Sodbuster
Member
You're right. Originally chambered in .243 .308 and .358 . Winchester added a .284 Winchester chambering later on. The receiver on an 88 is pretty solid. One-piece stock. Nice rifles.
Levers vs bolts
- Thread starter Warren
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JNewell
Member
How do they shoot? I always figured that the one piece stock and the rotary bolt (I am remembering that correctly?) they should be basically as accurate as any bolt gun.
What are the details on the magazine -- single or double or rotary? How reliable?
What are the details on the magazine -- single or double or rotary? How reliable?
Sodbuster
Member
The magazine is detachable and holds four rounds in a double-stack manner. Not a reliability problem that I am aware of. A fifth round can be placed in the chamber. Two friends of mine each had one years ago. (the 88 was discontinued in 1973). As I remember the 88s, the one-piece stock gave them great balance, which to a degree aided accuracy. The solid receiver kept the scopes tightly mounted. More than enough accuracy for hunting. Two minuses: trigger pull and, nowadays at least, cost. Marlin makes some nice lever actions. I have the Guide Gun and I'm looking at the 1894C (like lots of others here). But if anyone can pick up an old Savage 99 or Winchester 88 in decent shape, I'd recommend either. Sorry I sold my Savage 99E. But, I've seen a couple Winchester 88s for sale..... 
TRADITIONAL lever actions lock up at the rear of the receiver which usually limits the pressure they can tolerate and adds a bit of complexity to the design.
TRADITIONAL lever actions feed from a tubular magazine which puts limits on the types of bullets that can be used and also can make consistent out of the box accuracy problematic since free-floating the barrel is almost impossible. This design does allow for the use of very blunt-nosed bullets which can be an advantage in some ways.
TRADITIONAL bolt actions lock up at the front of the receiver and feed from a box magazine which makes them very strong and simple. The design doesn't hang anything off the barrel which means that good accuracy is usually easier to achieve. It does make feeding of blunt nosed bullets a bit tricky though.
Now, on the other hand, there have been rear lock bolt actions, bolt actions that feed from a tubular magazine, lever actions that feed from a box magazine and lever actions that lock up to the barrel.
So! That means that unless you specify particular guns that you want to compare, the only thing to really discuss about lever actions that applies to all of them is the actual lever vs the bolt.
Lever
Pluses
Quick. Easy to operate without losing a sight picture.
Minuses
A pain to operate prone or from the bench.
Bolts
Pluses
Easy to operate from prone.
Minuses
Difficult to operate without losing sight picture. A bit slower than levers.
TRADITIONAL lever actions feed from a tubular magazine which puts limits on the types of bullets that can be used and also can make consistent out of the box accuracy problematic since free-floating the barrel is almost impossible. This design does allow for the use of very blunt-nosed bullets which can be an advantage in some ways.
TRADITIONAL bolt actions lock up at the front of the receiver and feed from a box magazine which makes them very strong and simple. The design doesn't hang anything off the barrel which means that good accuracy is usually easier to achieve. It does make feeding of blunt nosed bullets a bit tricky though.
Now, on the other hand, there have been rear lock bolt actions, bolt actions that feed from a tubular magazine, lever actions that feed from a box magazine and lever actions that lock up to the barrel.
So! That means that unless you specify particular guns that you want to compare, the only thing to really discuss about lever actions that applies to all of them is the actual lever vs the bolt.
Lever
Pluses
Quick. Easy to operate without losing a sight picture.
Minuses
A pain to operate prone or from the bench.
Bolts
Pluses
Easy to operate from prone.
Minuses
Difficult to operate without losing sight picture. A bit slower than levers.
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