788 lug lapping

L

leadchucker

Guest
good day all:
i was messing around with my 788 in .222 rem and noticed that there was wear on only 2 of the lugs(force bearing side of the lug)on the bolt,shouldn't there be even wear on all 9 lugs.
will this condition affect accuracy, and what can i do to fix it.

thanks Z
 
My first question is how well does it shoot? My first idea is that as old as the rifle has got to be, even with a low intensity round like the .222, the bolt should be set back enough to have most if not all the lugs in contact. I have a .222 and a .223 and all of the lugs are in contact.
If it shoots well, I'd leave it alone. If it doesn't, I'd get some jeweler's rouge or JB paste and start lapping the lugs.
 
Jewelers

rouge and or JB's bore paste will not lap those lugs in unless you spend days working the bolt. Go to your auto parts and get the finest lapping compound they have. Maybe 480 or 600 and you might be able to lap the lugs in a couple hours or so. If it shoots good enough tho why go to the effort. It is a pain to lap lugs unless the barrel is off and you can fit a stub with a hole to let you use a spring to hold the bolt back. Then the clean up every little bit to check for contact. I doubt if you really need more than 3 or 4 lugs contacting anyway, Especially if there is one on each row. I had a Rem 788 rebarreled a few years ago by a benchrest gunsmith. He checked the amout of contact, decided it was ok. I would have to go check the amout. But I do know a decent barrel, a Douglas premium, properly fitted and chambered made a super .223 out of it. Max
 
"Jewelers rouge and or JB's bore paste will not lap those lugs in unless you spend days working the bolt. "

This is correct. If you lap the lugs, you will also be increasing headspace. Wait until it's time to replace the bbl, then have your gunsmith check it.
 
Yes lapping will increase headspace some.
That also depends on how much he has.
The duce runs at about 49,000 pds with normal loads.
I did mine along time ago . All 9 are hitting and it is worth doing.
But don't go half way on this. I would also set back the barrel re work the trigger or find a replacement , glass bed etc.
They will shoot just as well as a 700 with the proper set up.
They are very strong actions with those Nine lugs .
 
Many years ago when my stepson was graduating from high school his mom and I bought him a 788 in .308. I loaded some ammo for it, and at the onset of "pressure signs" - stiff bolt lift - I'd achieved published .300 Savage velocities. Those will certainly kill deer, but I was some dissatisfied. Then I bought a couple of boxes of factory ammo at a very good price, and they gave stiffer bolt lift than any of my handloads. Checking the locking lugs only one was making any contact at all.

I picked up some valve grinding paste, and with a fired case in the chamber went to work on lapping the lugs. Two or three fired cases later I had all nine lugs making contact. Loads developed after this were all developed more or less normal .308 velocities. Accuracy was good to excellent for an inexpensive factory hunting rifle too.

Headspace was likely increased, but if the FL die is properly adjusted it won't matter, and if someone doesn't reload it won't matter either.
 
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