Thread: Rem 788 advice

Hi team.

I’m looking to pick the brains of those in the know.

I have a rem 788 .308 that I am wanting to make a new stock for.

What I am wanting to do is convert it to blind mag and top feed it if I can. Is that possible/practicable? Would really like to do away with the mag completely if I can.

Would it be possible to say use a rem 700 internal mag and build that into the stock?

The current stock is mint, and I would like to put it aside and keep it that way.

Cheers team

Hey mate, i have a 788 too in 22 250AI. the problem is they are single feed (the magazine presents the round in the sample place every time) whereas most top load rifles are double feed (the round gets presented alternating sides for feeding) so i dont think it will feed without some modification to the feed ramp, but also i dont think the action has enough space inside for a double stack magazine unless you mill it out. but at all that cost you might just as well buy a rem 700.

FYI, i measured mine up and it looks as if a Howa mini magazine and bottom metal might work on mine (with some modification) as the 22 250 as about same length as a 6.5 Grendel if I stick to light bullets. the aftermarket howa magazines (legacy sports) are single feed even though the internals are double feed. so maybe you can get a legacy sports howa 308 magazine and bottom metal (plastic) to work but then you will still have a detachable mag and not internal

What he said

You can't top feed a single stack mag

I've owned 2 of these
Doubt it would work

Yep I understand about top feeding the mag not working. My intent was to get rid of the mag and bottom metal completely and use a different internal mag/feed ramp/spring etc.
as I am building my own stock it’s not an issue to inlet more space inside to fit the double stack mag. Or is there not enough room in the action itself for the alternating stack to work?

The rear locking system on the 788 presents some safety considerations if you wished to fit a double stack mag and top loading. Such modification would mean substantial modification of the bottom of the receiver to accept the wider feed lips, and similar substantial metal removal at the top of the receiver to allow room for loading. As it is the thick receiver walls that provide the action strength between the chamber and the rear locking recesses, any removal of metal between those points will affect the strength of the action. I know the 788 mags are a pain but you should stick with them, and possibly consider a replacement stock from Boyds.

Originally Posted by gundoc

The rear locking system on the 788 presents some safety considerations if you wished to fit a double stack mag and top loading. Such modification would mean substantial modification of the bottom of the receiver to accept the wider feed lips, and similar substantial metal removal at the top of the receiver to allow room for loading. As it is the thick receiver walls that provide the action strength between the chamber and the rear locking recesses, any removal of metal between those points will affect the strength of the action. I know the 788 mags are a pain but you should stick with them, and possibly consider a replacement stock from Boyds.

Thanks mate. That’s not what I want to hear, but I can now put that firmly in the ‘wishful thinking’ pile

Cheers guys

As always I'd defer to a professional like Gundoc . . .. but I wonder if you could adapt a Savage blind magazine assembly - some of these were (and still are) "centre feed" so single stack, but they double stack below the feed lips. Maybe.just maybe you could adapt one without having to alter the action. You'd still have the issue of loading the magazine through a fairly small action port - not a project for the faint hearted, and a rifle that wont feed reliably is a very sad and frustrating walking stick!

Theoretically possible, impractical in practice.

Just for interest of anyone reading this thread in future, if you have enough skill to make a stock, you could probably make a small jig to hold an unmatching mag below the action and see if you can successfully get rounds from mag to chamber. It would be the best way to prototype that section of the stock without wasting too many stock blanks along the way.