Remington 788 .308 upgrade

Bob_VT

Moderator & Unofficial iBoats Historian
Staff member
Joined
May 19, 2001
Messages
26,019
Okay most know I have been recovering from multiple knee surgeries and I got bored.......

I have a Remington 788 .308 in my collection that was always an excellent shooter but I had a wish list for it.

I epoxy bedded the action
floated the barrel channel by removing wood
chemmically stripped the old finish (you really can not hurt an already ugly rifle)
sanded working my way to 600 grit
applied 2 coats the new stain
applied 18 individual coats of tru-oil and used 0000 steel wool between coats thus sealing and filling in all the wood pores (each coat dried 24 hours)
wet sanded with 1500
used 2F pumice followed by 4F Pumice
followed by Rotten-stone
and a light coat of wax

I am very happy with the appearance now I will hopefully re-sight it in this week.

I wish I took more photos.

Kind of created an album Remington pictures by Bob_VT - Photobucket <<< Click view as a slideshow

Allot of work but the ugly stock actually looks great and the action is now bedded.
 

86 century

Ensign
Joined
Sep 8, 2009
Messages
986
Re: Remington 788 .308 upgrade

That does look good

Big green didn't put much in the furniture on those.
Did you do the glass bed job yourself.
 

Bob_VT

Moderator & Unofficial iBoats Historian
Staff member
Joined
May 19, 2001
Messages
26,019
Re: Remington 788 .308 upgrade

Thank you.

I guess I am old school and I enjoy a wood stock.

Yes, I did the bedding job myself. I have done quite a few rifles with bedding. I have a Mauser I did 35 years ago that was bedded so well that the German proof marks are obvious in the bedding.

Now the amusing part........ having the internet capability now versus when I did my first stock as a teenager....... I have more knowledge and ability to shop for supplies. This was my first use of Pumice and Rotten-stone so ........ I found it fairly cheap on the internet actually half the price of most gun supply houses and purchased 1 pound of each............. the overall final finish consumed about 1 teaspoon of each material!!:facepalm:

My wife was picking on me for the amount of left-overs! I look at it as a challenge to do another stock.

I am going to take a few shots this week and see where it is at........... Hunting season starts next weekend.;)
 

BlkY2k

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Aug 20, 2010
Messages
583
Re: Remington 788 .308 upgrade

Very nice Bob, I`ve done a few over the years. Makes ya proud to carry the ole girl now, huh?
 

Bob_VT

Moderator & Unofficial iBoats Historian
Staff member
Joined
May 19, 2001
Messages
26,019
Re: Remington 788 .308 upgrade

Yes I was looking at it today and had a few compliments from friends....... now I have to get to shooting it again ;)
 

86 century

Ensign
Joined
Sep 8, 2009
Messages
986
Re: Remington 788 .308 upgrade

Your a brave man there is no way I would take one I had that much work in out in the woods.

Other than purely for the pride of a job well done on the appearance and the accuracy benefit of the beding why all the work for a hunting gun.
I always thought stainless rifle in a synthetic stock was the perfect hunting setup just for the durability.

I always went overboard on the looks of my bench rest rifles but they are not well suited to carrying around the woods.
 

dwco5051

Commander
Joined
Sep 14, 2008
Messages
2,326
Re: Remington 788 .308 upgrade

Looks great!

I have refinished all the rifles I use on a regular basis with an oil finish but not to the degree that you went to. I like it because if you get a scratch or ding all that is needed is to rub a little more oil over the damage.
 

Tim Frank

Vice Admiral
Joined
Jul 29, 2008
Messages
5,333
Re: Remington 788 .308 upgrade

What is the purpose of the bedding process?
 

southkogs

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Jul 7, 2010
Messages
14,783
Re: Remington 788 .308 upgrade

Nice looking work on the gun, Bob.
 

Bob_VT

Moderator & Unofficial iBoats Historian
Staff member
Joined
May 19, 2001
Messages
26,019
Re: Remington 788 .308 upgrade

What is the purpose of the bedding process?

Prevents any of the weather effects on the cation to the stock. It maintains a perfect (or close to it) surface so the consistency of the action to the stock remains the same. The barrel is full floated so there is no stock contact to the barrel. It eliminates most of the natural swelling and twisting of the stock and improves accuracy.

The more factors you can eliminate.....the better the "repeated" shot placement.

86 century I just hunt and target shoot. My days of stalking along the ground are long gone ;) I really don't worry. Now BR Rifles are just way too heavy to carry....... :) NEVER get a shot long enough around here for a BR rifle. between the woods and the terrain...... the longest shot is still less than 200 yards.
 

86 century

Ensign
Joined
Sep 8, 2009
Messages
986
Re: Remington 788 .308 upgrade

I got a good taste of carrying a 14# rifle around in the fields of South Dakota shooting prairie dogs.
After about the first mile we walked I was ready to abandon that heavy booger.

In Indiana we are limited on the what we can use pretty much a 500smith or smaller case with a minimum 35caliber.
There are case dimension limitations unless you use a hand gun then anything over .243 is ok.

A 100y shot is long here if for no other reason than there are so many white tail we can take 4 per year with out special permits.
 

aspeck

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
May 29, 2003
Messages
18,588
Re: Remington 788 .308 upgrade

Hey Bob, if you want to use up the leftover supplies, I have a few guns I could send you that need refinished! After all, if I can help a buddy out, that is great! Let me know when you want the help!
 

Bob_VT

Moderator & Unofficial iBoats Historian
Staff member
Joined
May 19, 2001
Messages
26,019
Re: Remington 788 .308 upgrade

Hey Bob, if you want to use up the leftover supplies, I have a few guns I could send you that need refinished! After all, if I can help a buddy out, that is great! Let me know when you want the help!

OMG I have enough left over 2F & 4F Pumice along with the Rotten-stone to polish probably another 100+ oil finished gunstocks!

I could not see spending $10-$15 for 8 ounce packages...... LOL now maybe I should shop for 55 gallon drums of oil!!
 

aspeck

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
May 29, 2003
Messages
18,588
Re: Remington 788 .308 upgrade

OMG I have enough left over 2F & 4F Pumice along with the Rotten-stone to polish probably another 100+ oil finished gunstocks!

Yep, that should just about do it ... :p
 
Top