Found two old rifles

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Stored away in my mom and dad's closet I located several rifles. I took two out and was wondering if I should do anything to them or have a smith look at them before test firing them.

One is a Remington 66 Nylon .22 and the other is a Remington 788 .222.

Neither has been fired in probably 20-25 years.

Should I just try to clean them or take them to a pro?
 
unless they are seriously rusted there is no problem with using old firearms.

give them a thorough cleaning(special attention to the bore and chamber) and if the cleaning patched come out nasty and rusty then make sure to shine a light down the bore when done to make sure you got it all out.
 
Good find!
The Nylon 66 has a cult following.
And My 788 in .222 is one of the most accurate rifles I own.

I would clean them and shoot them.

Go to youtube.com and spend some time reviewing the videos on "Nylon 66" and "Remington 788".
 
You need to be aware that certain cleaning solvents can ruin the plastic stock on that Nylon 66. Use only plastic-safe cleaners or remove the action from the stock before doing any serious cleaning.
 
If you are not a handloader, you will have to be patient buying .222 ammunition. Do not be tempted to have that 788 reamed out to shoot cheapmart .223 econoball, its resale value would be ruined and its accuracy likely harmed.
 
The Nylon 66 is an excellent find, most especially in very good or better condition.
All 788 Remingtons are sought after, the .222 and other less intense chamberings are very durable, the .243 is also pretty long lasting.
The .308 has sometimes had problems. When I went looking for one locally all the gunshops and other stores near here had stopped carrying them due to problems caused mainly by firing 7.62 NATO ammunition, which due to a tight throat of the Remington chamber could cause excessive pressures.

The nine small lugs in rows of three was great on paper, but in practice manufacturing tolerances meant not all lugs came to bear.
Those who have built target rifles from the .308 have found that lapping the lugs to insure even bearing cures most problems.
The bolt handles can break off if forced with a swollen case in the chamber.

The other chamberings seem to work just fine.

I for one would very much like to see them revive this design.
 
I was going to ask the same thing. Do your parents know you were rooting around in their closet?

Keep in mind that we only know what you post. We all draw different conclusions about circumstances we're left to guess about.
 
Hodaka: my experience is limited, but not nil. I currently own two handguns and grew up on a farm so I've been around firearms all my life.

Thanks for all the replies, everyone.

Jim: thanks. I haven't looked but I'm assuming .222 rounds are hard to come by?

Alabama Shooter/Sport45: the rifles were stored for quite some time in my parents' closet. We lost my dad to a farming accident this summer and my mom has been slowly cleaning the house and asked that I take the guns.

Thanks again for the replies and interest, guys. Your advice will be heeded.
 
Sorry for your loss. You should clean them yourself. There is a You-tube video on the 66 which does a good job of complete disassembly. You probably don't need to go that far. You can buy a cleaning rod or simply use a cord and make a pull though for the bores. There are a number of cleaners that work better but WD-40 will do the job and not damage the plastic stock. Some will cringe with that comment. Both are good firearms and you should keep them and shoot them in remembrance.
 
Get a bottle of Hoppes #9 and a .22 cal. Bore Snake and git after 'em. Air compressor and a nozzle would help too, to dust 'em off. .222 ammo might not be in stock locally, but it's not rare or obscure. That Nylon 66 might outlive you.
 
You have 2 rifles that will have a cult following for a long time. Currently I'm searching for 66 and wouldn't mind adding a .222 or .22-250 788 to go with my .243 and .308. The 788 may be a older "cheaper" rifle, but don't doubt its accuracy. I wouldn't hesistate to grab either of mine for some distance shooting. Throw a nice Redfield, Leupold, or large zoom lens and happy shooting.
 
Found rifles

I remember the Nylon 66, fact I nearly bought one, they were a great looking/working rifle. I opted for the newly introduced 10/22 tho, still have it.
Now the 788 in .222. I used it(.222)on a Rem Mowhawk for target/hunting/varmiting. Out to 200 yds it was deadly. I handloaded most all my ammo. It put at least 6 whitetails in my freezer but one had to be absolutley dead on where the bullet entered. I thought about re chambering it to .223 but the twist rate as I recall was a factor. If the rifles mentioend were mine I would enjoy shooting them as is but handloading may be the only way to get .222 ammo with the popularity of the .223. TL
 
Sorry for the loss of your father first and foremost.

The .222 Rem isn't that hard to come by, the local Wal-Mart in Colorado Springs usually has a couple of boxes of 50 grain Remington on the shelf. Plus with the internet you can have it shipped directly to your house. The Nylon 66 is a great little rifle, I'd say your Dad did pretty well with his rifle choices.

I'd give them both a good cleaning and take them to the range.
 
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