winchester model 88

J

jeffnvegas

New member
ran across a winchester model 88 the other day and have to say it was the first time i'd seen one. i'm pretty unfamiliar with winchesters as a whole other than a model 94, so i'm curious if anyone has an opinion on them. looks like a pretty handy saddle carbine and the book claims it's valued in the 1000.00 dollar range (they don't make it anymore) kinda of reminds me of a model 99e savage. would it be worthwhile as a collector piece, if the price is right, or should i pass on this one?
 
My dad bought one in .308 Win. when they came out around 1958 and has used it for deer and elk hunting every year since. He's killed a lot of elk with it, carried it on horseback in the snow, carried it in the rain in Oregon, pretty much ignores any maintenance other than barrel cleaning, and never had a malfunction of any kind. I'm not sure what it's worth as a collectors item, but it's a nice hunting rifle and well built. It's actually a lever-operated bolt if you look at the action. I always liked it. They made a rifle and a carbine version, if I'm not mistaken. If it shoots accurately, and the price is right, go for it. It's hard to find clips, so see how many the guy has and grab them.
 
My uncle has hunted (Oregon also) with his in .308 since the 1960s. It isn't a tackdriver (2+" @ 100) but is reliable and unusual. Value has risen on them dramatically lately, and clips are way expensive!
 
What caliber was the 88 you saw. The 88 was much better than the model 100 semi-auto version. The real collector is the .284. They are not worth anywhere near $1000.00 through.
 
Quote:
The 88 was much better than the model 100 semi-auto version.


Yeah, I had one of those in .308. It never would shoot over 10 rounds without a jam. I shot another one that would double-tap. Steer clear of them. The Model 88 is MUCH better.
 
A .284 would be a honey, followed by a .358. Personally, I never cared all that much for the 88, they're a little bulky and were never regarded for their accuracy. However, plenty of folks really enjoy hunting with them so they have some sort of "neat" appeal for many. A grand is a hefty chunk of change for an 88, I'd think about that real hard.
 
jeff, i have an 88 in 308 cal i bought new when i was in high school. the early ones have cut checkering and the later ones have a cheap looking pressed in checkering.also not all the mags interchange, i got caught with that problem. three years ago i shot a mule deer in montana with it just to add some character to it. the best use for this gun is in the northeast with a low power scope and its short lever throw it makes a good woods gun. also the mag can be removed and one round ejected from the chamber it makes an easy gun to hunt wood lots and move from place to place. no loaded guns are allowed near a car or truck and cased gun laws. very popular rifle in pennsylvania even today as auto loaders are not allowed. the rem mod 7600 pump rifle was made for the pa market. in pa 88's are always showing up at farm auctions. i would never sell my 88 or 94 win. bob kudile
 
I had both the 88 and the 100, both in .308win. No problem getting 2" groups at 100yrd's with ether one. The 88's are going for $350.00- $450.00 unless their in .284win, that add's $100.00-$200.00.$1000.00 IMHO is just wishfull thinking, but someone will be dumb enuff to buy it.
 
I will second what Longhair says although he's a little low on the prices. these things have really jumped in price over the last few years.

I recently got a bug for a Model 88 and looked at quite a few of them before finding a nice pre-64 in 308. The only ones that are worth over $1000 would be a pre-64 (they have the cut checkering, post-64s have the impressed checkering with the oak-leaf) in excellent original condition in either 284 or 358. They do make a great quick handling woods rifle with a low-powered scope but generally have poor triggers.
 
thanks gentlemen!
i kind of figured this might be the response. kind of like the 99e savage, nice to own, not made anymore (unless special ordered) and reliable. probably will increase in value just for those facts. if i get some funny money with nothing else to spend it on i might buy it and sit on it. this one is .243 and comes with two clips. these days though i have my sights set on something accurate, lightweight, like a .308 maybe with lots of bullet options. i have a great 700 bdl 22-250 bull barrel, but i'm getting tired of hauling it around. want something high end with even better glass i can multitask with.
 
I have one, finally got a trigger job, it puts 3 shots of winchester factory ammo inside MOA with an old 4x scope. the trigger job made it about twice as accurate as before, it handles good has some drop to the stock, so to me the rifle feels good and natural, I use it as a back up for my .270. These guns are actually more in common with a bolt gun than a lever, the lugs lock in like a bolt gun, accuracy is usually decent, the trigger prolly limits most folks. A good 88 in 308 usually goes for at least $500 and a 284 goes for around $800 on most auction sites
 
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