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Sharing an experience I had, I like Rem 788's and sometime back bought a 7-08 carbine 16-1/4" barrel, the seller said it had been hunted with a lot and was worn but shot well, we made a deal. I got it and like to have died upon opening the box. Worn was an understatement 10 times over. The stock was refinished smooth with a poorly fit pad no bluing just wear all the way down even the action, it was perfectly steel pillar bedded, free floated very evenly, nice 16-1/4" black stainless worn painted Hart barrel, decent trigger, Weaver bases and rings. The FFL knew me and laughed and said you really bought that! 5 magazines, 300 rounds of ammo, all load data & 200 more brass. All ammo and brass totally prepped, I did notice Lapua brass very fast along with Berger bullets and data with VV powder.
I admit this was not much to look at, just a short very solid feeling rifle, then to the range. 1st shot 2" high, next 2 misses, I walked down and saw a very small 3 leaf clover group! I shot 2 more groups and all holes touching in all shot. I cleaned it and left! I still have it looks horrible but many deer, coyotes and hogs later never missed a shot with it hunting, one day someone else can experience what I did. Well I was very happy but there was more, the next week I got another surprise package with a used Leupold VariX3 scope in it with a note to enjoy it as I have all these years. Keep it all intact. Here is the scope.

Then the horror of the written note, "my health will never let me use it again." Look through the scope and see my life what I saw!
Tears came.

Sad story, but touching. So the gun was purchased a few years ago and the scope came recently?

Either way, neat that the former owner remembered you and wanted to keep them together. I hope you have many more years of great hunting with it and someday find a young buck to pass it along to!

Scope came 2 weeks after I got the rifle all several years back, sad thing is doubtful the younger crowd would even know of 788's or even want one. Same for 721 and 722's.
My 1st one was $79.95 at Gibsons, I still have the priced box for it. There was a good write up on why 788's were dropped by Remington they shot too well! They hurt the sales of the new 700's priced higher. Magazines for them can be a problem to get affordably, especially the 44 mag, 6m/m and 30-30. I only saw 1 that was not a great shooter in my life and sold it. I still have 4. They at 1 time had almost a cult following.

Everybody I know that has a 788 will not part with it for anything.

A good friend of mine bought one, in 6mm, in 1973. Got the rifle, scope, sling, a box of ammo, and range time and got change back from 100 bucks. That rifle shoots 3/4 MOA with factory ammo and 1/2 MOA with handloads, bone stock. Most 788 owners tell similar accuracy stories. They are keepers.

Just my .02,
LeonCarr

I also have a 6mm my favorite caliber in anything also my cleanest rifle it still has an original Leatherwood ART scope on it.
There are not many as you mentioned that have them selling them. Oddly the one I had that did not shoot as well as I wished was a 22-250 which is a rare thing later I found out the owner tried to lap the bore and probably messed it up.
I have had 222, 223, 243, 6mm, 7-08 & 308 and the 22-250 I bought and sold.
There used to be several seen in 223 and 243 that were re-chambered to Ackleys floating around, some fed others did not feed well.

I came very close 1 time to getting a 30-30 in one. It always seemed odd that you or I never ever hardly saw anyone shooing a 788 721-722 with as many made as there was.

I did see a benchrest rifle made on a 788 action 1 time in 222-1/2 cal. With 9 locking lugs they are very strong actions with the floating bolt face..