Which would you get (or have got already)?

I'm seeing a number of Savage 99's around in 308 Win, but would love a WInchester 88 also. The WIn's are getting mighty expensive...are they worth it?

I would really like to get ahold of a 88 winchester in .358 winchester. I just dont really like the 99 for some reason.

Just going on looks here. I havent shot either of them.

I don't personaly care for either of them, if I was going to get a lever to shoot pointy bullets out of I'd get a Winchester 1895.

Which would you get (or have got already)?

I'm seeing a number of Savage 99's around in 308 Win, but would love a WInchester 88 also. The WIn's are getting mighty expensive...are they worth it?
99 EG wonderful

If you can get an 88 in 358, i would pick it up, but since i am a Savage guy, I wold go for a Savage 99A or a Brushgun in 375, or a 99 Brushgun in 358. Then you have all of the wonderful pre-mil 99's too. I could ramble for hours about this. Can't say that which will not be said W-word. :grin: Les

Which would you get (or have got already)?

I'm seeing a number of Savage 99's around in 308 Win, but would love a WInchester 88 also. The WIn's are getting mighty expensive...are they worth it?

I was always a bolt action fan. Shot very little leveraction until two years ago I bought a Model 99A in 250 savage. I put a 1 1/2 to 4 power scope mounted low on it and love it. It's almost as accurate some of my expensive bolt actions and it's dream to shoot. I shot a nice eight point buck running flat out in the brush and the savage found tracked and almost fired by itself! You can guess what I like and have my antennaes out looking for! :)
Mike B.

Mike, you might want to check out my web page, you will drool a bit. http://savagela.org I like the 250 too, but am truly a 303 Savage fanatic. Les

Mike, you might want to check out my web page, you will drool a bit. http://savagela.org I like the 250 too, but am truly a 303 Savage fanatic. Les
I'm slobbering!
I've bookmarked it but will have to stay away from it for awhile or I'll be in the doghouse! I'm trying to behave for a little while. I recently went a little crazy over the levers and bought several Marlins and Winnies. I like them all but love the savage. I let a .300 and a 22 Hi power get away from me in the last year. They were at Gander Mountain of all places and I don't think they knew what they had. Anyway, each time I went back the next day to buy and they were gone! I've been reading about the .303 and it sounds like a neat one too.
Thanks and happy hunting!
Mike B. :)

I am going to do an extensive write-up on it for the site this week. Les

Which one to get? That's an easy question to answer. Both!

I want a 99EG in .300 Savage, and an 88 in .308 Win. You can't have too many lever actions!

I don't have any Winny's in my collection, haven't had the desire for any, might get a 94 in 22 Mag for giggles. Les

Leverite, for collecting, get the one you WANT, better yet get both, for year-round shooting, a BLR.

Leverite, for collecting, get the one you WANT, better yet get both, for year-round shooting, a BLR.


Thanks...
I have to have a working shooter and have looked at the BLR. How trustworthy is the action...seems fairly complicated as lever go? Is it dead reliable?

Of course if I go BLR then I'd have many (too many?) fine cartridges to decide from.

leverite, the BLR is a darn good rifle, I can't say anything bad about it. Heck, 30-06 in a lever, what is wrong with that. Les

I'm VERY happy with my 99E in .308 win. I have to try real hard to miss. Mine has a tight chamber and bore. I load it to .300 savage levels because of the design and age. I also like the lighter recoil. I've looked at the model 88 and BLRs. The sellers weren't interested in selling for what I would consider a reasonable price. I'm not a colector, I'm a shooter. I suggest you get the rifle YOU want and enjoy it. It's your money. I don't see any negatives in any of your potential choices. I prefer the looks and feel of the 99 but, that's just me.

My BLR's have never failed and accuracy is very good to amazing. My .308 was bought used in 1973 and still functions perfectly. My .223 and .257 new from the mid-80's, have also yet to stutter.

I've had my 88 (.308) for years, and shot many deer with it. It's been a good and reliable gun, and I'd get another one. I don't know much about the 99's, but can remember vaguely that when I was comparing the two, there were features of the 99 that I was uncomfortable with. You should handle and try out both and see which one fits you and your style of hunting best I guess. The BLR's are too light at the muzzle end for me. Otherwise I believe they are a fine gun. Have fun.

As a lever guy, I like 'em all - except the BLR.

Got a nice Savage 99C in .308. Great gun. The trigger, while clean, is off the scale on my RCBS scale, (it goes up to 72 ounces). I suspect it's around 5 or 5 1/2 pounds.
I'm going to study the disassembly diagrams very carefully before I attempt a trigger job, (anybody have any recomendations?).

The Winnie M88 is an elegant piece - my uncle has one and swears by it.

Of the two, I'm prejudiced toward the Savage, (maybe because it's more "old timey").

To each, his own.

Nathaniel, all you can really do with that trigger is polish it up so it is smooth, I wouldn't recommend anything above that. Les

Which would you get (or have got already)?

I'm seeing a number of Savage 99's around in 308 Win, but would love a WInchester 88 also. The WIn's are getting mighty expensive...are they worth it?

I own both, the 88 is the more accurate of the two. But in 308 or larger they kick like a mule and are not much fun to shoot. (I recently sold my 308 and bought a 243) If you get one I highly recommend a very good recoil pad. If you plan on doing a lot of shooting I would go with the 99. After all, deer don't care if your shot group is 3/4 or 1.5. Dead is dead.

I've got a 99F in .308 and I love it. Haven't looked back or a single regret since I bought it.

Go with the Win #88 - good stocking, smooth handling and fine accuracy. If I do my job from the bench, my #88 is capable of 3/4 - 1 inch @ 100 yards with a scope. Much better isn't necessary for a .308W.

Favourite load: Sierra 180 grs RN in front of 43 grs Norma 203-B. I have got the best accuracy, however, with the same amount of IMR 4350, but with slower velocity.

Old Sh.

I would get the Savage 99 if you find an accurate one in 308, the 300 savage is nostalgic and a bit harde to repair, the 308 is just right, lots of good loaded ammo and easy to reload.

There are still parts available for it and many gunsmiths work on that model, the 88 is more difficult to work on and not as pretty

I have 8 model 99's, and two model 88's (one is first year of production). The 88 is a great gun, but not in the classic sense, like the 99. Both are getting expensive, but the 88 is REALLY getting up there. I like the 99's the best simply because they began production in a totally different era, and survived for over 100 years. Not many guns can make that claim.

I also have a BLR in .243, which I've never shot. Has an unusual combination of stainless and straight, laminated stock. Haven't seen another like it.

Good shooting!
buckmeister2



Which would you get (or have got already)?

I'm seeing a number of Savage 99's around in 308 Win, but would love a WInchester 88 also. The WIn's are getting mighty expensive...are they worth it?

This thread has been around for awhile. I ended up getting a premil Savage 99F in 308 last winter. It just felt right. Very accurate w/ 150 gr COre Lokts. Prices seemed to jump way up again this spring, so very glad I got it at a good price.

Which would you get (or have got already)?

I'm seeing a number of Savage 99's around in 308 Win, but would love a WInchester 88 also. The WIn's are getting mighty expensive...are they worth it?

I've owned both, and both chambered in .308.

while the Winnie was surely more nimble and lighter, the Savage edged it out in the accuracy dept.

I do not think you would go wrong with either, but the Savage is surely a "Beefier" rifle.

IF it's a rotary magazine 99, get it! If not, it doesn't make a lot of difference.

The majority of my Guns are pre-64 Winchesters, but I do own others as well. The Savage "M99" , with the brass rotary magazine, is one of these. Got two of them, a 300 sav. and 99F in 308. The 99F is a great gun, except for the checkering, I wish it would disappear. The thin barrel, after 4 or 5 shots starts to wander a tad, but let it cool and you're good to go. It doesn't wander by much, not enough to miss a deer and if I can't hit it after 4 or 5 shots I should give up anyways. It's a good "Go'in Hunting Gun" as it carries well and fits between your legs in a small 4x4 jeep size vehicle.

But, between the M99 and the M88; which one is better? I own both and I've never actually thought about which one is better. Heck, there both better. Both 308's and both carry well, shoulder well, shoot well. If I said the M88 was better it would be because I'm bias towards pre-64 Winchesters.

Regards:
Rod

There's a 88 in the case that is too expensive to shoot. The opportunity cost is one sore shoulder that thing will bang you up.
If you want the .358, shoot it thru a heavy rifle.

Sorry guys but I've got to say it. If you're looking for this style of rifle you've got to look at a Finnwolf. Sako improved on the 88 dramatically and it became one **** of a rifle. I could only wish they were reintroduced to the market. I'm sure their original high cost could be brought down dramatically with new machining processes

Leverite - I own a 1899, and I have owned several 99's over the past 30+ years. 99's "cock" on closing, which takes just a bit to get used to (easier to eject cartidges theorically) . Both action types cycle very smoothly, just differently. I prefer the 99's reliable "rotary" magazine to the "detachable box" of the "88" (can't loose it). The trigger is easier to adjust on the 99 than the 88, whose trigger is attached to the "trigger housing group" (most 88's are awfully "creepy" and I know of no one that will attempt to adjust one). To me, the 99 is easier to carry and comes to the shoulder better than the 88, which feels a bit "clubby" (IMHO). I had an 88 in a .308 Winchester that was a "pre-64" model. Like all stocked guns before '64 (mdl. 70 included) it kicked all out of proportion to its chambering because of the amount of "drop" designed into the stock to accomodate iron sights. Because of the 88's "lock-up", I'd suspect it will handle pressures a bit higher than the 99 without as much case stretch. My next pick in a 99 will be a .300 Sav. in an EG model, plenty of "steam"; classic cartridge and gun combination; little recoil (even compared to the .308), and nice light weight to carry. I've owned several .250's and would "pop" for another if I could find one in a 99A with a 1:10 twist as well.