allow for a short stroke.
The cut-checkered walnut stock was standard on the pre-’64 Model 88. Later versions had the much-maligned impressed basket weave pattern.
Differences in the magazines. The pre-’64 model magazine was a little shorter than later ones with both being marked with the words Winchester, Trade Mark.
To remove the barrel and action, one needs to remove the forend screw and then lift the barrel and action out of the stock while pivoting the rear of the receiver against the recoil block. On 88s manufactured before 1957, the rear of this recoil block was fitted with a three-bumped figure or “cloverleaf” configuration with a very short tang. This was later Modified into an entirely rounded shape to mitigate against splitting of the stock. According to master gunsmith Ted Neal of Altoona, Pennsylvania, this is why “it is important when restocking these rifles to pay close attention to the grain pattern of the stock in this area as well as the bedding of the recoil block.”
Despite the complexity of the 88, it remained competitively priced with its competition, the new Remington 760 pump action and Winchester Model 70 bolt action rifle. To achieve this feat, the Winchester engineers relied on numerous clever cost-saving measures, most obvious being the commonality of parts between the 88 and the later-introduced Winchester 100 autoloading rifle. In an era when parts were machined with jigs and fixtures and subsequently inventoried, this commonality greatly reduced production cost. Furthermore, the majority of these parts were components which could be easily manufactured from sheet metal or with simple lathe technology. With the exception of the magazine’s spring, for example, all were simple wire springs that were not only cheaper to manufacture but significantly less prone to breakage than a flat spring.
With its front locking, rotating bolt and one-piece stock, the 88 should have been as accurate as a conventional bolt action rifle and it generally was – but isn’t. To understand that statement you need to remember that today’s accurate out-of-the-box bolt action rifles are the combination of many independent technologies that more or less coalesced after the end of production of the 88. As with other rifles with one-piece stocks, the 88 often responded to tinkering and tuning of the bedding. Overall, the 88 is inherently as accurate as a bolt action rifle. Perhaps the biggest thing that contributed to the accuracy of the Model 88 by 1950s and ‘60s standards was its adaptability to the use of telescopic sights. In addition to the side ejection, the solid top receiver was actually pre-tapped for scope mounting.
As with any mass-produced rifle, there are conflicting opinions as to the rifle’s performance and reliability. Some maintain that the complexity made it susceptible to malfunctions and feeding problems. This may be, but the older 88 pictured in this article was bought by our friend Steve Hamilton second-hand and was literally rusted shut. After being cleaned up by a gunsmith, it has given decades of trouble-free service despite being treated little better by its present owner, who is a hunter who hunts in all-weather conditions no matter how severe. He feels that if he can take it, his equipment should also, since both are around the same age. While we don’t recommend using such a rare rifle under these conditions, that this Rifle has performed flawlessly under severe winter/sleet conditions is perhaps the best indicator of its reliability.
CALIBERS
The 88 was literally designed around the compact dimensions of the .308 Winchester cartridge and was offered only in this caliber during its first year of production, 1955. By 1956, it as well as its sister, the Model 70 bolt action rifle, introduced two new cartridges based on the .308 case, the .243 and .358 Winchester. While the .358 chambering was discontinued in 1962 due to a lack of sales, the .243 chambering remained available until termination of the 88’s production in 1973.
In 1963, the Model 88 and Model 70 bolt action rifle were again used to introduced a new Winchester cartridge, the .284 Winchester. This was perhaps the first American cartridge to offer a rebated rim. Since this concept had already been introduced decades earlier in Europe, it was rather novel to American shooters. While this cartridge had a full half-inch diameter magnum case, it was fitted with a reduced rim diameter, the same as that of a .308 cartridge. This allowed for the increased performance of a short magnum case while utilizing the same bolt machining as for the .308 family of cartridges. It did, however, result in some reduction in magazine capacity: from four shots to three, plus, of course, one in the chamber (3+1). With a total of 42,340 guns in .284 Winchester being manufactured, these are the rarest calibers in the 88 line and hence the most desirable from the collector’s point of view.
As with any long runs in firearms, there were numerous versions of butt plates. The bottom of the butt plate on the earlier version has the word WINCHESTER, with TRADE MARK in smaller letters underneath. An example from a newer version we examined lacked any wording.
MODIFICATIONS
As with any gun enjoying a long production run, there were several modifications along the line to this one, with most of the engineering reworks being completed by 1957. As most gun enthusiasts know, there were the infamous cost-cutting measures implemented at Winchester in 1964. While the mechanism remained essentially unchanged in the post-’64 Model 88, the hand-checkered stock was replaced with an impressed checkering basketweave pattern combined with an oak leaf motif as seen in our photo of a newer model. These 88s are every bit as functional as the pre-64 Model 88s and might even be appreciated by those who still value their old polyester leisure suits.
The post-64 Winchester stocks are somewhat thicker through the mid-section than their pre-’64 counterparts, which might actually be a desirable feature. A more appreciated variation were the approximately 28,330 carbines manufactured the five years following 1968. In addition to their shorter 19-inch barrels (as is opposed to 22-inch for all the Rifle counterparts), they were fitted with barrel bands and smooth stocks devoid of checkering. That these so infrequently come up for resale may be an indication of their rarity or, perhaps, the value their owners place on them.
EPITAPH
Production of the Model 88 ceased in 1973 after 19 years and production of 255,545 Model 88 Rifles and 28,330 carbines. This should not, however, be regarded as unflattering to the 88. While the Winchester 94 and 92 lever action Rifles literally sold in the millions, the 88 represents the third largest production run of any of Winchester’s modern lever action Rifles, excluding the 293,816 military sales of the Model 95 muskets sold to Czarist Russia. Production of the Model 88 actually exceeded that of the Winchester 95 lever action Rifle and even the much-lauded Model 1886. Winchester cited increasing cost production as the reason for dropping production of the 88. While this may seem like the usual and customary cop-out, in the case of the 88 it might actually be true. All the 88’s technical advancements resulted in a complicated design that not only required many small parts but also critical dimensioning and meticulous fitting of them to assure reliable functioning.
To get an idea of just how complex the design is, one need only retract the bolt and remove the magazine. Shining a powerful light into the bottom of the receiver with the bolt forward and later retracted will reveal just how complicated the design actually is. Removing the barrel and receiver assembly from the stock will reveal that the “one-piece” receiver is actually an assembly of many small, intricately-fitted components. (Incidentally, when removing the barrel assembly from the receiver, one should not fully retract the lever assembly as it will jam in this position. We know - we did this ourselves, but after some time and having had a lot of practice at problem-solving, we got it back in place. While some sources have cited the need to have a gunsmith reassemble the action, the action can be closed by carefully massaging
