Just took possession of a Winchester 88 in 308. The gun is in great condition and is topped with a Redfield scope. The checkering is in a basket weave pattern.

I know nothing about these rifles. Can someone give me an overview of the rifle. Are they keepers?

Thanks

The stocks break. roger

Your 88 is a post '64. They are a sweet, fast handling little gun. You can expect an inch to a inch and a half groups. The trigger sucks and I think that may have something to do with the groups size(maybe). What you see is what you get. I like mine for hunting the thick stuff were a snap shot is common. Tinker with it, if it shoots to your liking, keep it.--Mike

I had a chance to buy a mint pre 64 , mod. 88, in .284 from my uncle. I tried it out but it would not feed and jammed every now and then. So I passed on it......shot 1 1/2" groups..

I wished I had taken it to my gunsmith..and had the feeding corrected.
These are a neat whitetail rifle IMO. A friend has one just like yours in .243 and loves it.

i had exactly one in 308 and while i think a very attractive gun, for a lever or anything else, mine gave sticky extraction, seriously sticky. and even when it worked i was constantly pinching my trigger finger in the gap between the lever and trigger guard. i guess too many yrs of taking finger out of trigger guards of m94's and the only safe place for the finger to be and NOT get a big whopping blood blister was inside the guard. love their looks but never wanted another. as an aside, just finished reading charles askins book safari (can't even recall the exact name) but an m88 in 243 was one of the guns he took to africa that particular trip for the little stuff. he loved it.

roger

One of the only rifles I ever regret selling was my M88 .308! The action on mine was smooth as glass, feeding was flawless and shot about 1 1/2" groups at 100yds. It had enough weight to hold steady for off hand shooting but was compact and easy to carry. The .308 works in most all circumstances. The trigger isn't super smooth, but this isn't a bench gun. The trigger assembly drops with the cocking lever which aids in follow up shots.

The more you use this rifle, the more you're going to appreciate it's design and build quality.

Unfortunately I sold mine when I was about 20yrs old and got "magnum fever"(bad move on my part!) I plan on replacing it one day.

Terry

The M-88 is right up there with the BLR and Savage '99 IMO. One of the best lever gun designs ever marketed. Because of its bolt like breach lock system and one piece stock they are capable of accuracy and strength that is quite superior to many other lever actions.

Enjoy it! We used to have one until some theif got his mitts on it, Id like to get another one.

the one I have went from 2 moa to sub moa with a trigger job, the trigger still sucks but at least its shootable now. my comes up fast and fits me better than any of my other guns because the stock has a little drop to it. it is my backup hunting rifle. it wears a 4x redfield and may shoot even better with some more sceope power

So, it sounds like I should plan on holding on to this gun. I'll take it out in a couple of weeks and give it a go. The gun is not that much to look at, but if it is functional then I guess I'll keep it.

Over the years I've had two and got rid of them both. My experiences with them were similar to Sendero and Will's. I ended up with a Savage 99F with rotary magazine and still have it. Smooth action and total reliability. I consider the Savage the finest lever action ever made.

I have a 1956 in nice condition for sale. It is in 308 with a lyman original era scope . Here is the auction

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?item=36881607
e-mail me

In the 88s post 64 is what you want. Especially if your going to go the Rogue River type rifle route on it.

Before Geoff Miller killed Rogue River we had talked about doing a custom rifle based on an 88 he wanted $5000. That's $5000 I would loved to have spent.

Damn I am dumb sometimes!

The post 64 was slightly changed mechanically and is superior to the early 88s.

88s are just wannabe Sako Finnwolfs. If you want truly superior lever action rifle, try a Finnwolf. However, an 88 in 358 winnie is bringing a premium these days.

That Finnwolf is a pretty rare bird isn't it?

Terry

They're not that common, but if you want one they're not difficult to find. I frequently see them on Guns America.

great article in May 2004 Rifle by Al Miller about his 88 in .284 Winchester. Good read! Makes me think about my first 3 deer taken with my Dad's pre-64 88 in .243--if you can find the article, it's worth it.

quote:

Originally posted by Gran Cazador Blanco:
great article in May 2004 Rifle by Al Miller about his 88 in .284 Winchester. Good read! Makes me think about my first 3 deer taken with my Dad's pre-64 88 in .243--if you can find the article, it's worth it.

No one cares about how many post you had, we all lost our post count when we re-registered!