44 Mag was one of the original chamberings for the 788, along with 222 Rem, 22-250, 30-30, and 308 Win, IIRC. They were dropped in 1983 and replaced by the Sportsman 78 due to the closure of one of Remington's manufacturing facilities. They are somewhat in demand by collectors, prices range from $400 for a poor specimen to $700+ for a clean one. They are somewhat heavy, but have a reputation for extreme accuracy. FWIW, the first 1/2 MOA groups I ever saw fired were fired from a 788 in 223 Rem with Remington factory ammo somewhere around 1975.
