The Remington 788 was produced as an economy rifle to give Remington a rifle to compete with the more inexpensive rifles that other gun manufacturers were producing. As it turns out, what was intended to be a rifle for working people has become a rifle that has a following. No one would have thought that the 788 would be desired as a great shooting rifle when they were introduced. The 788, while being usually a good and dependable shooter, does have a couple of potential issues. The factory trigger is not adjustable and the trigger mounting stud is somewhat prone to breaking off of the receiver. Timney makes an aftermarket adjustable trigger for the 788, but if the mounting stud breaks off while driving out the mounting pin, the process of changing triggers just became a big problem. There are some reports of corrosion between the mounting stud and the receiver occurring as well. Whether from corrosion or too much force used to drive out the mounting pin, breaking the stud off of the receiver turns the rifle into a boat anchor. In this article, we will show how to repair this problem.
The first step that we performed was to make a new stud from round stock. The round stock was turned down on one end to the correct diameter for threading and the threads were cut with a die. The threaded part of the stud was cut off longer than needed so it could be shortened to fit once installed in the receiver. Drilling the hole for the pin hole and milling the sides of the stud flat to fit the trigger was done after the stud was installed in the receiver.
After making the new trigger mounting stud, the receiver must be drilled and tapped for the stud. Getting the measurements for this hole is somewhat tedious, as the hole must be centered perfectly and in the correct spot fore and aft. This seems easy enough at first glance, but there is no room for error and do-overs aren’t really an option. Once the measuring is done and marked, the receiver must be squared up with the machine so that the hole will be drilled straight. Drilling the hole is the easy part. After the hole is drilled, a tap was used to cut threads. The receiver is hardened, so tapping the threads must be done carefully using plenty of cutting oil. breaking a tap off in the hole would be a disaster. After the hole is threaded, the stud can be threaded in and shortened to fit.
Once the stud is screwed into the receiver the sides can be milled flat to fit the trigger housing. The hole must be measured marked and drilled for the mounting pin. Again, getting the hole marked amd drilled in the right place is the hard part.
The picture above shows the Timney Trigger installed on the 788. If the hole for the stud in the receiver and the hole for the mounting pin in the stud have been drilled in the right place, the trigger will fit and work. If either hole is off even a little bit the bolt stop will hang up and keep the bolt from going in the receiver. This is not a project for anyone without the proper tools and the ability to measure and drill holes with precision. It is possible, however, to repair a 788 in this way and get them shooting again.
For repairs on Remington 788 as well as most other firearms, talk to Craig at Craig’s Outdoor sports.
Craig’s outdoor sports cannot be responsible for how the information in this article is used or mis-used. Firearms repair should only be done by those who have the proper training and tools. Improper repair can result in an unsafe firearm causing injury or death.