Remington 788 .308

[doorman]

I inherited one of these in pretty bad shape. The bolt slides all the way out each time you pull it back. The safety does not function, it feels like it is gummed up and is sticky moving it. Trigger will not pull.

Any ideas? Would love to try and fix this at home but if it's too much for the average joe I will take it to a shop.

[klewan]

Get some Brake Clean, then pull the stock, separate the parts in accordance with your mechanical ability, hose everything with the BC. Then some Rem Oil on the metal. If anything is still sticky, more BC!

Isn't it obvious you have excessive lube that has dried and gummed up the works? No Frog Lube!

[doorman]

Get some Brake Clean, then pull the stock, separate the parts in accordance with your mechanical ability, hose everything with the BC. Then some Rem Oil on the metal. If anything is still sticky, more BC!

Isn't it obvious you have excessive lube that has dried and gummed up the works? No Frog Lube!

Not thinking of this has me questioning that mechanical ability.

Thanks. I will give it a shot and report back.

[Fjold]

The safety lever is probably hung up in the forward position.

Normally to remove the bolt, you check that the gun is unloaded, push and hold the safety lever forward, pull the trigger and pull the bolt out.

If the safety lever is stuck all the way forward and the trigger has been pulled the bolt will slide right out.

The trigger will not work if the safety is stuck in the forward position.

[ar15barrels]

I would pull the trigger off the receiver and give it a GOOD cleaning with brake cleaner, then lighter fluid.
Make sure everything is moving freely.

If that won't free it up, I have a stock 788 trigger here that I would sell for a fair price.
It works fine, but I pulled it off to install a Timney on my 788.

[doorman]

I would pull the trigger off the receiver and give it a GOOD cleaning with brake cleaner, then lighter fluid.
Make sure everything is moving freely.

If that won't free it up, I have a stock 788 trigger here that I would sell for a fair price.
It works fine, but I pulled it off to install a Timney on my 788.

As I was cleaning the sticky away from the safety lever, this fell out of the assembly. I believe it came out of the hole next to where I have it resting in the picture.


I was considering purchasing a Timney trigger to just replace it. Are you happy with it? Did it require much sanding on the stock to fit?

[spamsucker]

Timneys rock FWIW.

[klewan]

You weren't kidding when you said it was in bad shape; was it left out in the weather? Lots of staining/corrosion there....Do a web search on 788 triggers, maybe you can get an exploded drawing of all the bits and how to service it.

[CRTguns]

Thats what happens when maroons put oil in the trigger mech.

Clean it... then DONT OIL IT!

People have died form trigger malf due to failure to sear caused by congealed oil.

I wish mfgs would put caution labels on guns to this effect.

[doorman]

Just ordered the Timney trigger.

[kcstott]

Thats what happens when maroons put oil in the trigger mech.

Clean it... then DONT OIL IT!

People have died form trigger malf due to failure to sear caused by congealed oil.

I wish mfgs would put caution labels on guns to this effect.

Remington Walker patented trigger. Probably the single best trigger for a production gun ever designed, and probably they single most screwed with and screwup up due to lack of knowledge trigger ever.

The only lube a trigger and safety mechanism needs it a few drops of Renzol fluid followed by some high pressure air to blow out everything but a slight residue.

Reminds me of a machinist i knew once who decided to take apart his indicator and lube it. Ruined the action on it. I took it from him and clean it with alcohol and gave it back to him. told him if they wanted you to oil it they would have inclosed a bottle in the box with it.

[doorman]

Got the Timney trigger installed. Took quite a bit of shaving in the stock to get the safety to function.
Everything seems to be working perfectly now. Scope comes in Wednesday and then it will be time for a test run.