Anyone shoot a Win Model 88?

[Rod]

Model 88, I have a pre 64 version. I like the gun.

The M88 is a bolt action controlled with a lever. As the bolt is closing the front locking lugs rotate into the slots in the receiver. The M88 reminds me of the pre 64 M70 featherweight, especially the barrel.

Even though the Model 88 was a great design, the timing was too late, as lever actions were falling out of favor in place of the bolt action. They're a great rifle and I would speculate the most under valued Winchesters, especially the pre 64's, on the used market today.

One thing to pay attention to, is the magazine. Make certain you use an actual Winchester magazine and not one of those Mickey Mouse after market ones . . . No problem feeding with the correct magazine. The other ones are hit and miss.

Rod

 

[BrotherRockeye]

sold my 88 in .308 to my cousin.
he loves it.
chances are I'll never get er back.

 

[Bassmaster]

Sweet gun....I have a weakness for levers...drool....is it obvious?

 

[rem338win]

I've refinshed two and shot one a couple times. I love the action, but the triggers suck by design.
I should have never sold my Finnwolf, similar, but better in everyway.

 

[Wookie316]

Grandpa's on the top & Dad's on the bottom. Both well experienced but still shoot well Maybe I'll get around to refinishing the pair someday

 

[RangerRick]

I have a vintage 1958 model that looks like the day it rolled off the factory floor in .308.
Shoots 165 reloads very well with a Zeiss Conquest 3-9 on it.
It's one of my no sell guns.

 

[two-dogs]

ah yes, the 88! very cool.......... had quite a few over the years, never had one that I didn't like. They were all 308's, would have loved to have tried the 243 and 284. And had I been able to find one in 358, I'd still own it! I finally found a Finnwolf after yrs of searching, so my 88's slowly went to new homes, over time. Even had two 88 Carbine's, should have hung on to one of them, but like a fool, I sold them both! Put a pad on the butt and save your factory plate............... enjoy that lever gun.

 

[savage express]

Still have my first "high powered" .243 Model 88 from almost 25 years ago.
Great little rifle.

 

[Rod]

I've refinshed two and shot one a couple times. I love the action, but the triggers suck by design.
I should have never sold my Finnwolf, similar, but better in everyway.

I've heard the odd mention about the triggers. They're easy to clean and lubricate with the action open. Every so often I blow the trigger assy. out with a can of compressed air that you get at Staples for blowing dust out of electronics. A couple of drops of gun oil and blow it out again, then wipe it down. I do that with mine every once in awhile to keep the trigger assy smooth. .

 

[.330 Dakota]

I'LL take one in .284 or .358 if I could find one.

 

[Crashman]

My dad has one and we both seem to like it. It carries well and shoots better than most other levers and certainly better than we can off hand! It likes Hornady 180 grain Interlocks in front of 42 grains IMR 4064 all stuffed into a Dominion case. Easily shoots under 2" and usually better than 1.5" at 100 yards. It needs to be refinished though, so I may have to "borrow" it for a while and get it done up for fathers day! I hope the old man isn't watching this thread!

 

[two-dogs]

I'LL take one in .284 or .358 if I could find one.

you & me both, if you happen to find two of each, PM me right-o-way, I'll take the surplus............

 

[fuzz]

I use one in 358. I love the hell out of it, and Im not a lever man. The trigger is relatively dirty-nasty.
Dwayner

 

[NAA]

Win 88

Had a pre 64 one in .308 Win for awhile. Not a bad rifle. But I liked the BLR's I've had better. And I currently have a pre-mil Savage 99F in .308 Win so I have the levers covered at the moment.

NAA.

 

[kodiakjack]

Hello all! I recently purchased a 1966 Winchester Model 88 in .308 Win. for what I hope was a fair price. I haven't ever seen one of these before and was wondering if anyone here has owned or shot one.
The gun seems to be in very good shape considering the age. The bluing is 100% even on the edges of the muzzle and receiver. The bore is clean and shiny, and the action has to be one of the smoothest lever-actions I have ever cycled.
I'm curious what type of accuracy I can expect from this rifle. It came with an old Bushnell 4X32 on a Weaver pivot mount as well as the factory iron sights. I plan to use it for hunting Black Bear and Blacktail deer on Vancouver Island where shots are usually under 150 yrds.
Any opinions on this rifle or recommendations on ammo are welcomed.

Cheers,

Jason

Sooo... How much did she set you back? Looks like it's in great shape! I've filled 4 deer tags with my 88

 

[Norma]

Also have one in .308. Love it, Handy and points well. I put a Bushnell Elite 3200 2x7 on it. Mine likes 180gr Core Locks soft point. Accuracy not that good on a clean bore but after 20+ shots was able to get 3 shot group under 3/4" at 100yd. I actually like it more then my Savage 99

 

[Eagleye]

I've refinshed two and shot one a couple times. I love the action, but the triggers suck by design.
I should have never sold my Finnwolf, similar, but better in everyway.

Until you have to disassemble the action!! The 88 is a bit of a fiddle, The Finnwolf is a nightmare!! Eagleye.

 

[jag]

Mod. 88

Have the Mod. 88 in .284, .308(2). I just think they are the greatest rifles for hunting. I get better than hunting accuracy from them. Have taken just about every game animal in B.C. with one or the other of these rifles.
I sent one of the .308's in to the gs to be rebarreled to .358 Win. and ran into a problem, Boyd's no longer make a laminated stock for the 88, If anyone knows where I can get a laminated stock or even a laminated blank, please PM me so this post is not broken.
PS, I'm getting desperate, thanks jag.

 

[huntandhook]

Sooo... How much did she set you back? Looks like it's in great shape! I've filled 4 deer tags with my 88

I paid $350 for the rifle. I'm not sure what these are worth, but I figured that was a good price. I wasn't looking for another rifle, but I thought this would make a decent hunting rig for a reasonable price.

 

[gunrunner8]

Have the Mod. 88 in .284, .308(2). I just think they are the greatest rifles for hunting. I get better than hunting accuracy from them. Have taken just about every game animal in B.C. with one or the other of these rifles.
I sent one of the .308's in to the gs to be rebarreled to .358 Win. and ran into a problem, Boyd's no longer make a laminated stock for the 88, If anyone knows where I can get a laminated stock or even a laminated blank, please PM me so this post is not broken.
PS, I'm getting desperate, thanks jag.

Yes, the walnut stocks on Win mod 88 are ok on lesser calibers, on 284win & 358win they are getting a beating, thats why when I rebareled mine to 358win 10years ago I changed the stock to laminate one from Boyds. Weight went up a bit but after useing lightweight scope, aluminum base & rings, drilling holes in butstock and forend I have the whole set up ready for hunt at 8lbs on the nose. Trust me, with that cartridge you need all of that. You can reinforce your walnut stock with heavy epoxy bed behind action recoil lug and double fibreglass mat with epoxy along thin wall of walnut around rifle action and stop ocurrence of stock split. Done skillfuly and painted nicely with good amount of polyurethane inside stock will make it impervious to weather and will keep the rifle's zero. Mechanicly the rifle is perfect, nothing ever gets wrong with it. I use mine for more than 25 years and never even heard of a one whitch failed in action. I am planing to get some more while they are still cheap. Good luck with your project.