Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Winchester Collectors Who Can Tell Me About 88's?

88's were not how Winchester built it's name. As a matter of fact, when those came out, people realized that the other pre 64 models were way more desirable. And the 100's? ugh.

They are cheap around here. A buddy bought one a while back for $350.00 and it came with a leupold 3-9x40 on it.. Personally, I think they are neat rifles. However, I also thought my Win 100 was pretty cool, until I owned it for a while... Not saying the 88 isn't a great rifle, just that I'm pretty picky. I'll send a rifle packing if I don't like the safety lever, how it feeds, magazine capacity, hopeless trigger, inaccuracy, etc. etc. If I was more of a collector (than a shooter/hunter), I'd have every type of Winchester rifle ever made. 88's and 100's included..

I'm wanting one for sentimental reasons. My grandfather hunted elk with one for years, but he was a 1 gun guy, and after it froze up on him once, he traded it off for a 7mm Rem Mag. He later bought a 99 because he liked lever 308's the best, but always talked about how the 88 was his favorite. Now that he's passed on I'd like to buy one and pack it around every now and then.

I never had a problem shooting good groups with my M/88, but then I didn't expect a target rifle trigger on a hunting rifle. Given the prices most M/88's are bringing I don't believe collectors exactly consider them to be "crap".

The M88 308 I have has cut checkering and no recoil pad.

It shoots ok however 88's don't have CRF and 99's do!

The early M/88 stocks had a lot of drop, felt recoil from my .308 was more than was the case with my .308 M/70.

At last count, I've owned over a dozen 88's, mostly pre-64 guns in .308, with one in .284, and one in .243. Here's a few observations:

- Accuracy was generally acceptable for most hunting, but none of those rifles were tack drivers - nothing even close to MOA, even with handloads.

- Quality seems pretty consistent between pre and post-64 versions.

- The stocks are prone to cracking right behind the trigger.

- The factory trigger is miserable, but can be satisfactorily adjusted by someone who knows what they're doing. Finding such a person is problematic.

- The drop in the stock can be compensated for somewhat by installing a 1/2" pad (without cutting the stock).

My grandfather used an 88 for years, hunting in Michigan's UP, so I have a lot of sentimental attachment for the rifle. I sold my last one several years ago, however, and probably won't buy another. Fun rifles to hunt with, but the accuracy can be finicky and inconsistent, and I just don't have time for it.

Better hope you don't break a firing pin... If you do, obtain a loan first...

I have 2 pre 64 308 s and 2 post 64 one in243 and 284---I think the post 64s are much better...nicer wood smother actions...
The pre 64 checkering is horrible....the pressed checkering is kinda cool if you look at the detail....
Pre 64s will always bring more money tho....

To the gunsmiths, I have an 88 in 7 mm/08 with a Douglas stainless barrel, it shoots great. I found out that working the lever with your finger on the trigger will cause the firing pin to fall. My 88 in .308 does not. Is this a costly fix and is their a recommended smith for this?

I had the same problem with one of mine. It was not an expensive repair.

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