Winchester 88 in 358

8

88 man

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Grafton Ont
I got this nice 11pntr in the year 2000. A couple years later life made me sell the rifle and I regretted it right from the start but it was needed to keep us afloat. I called the guy I sold it to when wife and me split up and he didn't want to sell it. I called him a few years later and still no. About 2 months ago he called and said he was selling some guns and I said I want mine back. We agreed on a price and I was finally able to pick it up yesterday as he lives a fair distance from me. It's not a collector piece but lots of good memories getting this buck and also it was the year camp was signed over to me. It will never leave my hands again !
The rifle is a 1961 Winchester Model 88 in 358.
Finally back home and safe forever1000004420.jpg1000004419.jpg1000000390.jpg !
 
Thanks ! The cut out is for a peep site. There were 2 different ones and they used the one that the stock needed to be notched out unfortunately but it is what it is and happy to get it back and add to the others !
 
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Nice to get and old friends back... congrats.
I have had a couple 88's in .358, one with a laminate stock... not really a fan of the platform, I prefer the BLR... I have a Pre-81 in .358.
 
hoytcanon said:
Nice to get and old friends back... congrats.
I have had a couple 88's in .358, one with a laminate stock... not really a fan of the platform, I prefer the BLR... I have a Pre-81 in .358.
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I prefer the 88 sold my one 81 Browning nothing handles as well as the 88 for me. I guess that is what makes the world go around but IMHO all the old winchester guns are the best handling firearms to be had.
 
warzaw said:
I prefer the 88 sold my one 81 Browning nothing handles as well as the 88 for me. I guess that is what makes the world go around but IMHO all the old winchester guns are the best handling firearms to be had.
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To each their own, I guess... fit is a very personal thing... I found the 88's to be chunky and awkward.
 
hoytcanon said:
To each their own, I guess... fit is a very personal thing... I found the 88's to be chunky and awkward.
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Funny to me the 81 is light and wippy the 88 carries and point like a dream. I know you have been around the block a few times and i respect that . It's ok that we agree to disagree that makes the world go around but i hope you don't like #####y ugly women . :D :D
 
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It's really cool when some guns we regret selling find their way back home years later. I traded this gun at a gun shop in 1991(no longer in existence) on a handgun. Unbeknownst to me an acquaintance saw it in on the rack at the store shortly after I traded it in, bought it and 32 years later sold it to a mutual friend we shared when he decided he was done hunting and sold his guns. The new owner and I got together last fall for a week of goose hunting after not sharing a blind in over 25 years and part way through the week he surprised me one evening when he pulled this gun out and gifted it to me. Thirty four years since I had let it go it found it's way back. It won't leave here again. Winchester 101 28ga...


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The .358 is a fantastic chambering, I have a 16” Ruger Frontier, and a 22” Hawkeye. I foolishly sold my BLR.
 
bunny said:
The .358 is a fantastic chambering, I have a 16” Ruger Frontier, and a 22” Hawkeye. I foolishly sold my BLR.
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...... one of my favourites.

I never was much of a lever fan so had KS Arms do a 700 in a Brown Precision for me instead. It's going to the range with me today.
 
88 man said:
Thanks ! The cut out is for a peep site. There were 2 different ones and they used the one that the stock needed to be notched out unfortunately but it is what it is and happy to get it back and add to the others !
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You could always find another 88 in the common 308 and swap the stocks and add a receiver sight to the 308 and have a nice pair of rifles with the 358 now in more original condition. Whatever you do, don't refinish the 358.
 
SuperCub said:
...... one of my favourites.

I never was much of a lever fan so had KS Arms do a 700 in a Brown Precision for me instead. It's going to the range with me today.
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Nice I did a Rem 600 many years ago with a slim 22in Douglas barrel a custom Ryan local wood stock with a 700 bolt and steel floor plate it looks and handles like a mini mountain rifle. Also have a Win 88 and a pre 64 model 70 featherweight 22 inch in 358 cal. As to the reciever sight you may be able to inlay a piece of walnut to clean it up. I used a williamsreciever sight on my 88 carbine no cut required.
 
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SuperCub said:
You could always find another 88 in the common 308 and swap the stocks and add a receiver sight to the 308 and have a nice pair of rifles with the 358 now in more original condition. Whatever you do, don't refinish the 358.
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That's my plan and I have the peep site. This makes either 5 or 6 88s in 358 for me now. Kinda loose track of what I have when there's as many 88s as I have in my collection lol
 
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warzaw said:
Nice I did a Rem 600 many years ago with a slim 22in Douglas barrel a custom Ryan local wood stock with a 700 bolt and steel floor plate it looks and handles like a mini mountain rifle. Also have a Win 88 and a pre 64 model 70 featherweight 22 inch in 358 cal. As to the reciever sight you may be able to inlay a piece of walnut to clean it up. I used a williamsreciever sight on my 88 carbine no cut required.
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Post a pick of that Model 70. That's a cool old rifle. :)
 
SuperCub said:
...... one of my favourites.

I never was much of a lever fan so had KS Arms do a 700 in a Brown Precision for me instead. It's going to the range with me today.
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How did you make out at the range... were you shooting those 250 HC's?

As far as 88's go, I can appreciate them and understand the attraction, but they just never fit me right. Besides the two .358's, I also had a .308 and a .284. I opted for a .308 and .358 in the BLR instead, and went with a bolt action .284, sadly sold long ago. As far as the .358 Win cartridge goes, it is hugely under appreciated and has a weird and incorrect reputation as a "kicker." It is very pleasant to shoot and is very tolerant of various loadings and always accurate, IME... I have taken many literal tons of game with .358 rifles.

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hoytcanon said:
How did you make out at the range... were you shooting those 250 HC's?
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The wind was howling out there. I got ugly and left after 30 min. :mad:

All I got done was scope sighting on the 50 with the 358 and 6CM and a 22lr HB. Didn't bother trying to do proper load dev. Was loaded for 200gr Hornadys for a deer load.
 
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