.308 soft or polymer tip?

[RimfireRick]

I recently bought a nice used Winchester model 88, in .308. Very nice gun to shoot, but NOT always easy to load. Problem is, about 1/4 the time, the cartridges fail to easily load from clip to gun.

I'm presently using Federal .308, 150 rain bullets with soft lead tip. This the first .308 I've ever bought, so I chose the least expensive cartridges, at $27 for 20, from Wholesale Sports.

Question is: does it make any difference in ease of loading if I go to a harder-point bullet? Would they feed easier? I suppose they would cost more, but wtf.

Your comments most welcome.

[Phil]

Congratulations on the Model 88. It is a good rifle and you should enjoy it. I have my Dad's which he purchased in 1958 and enjoy taking it for a walk a couple of times a season. They shoot very well.

The rifle should feed easily regardless of the type of bullet you are using. The 150 grain Federal ammo is very traditional and there should be no issues.

I suspect the issue is with your magazine. You might want to have a gunsmith check it out or compare it against another mag to see if there is any obvious damage to yours. I live in St Albert and if you are in the area we could compare magazines some time.

Unfortunately it is difficult and expensive to find a replacement mag for the Model 88.

Good Luck
Phil

[Huntsman]

Great rifle! I too inherited my dad's. Sounds like a mag issue but would need to see it to compare. Mine digests everything I feed it.
I reload too so I've loaded Nosler Ballistic Tips, SST's, cast boolits and now Barnes TSX. She's already for the season. Where abouts are you. Sometimes mags pop up on here and CGN but ain't cheap.

[vcmm]

PM Wilber1005 on here. He might have some.

[RimfireRick]

Thanks, it is a great rifle to shoot. But sounds like the magazine is perhaps a tad wearing out. Me, I'm located in Calgary, and will msg that fellow who may have a mag.

I suppose it's hard to describe in words, but what would a good magazine look like compared to a worn one, that is, what part on the mag gets worn?

This is all good larnin' for me, much obliged.

[Dick284]

Originally Posted by RimfireRick

Thanks, it is a great rifle to shoot. But sounds like the magazine is perhaps a tad wearing out. Me, I'm located in Calgary, and will msg that fellow who may have a mag.

I suppose it's hard to describe in words, but what would a good magazine look like compared to a worn one, that is, what part on the mag gets worn?

This is all good larnin' for me, much obliged.

Mags seldom wear.
But they sure can get bent, or adjusted by Bubba with his trusty leatherman tool.

I owned an 88 a while back, it shot and fed lead tipped soft point reloads with nary a problem.

[Jordan Smith]

Look on the mag and make sure it's for the model 88. I had a difficult time with my rifle- exactly the same problem you're having, and I noticed that the culprit mag was for a model 100. My model 88 mags feed flawlessly. It might have just been a bad mag, or the model 100 mags might be a bit different. I'm not sure, but that's what solved my feeding issue.

[Sitting Bull]

Mine feeds very well so far. I have only had it for a while. It shoots amazing.

[gtr]

The clips can work in either rifle 100 or 88.The 100 clip holds the bolt open on the follower when empty . The springs can become weak if left loaded.