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

I have been looking at one for a couple of weeks now. Post 1964 in 308 in great shape. No cracks on the stock at all and it looks like it has hardly been fired. Price is fair.

Pro and cons?

pros
-In terms of accuracy it has a 1 piece stock and a bolt action style locking system... both of these equal to better accuracy than other lever guns.

-It's also comparatively light weight which makes it a great choice for a close quarters brush gun.

-If it's post 64 then you might also be looking at a carbine (19in) which makes it an even better brush gun.

-Quick follow up shots compared to same caliber bolt guns.

-Cheap

Cons
-Not the best triggers in the world, like the mossberg rifles they move with the lever.

-Not a good bench gun, the lever gets in the way

-Probably hard to find parts for

-I don't have one

Just a few... buy it, if you don't like it give it to me!

ps If it's a carbine then its worth more, so keep that in mind when you look at the price.

I had one in the seventies that was stolen from me after an accident, before police arrived at scene. My that rifle fit me like a glove. I used it for rabbits and partridge and deer, all head shots. I was not aware they did not shoot well, I just used it fr everything. I have always wanted to replace it, but have not been willing to put up the 500-600 bucks usually priced here in Canada.
Randy

I don't like the geometry of the pistol grip and the triggers just plain suck! If you want a lever action 308 to hunt with, my recommendation would be a Sako Finnwolf. They tend to be expensive, but they are much nicer rifles than any Winchester 88 ever made.

Jeff

[Price is fair. Pro and cons?]

PRO - It's F/S

CON - I don't currently own one.

.

I have one and really enjoy it and yes, I hunted with it. The one thing that sets it apart for sure is that it is a Winchester M88. In short, the rifle has a class factor above than what you would get from any other lever action 308 today, in my opinion...

I would give the Savage 99 a tie.

Every gun is different in fitting to the individual. With that being said, throw it up! And see what you think. If the price is fair, it will be probably be worth more down the road if you care about that. The post 64s for some reason seem to going up a lot faster in prices. I have no idea why. Maybe because they are often seen in the best condition. Whatever..

If you want it, buy it. It is a cool rifle that will give you a sense of history when shooting it, or better yet, hunting with it.

RAS

i've had two, both in 308. one shot well and the other not so good. the trigger sucks and there is little to be done to make it better. the stock design isn't bad just a bit low in the comb, and most have a propensity to crack at the rear of the action into the pistol grip.

I'd buy it..the 88 has the cool factor..great style..not a bench gun cause it's a huntin' rig..you'll get over the trigger..

The main one is the firing pin. Make sure it actually fires before you buy it.. They're rather delicate and nearly impossible to find a replacement.. And when you do, bring a fat wallet..

Yeah, they may have used the same firing pin as the Winchester model 100 and they were known to snap pins, sometimes ending with bad results. I think they even had a recall for the model 100 pins.

edit: Did a little browsing, doesn't look to be the same firing pins but I did come across a few broken 88 firing pin stories, no one that has posted here has had a problem with theirs though so it must be a pretty isolated problem, just something to keep an eye on.... still wish I had one!

Thanks everyone.

I knew about the stocks cracking. I did not know about the firing pin.

The firing pin is a easy fix, not sure but what it is a 100 problem only.
If you want a bench rest gun the 88's trigger isn't what you want. I never noticed the pull shooting at a critter.

We have two of them both will shoot better than MOA with reloaded Core-Lokt bullets.

Dad bought his new in 1961, mine was made in 57, I have had it over 20 years. Never a mechanical or stock problem with either gun. They work just fine as a hunting gun. Ours have taken both deer and elk.

I had never heard that the Model 100 firing pin issue extended to the 88.

I have had one since 64. Same stock,no cracks, same firing pin. Goes bang every time I pull the trigger.I did accurize it and now it shoots s1/2-3/4 MOA.Trigger is crap,but you can get over it.

You have to watch the magazines.The ears cang et bent and it screws up feeding.

I had a couple of them in .308 and they were nice accurate rifles but they had clips and clips have a habit of falling out and getting lost...

I prefer the Savage M-99..The savages really do respond well if properly glass bedded, but so did the 88s.

I am working with one right now that I have had for ten years but never shot. It fits me well and I like the feel of it. It is accurate, below one inch with some 150 grain bullets, almoat as good with 165 grainers. Action is slick and fast, trigger sucks. Another good thing, I never tried the 308 before and I love it, velocities are as advertised, powders burn clean, good round!

Jim

I had one for a few years. It was a post 64 and had the pressed wood. I liked the way it fit me, and despite the fact that the barrel was not in the best shape it did not fair too bad at 100 giving 2.5 inches or 3 IIRC with a minium load of RL15 and speer bullets (this is a good load for another 308 I have as well). If you like to hunt with something different I would snap it up. I am not a gunsmith but the one I had worked. I did not like the trigger, I did not like the long loud lever throw, but all in all it was a fun gun and I enjoyed it for a while, talley LW's for the M70 fit it and if you need a set I will sell you mine for $30.00!

I bought one as a gift to myself 15 years ago and enjoyed it. When I remarried my wife began hunting and claimed it as her own (She is a lefty). Today I have to ask if I can borrow her rifle.

They are good guns. As far as I know the firing pin problem was confined to the M100. Mine is a pre 64 but on the proside I am told the post 64 was the only Winchester to improve after that year. My understanding is there were minor redesigns that strengthened and improved it.

I have enjoyed owning two of the Win 88's. Still have one that is a post 64 and slick as glass. I bought it thinking I would convert it to a 338-08 since I already had one 88 in 308 and this one had a ring in the barrel under the front sight. I made the mistake of shooting it before the conversion. I gave my other 88 to my son and still have the one with the ring in the barrel. Shoots around an inch at 100yds give or take a 1/4 inch with most any load you want to put through it. Yep, the trigger is not great, well...it's worse than that, but it is better than the last two Remingtons I bought. The hole is bored down the middle of the barrel which is more than I can say for the same two Remingtons. The magazine doesn't fall out, the stock is real uncracked walnut, it points nearly as good as a Remington model 14, and while it is fast for a second shot, I don't seem to need them as often when I shoot the 88. The deer haven't noticed that they were getting shot with a rifle with a trigger that stinks.

...um, no it is not the same firing pin..

As to it being 'an easy fix', I want to know what that is... Last one I saw had been repaired by drilling the body and replacing the forward part of the pin with a hardened, thin shaft of some kind.. It worked for a while I guess but it wasn't going to for long...

Last original one I found was in Kansas - $150... and the consensus from others in the business at the time said I was lucky to find one for that .. After a month of searching, the owner found another - at $179.00...

If I'm wrong, I'm wrong, but I haven't found any real info to prove otherwise at this time..