback is appreciated. Thanks
 
I don't see where it was chambered in .222 Mag either. Someone could have rechamberd a .222 and added mag to the script. Another thought is a run may have been made in the Mag, then dropped for the newer .223. This is JMHO so don't think you have a one of a kind but things like that do pop up. You might want to contact Remington in Ilion, NY and ask if they have any history. Got a pic? I would think yours would be the 24" barrel in the monte carlo stock. If it has the original open sights that would help verify a factory barrel. They all came with the same open sights and I don't see someone reinstalling them on a new barel.
 
Ive been told it is just hotter than a .223 and I need to learn how to re-load.
Click to expand...
It has 5% more case capacity but factory ammo is loaded to lower pressures than .223. If you handload, you can beat the .223 if you are confident the rifle can take .223 pressures.

I have owned a .222 Mag for many years and I love it, but it is a niche caliber these days. The .223 killed it off. :)
 
I will post pics when I get my hands on it. I have a couple of months to get it and at looks like it may be that long before I get there. When I get it I will either dig this post out or start a new one.
 
Let me know if you need a die set for that 222mag. I got one a while back as part of an auction lot of reloading equipment, and I don't reload that cartridge. I think it's an RCBS set, but I'd have to look to be sure.
 
cases are availible,i own and shoot a 6x47,that is a 222 rem mag case necked up to 6mm. graf&son has cases about 50.00 per 100. eastbank.
 
Re-chambered .222 or .223 or mayby 22-250? Mayby even a re-barreled rifle?

I searched all over for some reference to a .222 Magnum in the 788 and came up with nothing.

Will be interesting to find out just what the story is on that rifle.
 
Have a smith slug the chamber to besure of what you have and that it was done correctly!! A quick search does show some ammo out there and brass so buy some to shoot and learn to reload for it. More than likely it was rechambered really on or it would have been a 223.
 
Nothing wrong with .222 Mag, but there's also nothing it will do that the .223 won't, which is why it's obsolete.

If you handload, you can eek another 100 FPS out of it. Factory ammo is going to be virtually identical to .223, except for cost.

If you intend to handload, a few hundred cases will last a lifetime. If you don't, I'd seriously consider having the chamber shortened for .223, as commercial .222 mag will quickly gobble up your $$$ (when you can actually find it).
 
222 mag

I never knew of the 788 being chambered for the 222 mag, I have a 223 and a 6mm that I have accounted for dozens of coyotes over the years.....also have a Lee Jurras custom made barrel for the TC contender chambered for the 222 mag, it is amazingly accurate for a 10 " bl, although the muzzle blast is FEROCIOUS......I have collected quite a few coyotes with that rig also, and here in Indiana the coyotes grow big.....and you are correct, that 222 mag hammers them as effectively as the 223. Good luck with your 788.
 
So I finally got it today. Not to anyones surprise but it is not a Remington barrel. I feel like an amateur but, in my defense, I had about 90 seconds to see it, handle it, and put it in layaway. It being a Remington I did not know at the time that the 788 was never produced in 222 rem mag.

So here I am owning the gun. I am not certain that it is actually a mag. I cannot tell that any modifications were done on the gun. So a couple of questions.

1. THe Mag is a 222 rem. Could that mag feed 222 rem mag or would the mag fail.
2. Am I right to assume a 222 rem mag barrel would work on a 222 rem.


Dont worry. I am NOT about to shoot it or even sell it without taking it to a gunsmith.
 
You got yourself a dandy rifle and caliber combination. I had the opportuntiy to purchase one NIB in about 1987. I should have. :confused:

Geno
 
How about some pictures of the gun and markings?

PM if you need help posting pics.
 
The 222MAG is significantly longer than the standard .222 (about 0.2 inches longer to the shoulder), but only slightly longer than a .223 (about 0.03 longer to the shoulder). I would imagine that if you can close the bolt on an empty .223 case, it would confirm that you do not have a .222. (Bear in mind that that's all it would reliably tell you.)

.222 and 222MAG cases may be hard to come by, but surely you can scrounge up an empty .223 case for a quick check...

Also, regarding the magazine... the same would apply. If there's still a bit of room left when an assembled .223 round is inserted, the magazine should work for the 222MAG (SAAMI COAL difference is only 0.02 inches between .223 and 222MAG). Or, you could just use a caliper to measure it. SAAMI COAL for the 222MAG is 2.280".
 
.223 & .222 Mag.I should have drug out a .222 for the pic as well, but as posted, they are significantly shorter than .222 Mag.

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Not exactly germane to the topic but I spotted A Model 788, chambered in .243 Winchester @ the lgs in very nice condition for $300.00. I put my wallet back in my pocket after I noticed it was a left-handed bolt-action. :(
 
"...chambered in .243 Winchester..." Remington says no LH .243's. 6mm Rem and .308 in LH though. Geez, we're responding to a 4 month old post.
 
Great find ! That old rifle will serve you well, the old .223 I have is a true shooter. Its a very, very accurate rifle, handloads will serve you well, mine likes Hornady 52 and 53 gr. bullets. Congratulations. Also, if the trigger is a little stiff, or rough, Midway has Timney replacement triggers, $129.00.
 
I love model 788s, I am lucky enough to own some nice firearms, but my 35 year old 788 in .308 is one of my go to rifles when I go to the deer lease. wish I could find one in 7mm-08 and .22-250....would be nice.
 
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