talk about your all-time bone headed moves.....

[kstone1020]

This deer season I was at the top of my game, got myself a nice broad 8pt. Good spread, healthy 7" main tine, and he was young. Now heres the bone headed play of that particular day.... After bag and tag of my white tail I began to drag him back to my camp, when I got there, the entire bolt to my Rem. 788 .243cal. was MIA, I retraced every step I took, twice and never found the bolt, figured i could just buy a new one and start over. After an entire month of talking to different retailers, and learning that the 788 was discontinued. I still havent found the fickle creature that is a suitable donor bolt for my 788. can anyone help me out?? The bolt assembly its self would be ideal, even finding a caliber that would fit a .243 would work. I would like to not have to purchase an entire donor rifle just for the bolt. Thanks again from the worlds dumbest guy.

[avery53]

If you can retrace your tracks, borrow or rent a metal detector.
Over the years, I have found about everything that can be lost for people.
Even found a guys wedding ring in a gut pile.

avery

[remington600]

You really need to find the original. If you found a replacement then you will have to make sure the headspace is correct.

[The Gamemaster]

I was using my dad's Model 721 / 30-06 one year in doe season and lost a empty shell.
Wanted to see how far the rifle ejected the empties and didn't have a empty shell out of that rifle.
Found a empty of my uncles and shoved it into the chamber and it got stuck and I tried to force the bolt to remove it or chamber and broke the extractor clip.

I ended up buying a used model 700 bolt and having it machined for the 721.
I think dad gave the guy $60 for the bolt.

Bolts don't just fall out of rifles - you had to do something to loose it.

If it was me, and hindsight is 20/20 - I would just sell the rifle and buy another one and forget about finding a used bolt for a obsolete rifle like yours.
The cost of the replacement bolt might be more then what the rifle is worth!

[30REM14]

I say rent a metal detector, old rifles are good. My father lost his knife on opening day last year. I found it 2 weeks later under some leaves in our ground blind. Knife wasn't worth much but it was his knife for at least 60 years, and we were very happy to find it. Your search might not be as easy, hence the metal detector, but you will be one happy guy when you find your bolt.

[40x513t]

Bolt stop on a 788 is the safety lever - push it forward and the bolt comes out- same on 540/80 series-that explains why they suffer "lost bolt syndrome" more than others- I have couple of each and I love them , but you have to watch this quirk.

[John Gyde]

OK, here's one of my best Darwin moves. I was elk hunting in Montana. It was COLD!. I returned to camp and unloaded my rifle with my hands shaking after removing my mitts. One of the rounds bounced off a log and ended up in the campfire. I tried briefly to push it out of the fire with a hot dog fork, but soon figured out that it might be a wiser move to get back a few feet. When the round went off, it was more of a thud than a bang, but still was the basis for camp conversation for a few days...Duh....

[Masterblaster77568]

I guess my "mini" boneheaded move was to forget how to remove the bold from my model 700 243 so I can clean it. Anybody wanna give me a clue after you get through rolling on the floor laughing?

[40x513t]

There is a small tab inside of the trigger guard in front of the trigger - that is the bolt stop - push it up and the bolt should come out.

[Masterblaster77568]

Thank you Sir!

I feel pretty Stupid right about now. I thought that was what I should do and I did try it but I couldn't push it up, so I guess I've been alive too long and my fingers have gotten weaker than I thought they were.

Oh well, I guess it's about time to quit being so sedentary.

Thanks Again!!!

[40x513t]

here is a 788 bolt on Ebay now= $267. .... Wow!!

[kcoop9999]

sold a near mint model 14 in .35 Rem for $150.00 so i could have cash for MX race entry fee and gass. Stupidest move was trading off an 1893 Mauser in 7.65. Normally nothing special but realized later it was the one I wanted to keep, Built by Hopkins & Allen for Belgian army, Less than common and worth much more than what ever it was I traded for and I'm not sure I even remember that was !!!!!

[demon]

i hear your pain with your 243 i got shell stuck in 22-250 and broke my 788 bolt handle

[Yellowhouse]

Find a trash magnet like contractors and roofers use. You should be able to cover a lot of ground. A metal detector with a big coil would work too. You're better off finding that bolt. Even if rusted electrolysis can work wonders.

[marlinman93]

Find a trash magnet like contractors and roofers use. You should be able to cover a lot of ground. A metal detector with a big coil would work too. You're better off finding that bolt. Even if rusted electrolysis can work wonders.

Wonder if he's still looking after 6 years?