winchester 88

[Hunting Man]

Anyone have any input on the Winchester 88 pre 64's? This rifle has dramatically went up in value the last several years. $700-$1000 now common for a clean one. Also in 308 it has perfect deer rifle for eastern hunting written all over it. Onehorse you ever had one of these?

[joel the signman]

I know the price went up because of them going out of buisness.While i dont have any experience with them,speaking for myself.i cant see spending all kinds of money on a collectors item and themn taking it into the woods.I treat my guns like another tool in my toolbox and dont want to have to worry about them getting scratched,dinged up etc.....But thats me.

[onehorse]

Never owned one, but came "this close" quite a few years ago. I put that gun in the same category as the legendary Savage 99 (which I DID own and am sorry I sold). I agree that it just might be the best - surely one of - the all-time guns for typical eastern deer hunting. That combo of rifle/caliber was made in heaven. If you can find a good one, buy it!

[Hunting Man]

joel, I too hunt with all my guns except my Dad's retirement Browning SXS, unfired. Otherwise I enjoy hunting with the classic's. I do take a chance on damage but these guns beg to be hunted with. While this may be follish to some I shoot my collectables which lowers their collectability market value to just a good shooter, however, part of the collecting for me is the fun in shooting the old stuf! The Winchester 88 is a rifleman's dream machine that has really escallated in value yet you see a few hunters still using them in the woods every year. Half the fun hunting for me is to take say a Winchester 94 in 38-55 cal and hunt with-in the limits of the guns effective range. This in contrast to a modern scoped rifle that exceeds the hunters ability to shoot at x-long ranges. I do this not for the sole purpose of killing but for the enjoyment of the hunt which is the primary thing for me now. Remember how we discussed the stages a hunter goes through as they age, well this may be the final stage?

[Hunting Man]

In addition to my last entry, I filled my 2007 doe tag in PA with a NRA 1871-1971 Model 94 Winchester in 30-30 cal. This was at a range of 70 yds and using a peep sight. As ronn has said, dead is dead and that doe ran 30 yds total. I would like to harvest a deer with every legal cal rifle I own. Some of the other camp buddies are doing the same thing. Just one more thing to keep the hunting interest high.