Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Thoughts on the Winchester M88

I like mine. I really enjoy carryiing it for deer hunting in the woods.

I'm really glad I decided to buy one a few years back because I do really enjoy having it & hunting with it.

I've owned two, both started out as 308, one a pre the other a post.
The post is actually the better gun, lots of little improvements. Sold the pre and had the post rebored into a 338-08. Good shooter, trigger is fair, easy to carry, nice to mount a scope on.
I think everyone who wants a lever action should own an 88.

yeah... I edited my earlier post about firing pins, just something I thought I had remembered and wrote without doing backup research... I tend to do that in the heat of the moment . Did come across broken pins with both the 88 and the 100 though, in general on these boards it tends to be a non issue, so it's probably not that big a "problem" anyhow.

After hunting with a 99F for a long time I always wanted to try a 88 for the fun of it. One came my way a couple of years ago at a fair price. Its a like new pre 64 308 but it has a compass in the top of the butt stock.

Overall the 88 is not quite as thin, easy to hold or use as the 99's but I am biased after nearly half a century with the old Savage. The 88 seems to cock when the lever goes out and the 99 as it closes. Again - advantage 99.

The trigger on this 88 is quite a bit lighter than the old 99 that I am used to. To be frank I think I could get used to this 88's softer, lighter trigger.

This 88 shoots ok. I don't think I will ever hunt with it.

I have been collecting mod 88's, finnwolfs, and 99's for a long time. The only trouble that I have ever had with the 88's is a worn extractor or ejector that wouldn't hold or eject spent cases. The triggers sometimes are't the best, but plenty good enough for hunting. And they come in great calibers. My favorites are 284 and 358. I have never broke a firing pin, but it can happen in any gun. If you don't own one of the above firarms, buy one while you can and enjoy. Daryl.

I have a post-64 in .308 that will stack 150gr IL and SST's into the same hole. 5 shots in 0.8" is pretty good for an old lever action.

I believe there is something to the post 64 being an advantage in the case of the 88 anyways.

If I was going to get one to hang on the wall, it would be a pre 64, but if I was going to get one to hunt with it would be a post 64. This is baised on a sample of each that I owned and my belief that the older one just looks better, but the newer one seemed smoother to operate and in my example, shot better.

A year or more ago there was a discussion on this forum concluding that the post 64 with the pressed checkering was definitely a mechanical improvement on the earlier model. Also maybe five years or six years back there was a gunsmith in Paso Robles CA at the firm that became the new Rigby who knew how to work over an M88 trigger. Was showing fancy custom 88s at the SHOT Show. He is now an independent but a couple years ago there was a fire in his shop and his jigs, etc., were ruined. Unfortunately my notes about it have got lost and I don't remember his name. We had a phone conversation and he intended to work on 88s again. No doubt he could be tracked down. No longer matters to me because I sold off my custom stocked 88 through Griffin & Howe in NJ, got a pretty good price for it too.

88's are nice guns. I prefer the finnwolf by Sako. A much smoother action and trigger. I prefer the safe behind the trigger like on the finnwolf as opposed to in front of the trigger on the 88.

I bought a post '64 Model 88 in 308 Winchester several years ago. I like the rifle a lot. It fits me very well and is pleasingly accurate. The trigger on mine isn't a problem at all.

One other thing I like about the 88, the safety can easily be switched to a left hand configuration.

I tried a Finnwolf one time and didn't care much for the feel of the grip. The lever felt like it was too far from the grip. It was smooth, but I couldn't tell enough difference between it and my 88 to say one was better than the other. I guess it goes back to the old saying "different strokes for different folks."

I sold one to a guy on this board a couple years ago, when I first got it with the 6.5# trigger the best I could do was about 2moa, after a trigger job that took that down to 3.5# the gun instantly went to 3/4-1 moa with a couple different factory loads, this with an old redfield 4x in a set of weaver tip over mounts. making up a random load produced similar results, I often wonder what a 28 oz trigger, a 20x scope and a ladder method load could have squeezed out of this gun. very accurate rifles, if the trigger is not right IMO you will not get the accuracy out of it that its capable of

I have owned 4 Mod. 88s over the years in all the calibers they came in, but am currently down to 2. The 358 was a rebarrel job. The trigger can be gotten used to and my .284 would consistantly put 3 140 and 150g BT into .5". 140 TSX used to go into 1" groups. Since having it restocked it hasn't shot well, so I'll have to check into that. I had 2 of the triggers worked on by the fellow in CA. They are better, but still not great.

I have killed 3 deer with mine, 1/284 and 2/358 ranging from 10 yards to 180 yards with all one shot kills. Like a true lever action they handle better than a bolt action in the hands, but with better ranging ability than traditional levers.

This may have been said already; forgive me if that's the case.

I find the M88 in 308 and 358 to be perhaps the most unpleasant rifle to shoot I have ever used. The comb does things to my cheekbone that have to be experienced to appreciate.

I've had 3 (I'm a slow learner). They are very accurate, and the trigger pull does suck.

In fairness, I do crawl a stock when I shoulder a rifle. For most people it may well be a non-issue.

I had one as a young man. It was my only rifle for about 10 years. It was a great gun for putting meat on the table. I got "magnum fever" and sold the rifle to purchase a SS/plastic stocked pushfeed M70 in 7mag. I still regret it.

Terry

I have 2; a post-64 284 and a pre-64 308. Sleek, easy-handling rifles that will deliver 1" groups with good handloads. Haven't done as well with factory loads. Love the look, feel and function. Safety is a bit awkward at first but you get used to it. Trigger sucks, period, but you get used to that also. Not tack drivers, just deer killers. It just feels right to hunt deer with one in a way I have never felt while carrying a bolt.

Ron

I have one that I've used since I was 12 that my Dad gave me. MOA with old silver tips. One of the few that I'd never sell.