Home Forums Lever Action Central Lever Actions - General The Win. Model 88 In WSM

I haven't been following this site closely and don't know if it's been discussed, but could this be a new breath of life for the 88.<BR> Is it possible? Is there a market? Can we talk Winchester into it??<BR> Think of the possibilities, a.284 WSM up through the .416 WSM. <BR> This could make "possibly" the best lever rifle even better!! -memtb<P><BR>

I don't think that that rifle was designed to take the pressures of these new rounds. Sean

In an article ('Favorite Lever Guns and Their Loads') in 'Lever Guns' by 'Rifle' magazine, Layne Simpson discribes the Model 88. It had a bolt with three rotating lugs that locked into a set of recesses in the front of the receiver. It was chambered for the .243 Win, the .308 Win, the .358 Win and the.284 Win.<BR> I'm not sure what the .300 SWM pressure levels run to, but I'm thinking these four rounds are considered modern high intensity cartridges.<P>El Lobo in NM<BR>

I have read that the WSM is like a standard magnum 65,000 psi max whereas a .308 Win has a high load in my Hogdon manual of 57,000 psi +/-. Sean<P>------------------<BR>Ask me about microwaving cats for fun and profit!

The bolt face would have to be opened up to .535", there may not be enough there to do this. There could be a redesign I suppose but then it wouldn't really be an 88. The WSM is fat .555" and probably limits capacity to 2 rounds in a bolt action. Probably would be as limited in a lever as well.

I don't have SAAMI's maximum pressure for this cartridge. My best GUESS is that it's probably rated at 60,000<BR> lb/sq in. maximum � the pressure maximum of so many modern high-pressure cartridges.<P> I'm extremely leery, at this point, of rechambering any rifle other than a very strong modern bolt-action rifle for<BR> this cartridge, for two reasons:<P> � Enlarging the diameter of the chamber reduces the thickness of the steel around the chamber. The area of the<BR> greatest risk is where the steel is already thinnest � between the chamber and the minor diameter of the barrel<BR> thread (the diameter between the bottom of the thread "V" on one side to the bottom of the "V" directly<BR> opposite). The receiver at this point is an imperfect support for the barrel in terms of its ability to withstand<BR> extremely high pressure without distortion (bulging or bursting).<P> � Increasing the case diameter also increases the FORCE or thrust against the breech at any given peak<BR> pressure. The ratio of increase in force is the ratio of the increase in the net area of the case web (the area of the<BR> case web inside the walls of the case). Pressure is force per square inch. Increase the square-inch figure with the<BR> pressure the same, and simple arithmetic produces that much more force.<P> These are inescapable, irrefutable, real-world facts, not subject to wishful thinking or contrary opinion.<P> For these reasons, I would have no part in rechambering a Winchester Model 88, Browning BLR, Savage Model<BR> 99, or any similar nonbolt-action rifle for such a fat high-pressure cartridge.

Thanks Ken and others; I was "bored out of my mind", down in the back for about a week, and just thinking out loud. Probably shouldn't be putting in posts after midnight!-memtb