Nice Pawn Shop Find

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Panzerman

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I was out of town for some work related training and thought I would hit the local Pawn Shops before heading home.
Low and behold a Beautiful Winchester model 88, in .243 Winchester. It had a 5 digit serial number which tells me it was more than likely pre 64. Hand stock wood checkering, black hand stock end pieces and a antique Weaver scope. Very nice condition. The gun looks new. The scope is beat up, but the gun, except for some wear around the muzzle is exceptional. They wanted $629 for it, but after some skillful dickering I got it for $580 out the door. I checked the serial numbers online. Production was 1958. This gun must have had a good owner to be that old in that condition. Regardless, I have definitely captured one of the white elephants of Fireams. Beautiful gun, action is so solid and smooth. Definitely made when guns were made to last forever.
 
...on a personal note...the .243 is the caliber I broke in on. I love it. 'Twas made for me personally.

Sounds like you found a beauty. Nothin' like those old Winchesters. Best o' luck with it.
 
Originally Posted By: Panzerman
I was out of town for some work related training and thought I would hit the local Pawn Shops before heading home.
Low and behold a Beautiful Winchester model 88, in .243 Winchester. It had a 5 digit serial number which tells me it was more than likely pre 64. Hand stock wood checkering, black hand stock end pieces and a antique Weaver scope. Very nice condition. The gun looks new. The scope is beat up, but the gun, except for some wear around the muzzle is exceptional. They wanted $629 for it, but after some skillful dickering I got it for $580 out the door. I checked the serial numbers online. Production was 1958. This gun must have had a good owner to be that old in that condition. Regardless, I have definitely captured one of the white elephants of Fireams. Beautiful gun, action is so solid and smooth. Definitely made when guns were made to last forever.


The Winchester Model 88 is a beautiful weapon. All finely blued steel and Walnut. The gun went out of production for much the same reason the Browning Auto 5 did. It simply cost too much to produce. This is mine in .308 Winchester. I picked it up from, "a friend of a friend" for just $250.00 back in the 90's. It only had a box of shells through it. It has an old Weaver steel tube KV-60 scope on it, that I was going to replace. But after taking it to the range, the gun was shooting under an inch. So I figured why mess with something that isn't broken. I managed to pick up an extra magazine for it from Brownell's. They had them made from an outfit that bought the old tooling and stamping dies from Winchester. The magazines can run well over $100.00 on the used market, provided you can find one. The gun feeds and shoots beautifully.

 
Nice find indeed. You find a gem in the oddest places sometimes. For instance, I picked up my Remington Model 8 in 35 Remington at a yard sale.
 
I've got a great old Model 100 that I inherited. That gun has a long story, was stolen and thought lost for good. Three years later it turns up in a pawn shop 4 hours away! [censored] neighbor had been breaking into houses in the neighborhood to fuel his drug habit.
 
Originally Posted By: ironman_gq
I've got a great old Model 100 that I inherited. That gun has a long story, was stolen and thought lost for good. Three years later it turns up in a pawn shop 4 hours away! [censored] neighbor had been breaking into houses in the neighborhood to fuel his drug habit.
Druggies are really a pock on society. I have no sympathy for them.
 
Originally Posted By: CT8
Druggies are really a pock on society. I have no sympathy for them.


They should all be killed. The only place for a worthless druggie is the cemetery.
 
Originally Posted By: CT8
Originally Posted By: ironman_gq
I've got a great old Model 100 that I inherited. That gun has a long story, was stolen and thought lost for good. Three years later it turns up in a pawn shop 4 hours away! [censored] neighbor had been breaking into houses in the neighborhood to fuel his drug habit.
Druggies are really a pock on society. I have no sympathy for them.


This guy had been in the neighborhood since my mom was a kid, he moved out for 15 years or so and everything was great. Break ins started within a month of the guy moving back into his mother's house. My mom actually shot him in the teeth with a slingshot when they were kids and he stole their lawnmower engine.
 
Lest we forget: "Back in 1996, Gary Webb of the San Jose Mercury News broke a story stating not only that the Nicaraguan Contras – supported by the United States in a rebellion against their left-leaning government – were involved in the US crack cocaine epidemic of the 1980s, but also that the CIA knew and turned a blind eye to the operation."
 
Originally Posted By: billt460
Originally Posted By: Panzerman
I was out of town for some work related training...


The Winchester Model 88 is a beautiful weapon. All finely blued steel and Walnut. The gun went out of production for much the same reason the Browning Auto 5 did. It simply cost too much to produce. This is mine in .308 Winchester. I picked it up from, "a friend of a friend" for just $250.00 back in the 90's. It only had a box of shells through it...


Good on both of you. Model 88's are very handsome rifles and, when they shoot well, are a pleasure to shoot. Occasionally they need some TLC, but basically they are very reliable.

You might update that steel tube Weaver to a later "Micro-Trac" if you can find one. But they are a natural fit for the 88 and the 100. The blueing fits nicely with that of the rifle. And they are surprisingly effective scopes. I have a few and they are about as tough as nails and reliable
smile.gif
 
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