Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles I posted on the lever forum but only got one response (model 88 win. questions)

I was helping an old lady remodel her kitchen and found a new, unfired 88 win. in a closet. #44464, he died before he could use used it. It doesn't have a clip. When was it made ? it has a tang type of reciever and is in pristine condition. I wanted it to hunt with(I'm not a collector) but hate to shoot it it's so nice.
I saw one one with the tang and it had a clip that fit flush with the bottom of the reciever but never saw one again, would this rifle take a regular 88 clip ?
The action is very stiff as the old factory grease had hardened in the rifle, I tried to clean it out and relube but it is still very hard to work the action, any ideas ?

I know you'd like to shoot it, but I think it has more value by selling it to a collector, hardened factory grease and all. Hopefully the lady will come across the clip hidden away somewhere and complete the thing. Lock, stock, barrel and box. But yes, any 308 Win88 clip will fit it.

grouseman

P.S. You lucky [email]bastrd![/email]

What caliber is it?

I sure might be interested. I have a 308 built in 1955. Killed my first elk with it.

Clips are readily found on E bay.

Good luck.

CM

It is a .308 and perfect, except today I showed it to a friend and made a small dent just behind the grip cap, I hit on the edge of a table. If you are interested maybe we could work out a trade. I would swap for a Rem.100 20gage,vr,lwt 26 inch screw in chokes or an old model BLr81 with the steel reciever and a decent scope.

Bear...

From the information I have on Winchester Model 88's, it looks like your rifle, #44464, was manufactured in 1956.


Strength & Honor...

Ron T.

308s are the most common variety and they usually shoot great. They are a buggar to take apart but will clean up nice if you do. Triggers are quite the devil on them but otherwise they are great rifles. I have one in 308 and it will shoot honest 1" 5-shot groups with 180's. Never tried anything else!

My 88 308 Win has a fantastic trigger that creeps a sniffle but smooth for a 3.5lb break.

The funny thing is it doesn't shoot better than honest 2" groups but for some reason, you would swear the rifle shot 1/4 MOA the way it never misses in the field, even at long range. I've killed many coyotes with this rifle and running coyotes too and chucks and deer and running deer and my first elk which was a huge Cow that was on a fast trot at 360 yards. I think I could shoot clay pigeons with it though I haven't tried for obvious safety reasons.

I have a friend who guided back in the 70's and 80's and he had a saying ..."There are two kinds of guns: ones that shoots paper good and ones that shoots game good. Always hunt with a gun that shoots game good."



I love my 308 but was hoping for a 243 or a 358. I'd have to work out a cash deal on it because I don't trade my guns off. I've done that too much in my life and now I just stock pile them. If that rifle was in 243 or 358, I'd be on my way right now to your house to work something out.

CM

I also think that a winchester model 100 clip will work. They are available but cost about $50 to $70.

The model 100 as I understand it was nothing more than the semi-auto version of the model 88.

I have heard rumor that winchester made the model 88 in .358 win caliber. But other articles I've read stated that they did not. That any .358 win model 88 was a custom job.

well, if they were custom m88's that were chambered in 358, I was not aware of it, but I doubt it. I have held pre 64 M88's in 358 in my hands and it was a factory gun.

CM

That .358 & the M88 winny went together like peas in a pod. .358 replaced the .348 which was only available in the winny lever model 71. The .358 was a short magnum, they just didn't know to call it that back then (1955?) winchester M88 in .358 was definitely a factory option. I'd be very interested in your M88 in .308, The thing is I just let loose of a BLR steel receiver in .243 with a Nikon scope, I would have gladly gave it to you & then some for the M88. I didn't care for the BLR, dainty action, locked open on me too often. You had to be very gentle cycling the action. If a friend picked it up that was more accustomed to the long throw of a traditional tube feed lever they would lock that thing open every time.
A M88 in .308 pre 64 has been on my Christmas list for a very long time. Does it have cut checkering on the stock?

Winchester made about 284,000 M88's in .358 Winch. , according to Fjerstad's blue book (on Guntracker Software)

It does have cut checkering and I was wrong about the serial # isit is 44474. I has not been shot and no screw touched, but the action is a little stiff.
As to the .358'sI had one once and an elk hunting friend in montana talked me out of it. Someone told me about a 1000 were made and 500 were sold in Canada, the rest in the US.
I'm not going to hold anyone up on this rifle, I would like to trade for the above mentioned items or the first 650.00 + shipping takes it. I'm not a dealer just a hunter and I want a rifle I can use not just sit in the closet.

pm sent

if it's cut checkered it's pre 64. $650? easy! You just made someone very happy as I'm sure someone has struck a deal with you already. If not, drop me an e-mail. I'd love to have it.

Makes one wonder how many of these jewels, or others like it, are just sitting in closets across the nation collecting dust and rust.
It's a shame you dented the stock and the magazine wasn't still with it. The dent could probably be sweated out.
I have one of those factory chambered .358's, mfg'd 1959, and it's still only been factory proof fired. I'm it's custodian and it's stored in a dry climate for future awe. My only disappointment was that it's original box was lost before I received it. (Not for sale.) It's one of my two most cherrished collectables, the other is a '63 88 .284 Win still nib.
I only hope that if I should pass unexpectidly that my heir sells them to a seasoned collector and doesn't take them to the range to see how they shoot.
Bill

Winchester did offer the 88 in .358. The 100 clip will work
but the bolt will lock open after the last shot, not a bad feature.

I had an 88 and stupidly parted with it. I was not able to use mod 100 clips in my gun. If you don't shoot yours because it is to valuable, but you never let it go, then how valuable is it. I say shoot it and hunt with it.

Jim Wisner is making 88 magazines in 243, 308 and 284. I believe they are made on the original factory tooling.

I do not know about quality of manufacture and finish but the post 64 88s with stamped checkering were mechanically improved over the earlier rifles, there were some changes in the design.