My Winchester 88 Saga continues !

[Country Boy]

When I bought the 88 from gunbroker I was very disappointed. it looked like it had been dragged behind a horse. No Clip or hood. So I acquired them. The stock is awful and it didn"t seem to eject like I remembered they did. But, I plunged on. My brother took it to a smith in St. and he said nothing wqs wrong with it. so I put a weaver base + Z-rings on it and scrounged up a Nikon 4x40 buckmaster scopefor it. I got out of my body cast(broken back) last week, read up on reloads and made some with 150 grn hornadys and Reloader 15. Took some pain pills and went to the range yesterday afternoon.
   I coronographed the loads: 46 grns gave 2750/ 47 grains - 2815/ 48 grns 2910/ 49 grns- 2926(top load in the new speer manual) No pressure signs with any load. So far so good. I sighted it in at 25 yds then checked it at 100 yds 2" high. Didn"t try to shoot any groups couldn"t see well enough with the 4 x. I set up milk jugs and 1/2 bricks at 200, 250 and 300 yds. Didn"t expect anything. an ex marine rifle instructor (young eyes)was on the next bench I asked him to shoot the jugs. Didn"t hit any of them. So I tried. Hit all of them and then shot the small bricks hit them all ! I don"t shoot that good. I became euphoric the rifle was made in 1957 and beat to heck, amazing to me. It's a keeper, so now It will get a stock finish job. I see it as a deer rifle not a target gun.
   My thanks to all of you who answered my questions on the forums. It really helped me from going crazy in that body cast. You are a great supportive bunch of guys. God bless.

[Huntsman1]

Sounds like you got yourself one Dandy of a rifle there..Good on you   I wish I had that sorta luck aquiring rifles like that LOL!
I'm working on some new loads myself with some 150gr Nosler and Varget.

[federali]

I too bought a lemon on gunbroker.com. Long story but I don't blame gunbroker. Anyway, my 88 has put three rounds just under an inch at one hundred yards. 88s are known to be good shooters.

[tj3006]

I have a 88 in .308 also.
    As I recall its a late 50s one too.  Came with an old bushnell scope chief 2.5X8.  Its a little beat up , but its all there and shoots like a house afire.
     Thought about taking it after mule deer ,(I leave friday) But its goona stay home this year.
I taking MY .257 weatherby mag, and will back it up with my Ruger #1A in 7X57. 
     I will be taking my little ruger RL in the Roberts for my buddies daughter.
But Tha 88 will likly go elk hunting with me in November.
    Good rifle and a great round.
   ...tj3006

[Sweetwater]

Glad to read your out and about again!! You've been through some stuff, for sure.

Nice report on your '88. My associate at work has one (in rifle version, as opposed to carbine) and asked me to load some stuff for him, as his outfit got 'mis-appropriated' in his recent divorce. Anyway, I took pity on him, dug into my records and manuals and came up with a factory duplication load (according to the manual) using 44.5gr IMR 4064 behind 180gr Nosler BT.
He showed me targets of 1/2" groups at 100yards. Headed for Elk in a couple weeks or so!!

Keep us posted how you and your '88 are doing!

Regards,
Sweetwater

[Country Boy]

You should see it now ! I redid the stock put a original hood on the front sight. I bought a new Nikon 3x9x40 scope for it and added a trigger shoe (really makes a difference) But I liked the 4x Nikon buckmaster so much I just left it on. The ejector pin needed cleaning and the spring replaced. Sure throws them out now. GBest of all it shoots anything I put in it. Did you know that you could drive a 150 grn bullet faster in a .308 than an 06 ? So says the new speer manual. I wish I could post a picture but don"t know how.