Hi New member to your forum. My son was just given a Winchester model 88 lever action, and it is a pre 1960 mfg.The gun was his wifes grandfathers, who is 96, and bought it new in the late 50's The problem is the magazine has been lost. We tried purchasing an aftermarket one online, but it did not work right so it was returned. The caliber is 308. Do any members know where we can get one. We believe that the only way that the gun will work right is with a orig. early mfg. mag. ------Are we correct ???? -------Any help would be appreciated.

Your best bet is with one of the Auction sites. Gunbroker.com, e-bay, others around. I had an 8-round Collier Clip one time for my Winchester M100 in .308. It takes the same magazine as the M88 Winchester. Any magazine for the 100 or the 88 in .308, .243, .358 will work just fine. They were all the same magazine. Typically, they will run about $50-$70 on the auction sites. Maybe a few bucks less. These will be the factory 4 shot magazines. And the M88 is a Fantastic rifle. It's a keeper, for sure. The early magazines only differed from the newer ones in the design of the floorplate. Any of them will work. If your son wants to get rid of it, you take it off his hands. Check out the auction sites for prices for that model of rifle. You're gonna be astounded. ESPECIALLY the pre-64's. ESPECIALLY the 1950's models.

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"It is the province of knowledge to speak and it is the privilege of wisdom to listen". Oliver Wendell Holmes

First, congrats to your son on getting that fine old Winchester. The M88 is becoming more valuable every day as a collector or shooter!

I have found a place that has replica(?) magazines that look exactly the same and are also pretty darn reasonable for both the M88 and M100. For the record these two rifles use magazines so similar that they can be interchanged (I own both and have tried). The only downside is if you use a M100 with a magazine for the M88, the rifle will not fire the last round and stay bolt open. Anyway, here's the link to the magazines. Both M88 and M100 magazines are available here:

http://www.sportsmansguide.com/net/c....aspx?a=556296

Tnhunter & Sinbad , thanks for the input. Tnhunter, you mentioned that you have used those mags. from that vendor with success. We will order one and see how it works out. They have a return policy, so there is nothing to lose. This gun he was given is a beauty, and it also has the factory mtd. scope that was an option i believe.We still will watch out for an orig. , and if we keep looking, sooner or later, we will find one.Thanks