[kc-max]

I have a Remington Model 788 Bolt action that has been stored for probably 15 years. Pulled from the safe and wiped down every few years.

Over the holidays, decided to do a deep cleaning, brush bores, check safety and trigger function and found that the 788 trigger/safety is locked up tight.

Bolt is in the cocked position, safety won't function and trigger is frozen. I can remove the bolt by manually pulling down on the bolt stop, pulled the safety assembly and it appears to be OK.

My question, should I take this to a gunsmith? I am barely a wannabe when it comes to gun repair. I have a copy of the owners manual, looks like several pins to drift out to disassemble.

Any thoughts, comments or advise would be welcome. Thanks

 

[goofy]

If you do not feel you can handle it the take it to a gunsmith.The fact that you are asking says to me you should take it to a gunsmith.
I checked to see if there is any disassemble instructions on the internet and only found a manual for it.So if you don't do this all the time(or at lest enough to know what is what)then I would not do it.
And if you do then video tape it(or take pictures of each step) so you can play it back when it comes time to reassemble.
REMEMBER if you bring it to a smith in parts it will cost you extra(I charge for it).
"A additional charge for home gunsmithing" is hanging in the shop.
Mike

 

[Zane71464]

As Mike is saying, if your not sure you can do it, take it to a Gunsmith.
I got one some years ago and had the same problem as the trigger and safety was locked up due to the "oil" had hardened up.

***MAKE SURE THERE ARE NO LIVE ROUND OF AMMO NEAR OR AROUND, or IN THE CHAMBER OF THE RIFLE or IN THE MAG***

If you have the bolt out and the magazine out, remove the front trigger guard screw and then loosen the fron barrel bolt up as well as the rear bolt that holds the bottom plate on.

After you take the screw and the two machined bolts out, the bottom plate will come off and the trigger guard it's self will snap out.

Lift the rifle barrel right out of the stock.
Now you have the barrel/receiver and the trigger all together and nothing can "fall" out.
***Note; The safety lever may have a plastic cap on it, it metal, but either way, it does snap off and has to be taken off before the stock and the barrel can be removed***

What I did was to take out a cleaning kit and with a nylon brush and take outters solvent and scrub the heck out of all of the parts that should move and "saturate" the trigger and gently but to do the job, give it a good scrubbing as well as the safety lever that comes down along side towards the trigger assembly.

As your doing this, things will "start" to free up and keep working them! You may have to spend some time doing this, but it all will free up and once it all does, re-apply a good oil/lubricant to all moving parts. I use BreakFree CLP.

Do this to the bolt assembly as well as I'm sure it is "nasty" as well.

 

[oldfartrr]

sounds like it is just gummed up from being stored for so long, some oils are great for that. have a 788 in 6mm and love it.. if it was mine would just saturate it with some KROIL and let it set for a bit,, then add a lil more and blow it out with a bit of air.. have used this proceedure on quite a few guns (long and handgun) when they have been closet queens for tooo long. normally works great and saves having to take it apart unless something is broken or lots of grit in it.. just a suggestion to try before you take it to a smith,, and possible save a bit of $$$ for some ammo take care

 

[kc-max]

Mine is a 6mm as well. Great rifle.

Got it apart, the old oil/lube whatever was really gummed up bad. Punched all the pins and got the trigger group all apart and cleaned.

Re assembled everything and all appears OK, except it won't fire. Not sure the sear is engaging the bolt so when I drop the bolt it just goes to fired position.

Time for a smith I think, I may have to pay the "you already tried to fix it" extra fee to get it working.

 

[goofy]

That's why I said to take a video or pictures so it went back together the same as it came apart
There are guns that I don't know very well (I don't work on all guns all the time)so I always take pictures to review when I reassemble the gun.And I do this every day.
Make sure you tell the smith what you did so it will make his job easier and cost you less.If you just drop the gun off and say "I don't know what is wrong with it it just dos'nt work" He will be looking for something wrong instead of just breaking it down and reassembling it correctly.
This is why I try not to give advice on how to do this. Springs can go back together different ways but there is only one right way.Without step by step instructions with pictures you can get confused and mess things up pretty easy.
Home gunsmithing makes up a big part of my work if it does not get put together exactly the way it is suppose to then it won't work and can be dangerous.
You would not take apart your automatic transmission on your car if you don't know what you are doing why do people take apart guns without knowing what they are doing.
Sorry for my rant and is for all to read and not directed just at you KC-Max
Mike