Took my 88 to the woodshed.

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Bushmaster1313

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Nice picture of a nice looking rifle. My Dad used one for years, back when I was a teenager, and seeing your rifle brings back fond memories.
 
I got this to be the centerfire for trips to the range with family and friends.

.243 is easy on the shoulder and lever operation plus magazine is easier for new shooters provided they work the lever hard enough.

Here is a wider photo:

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nice

The Win M88's were lovely, sleek rifles that deserved a better reception than they got from 1960's era shooters.

Yours is a dandy.
 
That was'nt stupid.

Back then I was torn between the 88 and the Rem pump. I stupidly bought the Rem pump.
I like 88's but if i had to choose between that and a rem pump I'd go with the later.
 
Very decent group, no pre 64s but, i've owned at least 7 win. Lever guns and was hard pressed to come close at 100 yrds. Although most were handgun cal. Nice shootin'
 
That's a real beauty you got there. After a 20+ year search for a good one at a decent price, I recently found this nice 1959 model 88 in .308. I got it from a widow for a really good price with beautiful wood but the best part is that it was unfired. She gave it to her hubby for Christmas that year and he put in the safe promising to "get it set up for elk hunting some day" but never got around to it. Factory installed recoil pad was an option back then.

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I added a cobra sling, Redfield base, rings, and Revolution 3-9x40 scope for that period correct look but also acceding to my 65 year old eyesight. As you can tell, I'm not a good photographer so I really need a better picture of it to show it off better.

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Mine too groups very well even though my astigmatism cases me to horizontally string a bit. This are my final sight in groups at 100 yds after I set it up initially at 50yds. The Revolution scope has a BDC that you zero at 200yds for aim points at 200, 300, 400, and 500yds, hence the 1.8" high group at 100yds.

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The Winchester model 88 rifles were manufactured without recoil pads. They would have had recoil pads installed later especially in the 308 Winchester. They did not come from the factory with a recoil pad and this does hurt the gun considerably for its collecting value. That was probably one of the main issues with those firearms.
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I ran across this info on the net....Factory red recoil pads were added on early 1900..pre 64 rifles..as a factory option..not on 88's....U could buy them from Brownells and have it added by a gunsmith....
 
Both of those 88's are just gorgeous... and those are some impressive groups...
I had an 88 in .243 for a year or so... just couldn't like the caliber at that point in my life, so I traded it off. If it had been a .308, I'd still have it.
 
The Winchester model 88 rifles were manufactured without recoil pads. They would have had recoil pads installed later especially in the 308 Winchester. They did not come from the factory with a recoil pad and this does hurt the gun considerably for its collecting value. That was probably one of the main issues with those firearms.
Click to expand...

I ran across this info on the net....Factory red recoil pads were added on early 1900..pre 64 rifles..as a factory option..not on 88's....U could buy them from Brownells and have it added by a gunsmith....
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Hog Hunters never die........They just reload.........
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I've seen that posted on the internet myself, however, back in 1962 my dad ordered himself a brand new Winchester Model 70 in 30-06 through a gunshop directly from Winchester with a factory installed Winchester recoil pad on it. I was with him in the gunshop as a 15yr old boy when the gunshop owner called Winchester to find out the price for one like he wanted and make the order. Winchester said that they could install one in their custom shop after it was manufactured but that it would slow down the delivery. My dad didn't care because he wanted it installed by the factory and so that was the way it was ordered, delivered to the gunshop, and sold to my dad. He was an engineer and he wanted things exactly the way he wanted them so many times that meant he special ordered them. For example, he never bought a car off of the lot but rather would place an order and wait the 8-9 weeks for the car to be produced and delivered.

There you have it, not hearsay or internet info of dubious heritage, but rather first hand personal knowledge of the deal.

Everyone forgets that back then, Winchester and most other gun manufacturers had custom shops where they would make firearms to a customer's specifications. Winchester leverguns were offered with many, many options even back in the 1800's. The widow I bought my 88 from told me that she custom ordered from Winchester with the recoil pad installed for her husband for Christmas, 1959. He opened the box, admired the rifle, and then put it in the safe where it sat until his passing this year. I believe she told me the truth.

Besides, I don't care about its collector value; I've already reduced that by firing it. I care that it is a pristine example of American firearm design. The lines, the feel, and heft of it to my shoulder is all I'm concerned with. That it is more accurate than I would have expected is a plus for me.
 
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