An oil-based ink composition for ink jet recording of the present invention contains a colorant and at least 50% by weight of a mixed solvent made by mixing from 0.02 to 4 parts by weight of a lactone-type solvent with 1 part by weight of polyoxyethylene glycol dialkyl ether represented by the following general formula (1): R.sup.11--(OC.sub.2H.sub.4).sub.n--OR.sup.12 General Formula (1) (wherein R.sup.11, R.sup.12 represent alkyl groups having from 1 to 3 carbon atoms and can be the same or different, and n is an integer from 2 to 4). The oil-based ink composition can be suitably used for printing on a polyvinyl chloride substrate and is excellent in all of print quality, printing stability, dry characteristics of printed matter, and storage stability of ink.