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

No it doesn't. I've never handled a Finnwolf, but see youtube video below. It really is quite similar to the Win 88 in how it actuates the bolt via linked levers and its rotating bolt lugs. Unlike the Win 88 or BLR, the trigger doesn't travel with the lever. I'd expect the Finnwolf to have a better trigger as a result.

I've got both the Winchester 88 and Savage 99. I've had several of each, not nearly as many as many as some have reported here, but enough to make up my mind on what I like about them. I really like them both, but if I could only keep one (both are 308's), I'd take the Winchester 88. It is a post 64 which, in the examples I've owned, is smoother than the pre 64. The 88 and 99 are almost equal as far as accuracy, but my 88 does have a slight edge. The triggers are different, and I know that this is going to kind of go against the norm, but I like my Winchester 88 trigger pull better than any Savage 99 I've owned. It works like a 2 stage trigger and that suits me fine. My choice would come down to the individual rifles being compared. Lay a Winchester 88 in front of me along with a Savage 99 and it would be a toss up which one would come out on top.

I have looked at a couple of Sako Finnwolfs years ago and didn't care for the feel of the grip. The lever on both rifles felt like it was too far away from the grip. I passed on both of them even though one was showing a little use and had a good price on it.

I've never owned a Sako Finnwolf but have owned several Winchester M/88's in .308 and .358. Owned one Savage 99RS in .250-3000, killed my biggest buck with the M/88 .308, of the group I prefer the M/88 .308. For a modern rifle the M/88 had a lot of drop in the stock which made recoil an issue when shooting them from the bench, never noticed the trigger being as bad as some say. For the last 30 yrs. I have hunted with M/70 bolt actions, if I were to go back to a lever action it would be a M/88 .358.

Gorgeous rifle!!!!

The Winchester 88 is a fine 308.

The model 99 is a fine 300 savage.

The 88 was not marketed in a 300 savage.

The 99 should not have been marketed in a 308. IMO

I have a few Savage 99's. In clip 308 and in a variety of other calibers including Takedowns. The 99's are just so pretty and they all shoot good. The Win 88 in 308 pre-64 also shoots very good. My Finnwolf has very few rounds through it and is a bit finicky feeding.

To sum it up pick what you like but forget finding a Finnwolf unless you want to spend.$$$$




300sav TD and 30-30

I have owned all 4

99s
88
Finnwolf
BLR

out of the 4 I still have 3 99s, just a better built gun IMO
the gear drive in the Finnwolf and BLR are great until they need cleaning and then what a pain!

The 88 bolt lock up might be stronger than the 99 but the internals are kind of fragile, such for the Finnwolf although it is a much better built gun than the 88.

The most accurate out of the whole lot is a tang safety 99 .308post mil, it will consistently cloverleaf 150 Core-loct's at 100 with a 1x5 leupy on top
the Finnwolf would shoot about MOA
all 88s I have had or shot were 1 1/2-2" including the one I owned
The BLRs can be accurate, would like to have another in .358 some day
all my 99s shoot well, handle great and are built like a tank, by far my favorite gun out of all of them.

That was good to read. Guys that stay objective tend to discover this.

hillbill's post above prompted me to double check my previous post and it appears I stand corrected. The Finnwolf does have gears, although certainly different from the BLR.

I copied the pics from the Sako thread linked below and made a campfire image gallery so they won't be lost.

Sako Collectors Club - Just bought a Finnwolf "parts gun"...

Sako Finnwolf and BLR Action Parts - Image Gallery

More images are in the image gallery including a Finnwolf exploded parts diagram.

Sako gears and action parts



BLR Cut-Away-View of action

Beg to differ on 99's in 308. I'm not a huge fan of 99F's in 308 (I've had several and none shot exceedlingly well), but for 99's with heavier weight barrels I think the 308 is fine. You just have to be able to appreciate post-1960 99's, because pre-1960 99R's and 99EG's in 308 are rare.

A cut checkered 99DL in 308 would probably be my first choice if I was looking for one. But a 99E, 99C, or 99A would be fine also.

Here's a late 80's 99C in 308.. nothing wrong with it.

The price and scarcity of magazines for those discontinued models could be enough to make me pass on them. A few months back, somebody here was looking for one because the "bargain" he'd scored was missing its mag and replacements were priced outa sight. Points awarded to the Savage models with the spool.

If you don't reload or only have one 308 and it is a savage, then you won't understand what I am trying to say.

Like my friend said.

" If you shoot a 308 outta a savage99 .......throw that brass away."

I am beginning to think the 303 savage vs 30 /30 behaves much like the 300 sav. 308.

If you stick to savage only cartridges in the 99, you only stick savage safe cartridges in a 99.

Whatever you do, don't shoot a .284 or a 358. Your mind will be blown.

I got a 284 win 88

And a pair of 336 ER Marlins

And a 356 win model 94 AE

Can't wait to come shooting with you soon fireball.

I also have several 35 R.E.M. In 336 just love them.

I have a multitude of 99's in 308.. 99EG, 99R, 99F (had 4 or 5), 99E, 99C's. Haven't shot them all, but enough.

I'm not sure what you're talking about with the brass. I full length resize all my brass, and the 308's work fine.

I don't load it to shoot like a 30-06. I stick to factory specs, and for shooting paper I mostly stick to medium loads. Found that even light loads always manage to kill the target.

Never had a problem.

+1 on medium loads in lever actions, if you feel the need for max. velocity you need to be shooting a bolt action.

I had a Finnwolf and they are a nice smooth rifle, but they are not in the same accuracy class as a Sako bolt gun! They are built in a way that allows only marginal glass bedding.

My brother had a m99 .308 with a tang safety and it was the most accurate lever action that I've been around, down side it could be a disappointment in the looks of the stock. He had another m99 that I liked better in .300 Savage with a brass cartridge counter, a rotary magazine, and real cut checkering.

have been shooting a 99 of one flavor or the other in 308 for years. best one i had was a E model with the ugliest baby crap green stock you ever saw.
currently have a F in 308 .shoots well enough and have never had any problem with brass. that quote puzzles me.

I had a weird green colored 99 E that shot pretty good also. Wonder if the green wood was like the red label on a model 88?