Home Forums Lever Action Central Lever Actions - General Savage 99 vs Wincheser 88. Both in 308.

For those of you that own/owned one, what are you opinions? Considering something different. Not a fan of the Savage tang safety, but certainly lots of lever safety models available

My two cents, not having owned a Winchester 88, but have owned several 99 Savages: The Winchester trigger isn't adjustable, and is said to be abominable. The older Savage triggers can be worked over to give a nice trigger pull around 3 pounds. I have done several of them. On the other hand, the Winchester action can handle higher pressure. In lever guns, you might consider the Browning BLR.

Well, one was an attempt to copy the other. That tells you something.

Are you looking to compare the removable magazine 99c to the 88, or the rotary magazine as well?

One problem with most of the lever safety nice Savage 99's is they aren't drilled for scopes, being made prior to 1960. If you're looking for a hunting gun, that puts them behind the 88 as a modern hunting rifle. The 1950's 99F and 99R are the exception with all of them being d&t, and both are fairly common. Also, it's easy to find lots of old Savage 99's that previous owners have drilled. And there's something about 1940's and earlier 99's that just feels right.

So for me..




Disclaimer: I've shot 88's, but never owned one or hunted one.

I've owned a dozen or so Winchester 88s and several hundred Savage 1899/99s.

The Winchester 88 has a stronger, stiffer, action with rotating front locking lugs.

The Winchester 88 has a one-piece stock that, at least in theory, contributes to its greater accuracy potential.

The Winchester 88 has a crappy trigger and I don't care for the ergs of the pistol grip, but the same ergs don't bother me on the Winchester 100s.

The Winchester 88 carbines were, strictly IMO, about as handy as the 99F and the rifles were quite comparable to the 99EGs.

I still have four Winchester 88s, two carbines and two rifles, all in 284.

One of my hunting mentors, Thelma. shot a Winchester 88 carbine in 243.

It depends on what "something different" means to you. The 99 certainly has more history going for it along with a larger variety of calibers and configurations to choose from. I only own an example of one each, a 99 "Brush gun" and an 88 carbine. As a hunting rifle I prefer the ergos of the 88 over the 99 and my 88 will easily outshoot my 99. As a lefty, the lever safety on the older 99s is not easily manipulated from the shoulder, the 88's are reversible.

I like both and having owned both, but sold all my Win 88,s and still have the 99,s. Hunted quite a bit with the Win 88 in 284 killed a 52" Bull Moose and a Dall ram so it has
a special place for me.

If you want the best modern, post-19th Century, lever action rifle go find a Sako Finnwolf. All of the best attributes of the Savage 99 and Winchester 88 in one package. I never could understand why the Finns could built a better lever gun when lever guns are mostly an American thing.

I turn 60 this year... I don't have enough years left to find a Finnwolf in 308

It's weird I own alot of 88 and finwolf but not one 99, only 99 I owned was a 99c in 7mm08

Had 88 and 99, both in .308, both went down the road.

Wish I had a Finnwolf. Always thought they were the cream of the crop. Not likely to happen.

DF

i always felt the Savage 99 shoots a little more accurate than a Winchester 88 ,but the Winchester 88 has nicer wood most of the time and does look nice. but if your set on buying a 308 lever rifle Browning BLR lever rifle`s are more accurate than a 99 or a 88. i have owned them all and shot them all i like to still collect Savage 99`s and shoot them but i do like Browning BLR`S too.

The main advantage that the 88 has is that they are all C&R eligible regardless of when they were made but of course they are all getting close to 50 years old or older now

Wait long enough, if I kick the bucket my wife will have 3 to sell

Gemby,
That is cruel. Especially since you are close to me....

I used my dads M88 .308 frm 1957 until 1995 when he passed it on to me. I recently passed it on to my oldest son. Except for a trigger job, fixing a crack at the tang from a loose recoil block and changing magazine springs it had no issues.
Much more accurate than I was led to believe. Easy to load for in that it handled book max loads easily. The chamber was comparatively tighter than the ones on the M99's I have worked with. It required full length resizing for hunting. brass life was long. The greatest advantage it had was the one piece stock. This allowed using a tight sling as a shooting aid. I think of it as very similar to a M&) FW in feel.

The Model 99 in .308 I have used the most was a 99E with a trigger guard safety. I bought it around 1974 to replace a .300 Savage. It was lighter and shorter than the M88, was less accurate [1.5-2" three shot groups]. I stoned the sear and it had a good trigger pull.

It didn't always like top handloads. I never could get it to shoot well with 748 [my preferred .308 powder at the time] and ended up using an IMR-4064 load. I tossed cases after five loadings. I tried to get more reloads but I got a few case seperations at 7-10 reloads.

I like the trigger guard safety on a 99 better than any other on a lever gun. It was handy, similar to a 99F. I preferred it to the M88 for blacktail hunting, I liked the M88 for elk in Eastern Oregon though. I killed blacktails, whitetails, mulies and a few elk with both.

The key to wringing the most out of a Savage 99 is to shoot one in either 358 or 284. Especially the 284 just makes the Savage sing.

How about a summary of the Finnwolf for us poor slobs who may never have one.

DF

The Sako Finnwolf reminds me of the Winchester 88 with good stock ergs and the usual Sako precision and quality of both workmanship and mateials.

I've owned three of them, two in 308 and a 243. I bought them right and sold them in 2014 when I needed quick money to help the family of an acquaintance who died suddenly and without adequate life insurance. I never hunted with them, so I never missed them.

Thanks.

Does it have a gear arrangement like the Browning.

DF

A lifelong buddy had both an 88 and a 100 in 308. I didn't care for either one. Either did he. He gave one to each of his sons when they were old enough to hunt. He stuck to shooting slugs out of his old Ithaca 37.

On the other hand, I'm a big fan of 99s, particularly the '50s F featherweights. Thin, short, light barrels, great ergos
and handling, (for me anyway), and very good shooters. I guess that's why there were so many in all the NE deer camps my dad and grandpa took me to as a kid.