I just picked up a very clean Winchester Model 88 in .308 with a serial #81178. A few questions; year?, what should the LOP be and how do I measure it?, and why do people talk abut pre 1964 models?, and possible value? thanks, Tom

Some of the early 88s had a head spacing problem. The one I own has a serial number of 23518. I restocked it for the original owner (father in-law) back in 1982 and has a LOP of 14 inches. As I remember the LOP on the original stock was around 13 inches.

Thanks, nice gun. Any other thoughts anyone?
Tom

The lenght of pull should be 13 1/2". Your gun was made in 1959 which of course makes it a Pre 64 Model. There isn't much difference in the Model 88 Pre/Post 64 guns. Except for the stock checkering patterns. The Pre 64 Model has cut checkering, and the Post Model has a basket weaved style pressed checkering. No model 88's came out of the factory with recoil pads. It is almost impossible to value a gun without seeing it in your hands! Anyway if your gun is all original in excellent shape they run from $750.00 to $950.00 range, any modifications an the value plumates. I'm more of a Model 70 man, but I do like the Model 88 as well. Enjoy your gun. Hopefully this has been helpful.

A friend has a couple of these and he really likes them and he says his .243 shoots like a varmint rifle until the barrel heats up. I think the whole pre-64 thing is that Winchester economized designs to lower manufacturing costs and some people consider the earlier guns to be better. I thought that the mod 88 had a cloverleaf design on the end of the tang that was eliminated after 64, but am not sure.

Why did you just buy it if you don't know an approximate value? Not saying you shouldn't have, but am a bit surprised by that.

I think they are very good guns for daily use, and have owned several in .308, both rifles and carbines. Value does plummet if they are modified.

I sold my last one at a gun show to a fellow I know to be an unlicensed dealer who tries to take advantage of folks who don't really know rifles.

Mine had been converted prior to my getting it to .30/.284 and was a real tackhole shooter. I mean, that gun was so accurate I couldn't believe it at first. Half-Inch groups were quite common, even with the doggy original trigger pull. Except for the caliber re-mark it looked completely original externally.

He cruised by several times, picking up and eyeing the rifle. Eventually, he stopped and told me what dogs Model 88s were...all that sort of jazz. I was asking $350 and he wanted it for less than that.

Eventually, I let him talk me out of it for $325. (I would have taken less...I had less into it.) He almost tore his pants pocket off getting the money out.

Three hours later he was back, wanting a refund, trying to return the rifle.

I refused, as I had already spent his money on another gun....which is why it was for sale in the first place.

And, I pointed out to him, the chambering was clearly marked on the gun when he bought it, he had looked it over numerous times, and he had never asked if there were any modifications I knew of.

Plus I knew the guy he had tried to sell it to immediately after he left me with it. He had told the guy it was an original pre-'64 .308 that he was going to get from a sucker and had been asking $750 for it. THAT guy had enough sense to read the barrel markings and pointed out the chambering change to him.

So, instead of making $425 by screwing some newby out of his .308 Model 88, he had himself a really, really accurate rifle for about what it was worth, or maybe $75 less, since I usually set my prices modestly when I am able to buy the same way. I had set my price at $350 to allow folks to feel good by beating down to my original purchase price without losing money myself. And the gun was worth my money paid for it, as I learned a lot about Model 88s as a donor for another interesting "caliber".

The lessons here are that Model 88s which have been modified lose good deal of value on the open market, and that a person should know what he is buying, whether to keep or for resale. His greed led him to out-shark himself.

Thanks for all the input guys. The gun appears to be in excellent shape with a LOP of 12.5 inches trigger to end of plastic butt plate. Hope that does not hurt the resale price although I may keep it as a back up carry gun. tom.

I bought an early 70s vintage Model 88 in .308. The gun is 100% original condition and box new condition. I'm amazed at how accurate it is. For the first three round group, this baby rivals many bolt actions. The trigger could use some work but for cold weather hunting wearing gloves, the trigger is good enough.

Many have speculated as to just why the 88s didn't fare as well as other lever actions. The thinking at the time was that hunters preferred the more traditional look of the Win 94 and Marlin 336 with two piece stocks.

Incidentally, Model 88s chambered for the .358 Win. command big bucks and are much sought after.