Modern Production Winchester Model 1886

Atla

Atla

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Well, I've been looking and lusting for one ever since my books took off. (It's what my main character uses.)

I've LOVED finding probably a half dozen sites that will let you pay through ZELLE or with Crypto for prices and availability that are too good to be true. (sub $1,500)

It's gotten to the point where the Turnbull Custom's are looking good. Even at a base price of $3,500 and a 1 year wait. I've tried justifying it all last night and today, and just can't convince myself to get one. But it'd certainly be one heckuva heirloom gun!

But, after much scouring the web, I found a few Winchester's available last night for $1,625 from what appears to be a reputable site through GunWatcher.com.

Anything I should know before pulling the trigger on one?

Any hidden mystery problems that will make me regret it?
 
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I would like one, but the nasty tang safety that is on many of the Miroku models turns me away. You can find a nice pristine used one from late in final batch. Price will be high, but not Turnbull high.
 
Buy the Browning version. Still a Miroku, but without the tang safety.

Edited to add - I have a Browning carbine. Have had several of the Browning 86s over the years and have been pleased with them.
 
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Amanda4461 said:
I would like one, but the nasty tang safety that is on many of the Miroku models turns me away. You can find a nice pristine used one from late in final batch. Price will be high, but not Turnbull high.
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What's the issue with the tang safety?
 
rufrdr said:
What's the issue with the tang safety?
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Same issue as with the S&W safety hole on their revolvers. The word “Classic” should not be used to describe one of their new product model 19 revolvers. The original didn’t have one, they are a lawyer scam and an ugly one to boot. Teddy Roosevelt didn’t need one, nor did Bill Jordan. If any gun needs a safety added to it, revolvers and lever actions ain’t it. Bah!
 
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Atla said:
Well, I've been looking and lusting for one ever since my books took off. (It's what my main character uses.)

I've LOVED finding probably a half dozen sites that will let you pay through ZELLE or with Crypto for prices and availability that are too good to be true. (sub $1,500)

It's gotten to the point where the Turnbull Custom's are looking good. Even at a base price of $3,500 and a 1 year wait. I've tried justifying it all last night and today, and just can't convince myself to get one. But it'd certainly be one heckuva heirloom gun!

But, after much scouring the web, I found a few Winchester's available last night for $1,625 from what appears to be a reputable site through GunWatcher.com.

Anything I should know before pulling the trigger on one?

Any hidden mystery problems that will make me regret it?
Click to expand...

Buy once, cry once.
The 1886 is a beautiful rifle. Whatever you get it will not loose value.

You can get a plain Jane and then send it to someone like Turnbull for upgrades like CCH or have it customized the way you want.
 
Amanda4461 said:
Same issue as with the S&W safety hole on their revolvers. The word “Classic” should not be used to describe one of their new product model 19 revolvers. The original didn’t have one, they are a lawyer scam and an ugly one to boot. Teddy Roosevelt didn’t need one, nor did Bill Jordan. If any gun needs a safety added to it, revolvers and lever actions ain’t it. Bah!
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So it is ethetics and not function that is the issue? I get it but that's the world we live in now. Without the tang safety Winchester probably wouldn't have brought them to market due to the lawsuit risk. We can thank our sue-happy fellow shooters for the situation we're in now.
 
rufrdr said:
What's the issue with the tang safety?
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Leverguns didn't have safeties originally. Tha's what half-cock is for. Savage 1899 had a lever lock, which you could call a safety... I don' like 'em, but I have 1899s with 'em. Marlins with a Cross Bolt Safety get a Safety Delete.
 
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To reward yourself for the effort it takes to put out a successful book I vote for ahead and go Turnbull.

Since you already made your choice. I think you did just fine.

Waiting for pictures now😉
 
Well... Sigh.

I was contacted by the seller today, they told me the website had made a mistake somehow and sold a rifle to me that they didn't have in stock and they had zero idea how that happened.

They are sending a full refund to me.

Since then, I've been scouring the internet and racking my brain trying to think of what to do next. I did find some of the Winchester's for sale at Guns.com, but they are the .45-90 variant.

Talyors Firearms has a couple for sale, but they are more expensive and made by Chiappa ($2,000) and Pedersoli. ($2,400)

I've been a bit tempted by the Marlin 1895 SBL, but part of the excitement and fun was having the same rifle my main character used.

So, I dunno. The search continues.
 
I -think- this is what happened.

I found the rifles for sale, opened the page, added to cart, then decided to 'post about it' on Tuesday.

With the page still open a day later, I finished buying on Wednesday.

But they'd already been sold.

This is why I believe it, according to Gunwatcher.com, (no idea how they pull this information), they sold four of these rifles Tuesday. Note the four exact models at the exact same price I was trying to buy and four days ago would put it on Tuesday. -cry-

dangit.jpg
 
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I'm seeing a few on gunsinternational for under $2k.
 

Browning 1886 .45-70, 26" Octagon Barrel , Limited production 1986 - Lever Action Rifles at GunBroker.com : 953193924

Buy Browning 1886 .45-70, 26" Octagon Barrel , Limited production 1986: GunBroker is the largest seller of Lever Action Rifles Rifles Guns & Firearms All: 953193924
www.gunbroker.com

Browning 1 of 3000 45-70 Gov - Lever Action Rifles at GunBroker.com : 953639001

Buy Browning 1 of 3000 45-70 Gov: GunBroker is the largest seller of Lever Action Rifles Rifles Guns & Firearms All: 953639001
www.gunbroker.com

Couple I found with a quick search on Gunbroker. Chiappa has also started making them.
 
Atla said:
I -think- this is what happened.

I found the rifles for sale, opened the page, added to cart, then decided to 'post about it' on Tuesday.

With the page still open a day later, I finished buying on Wednesday.

But they'd already been sold.

This is why I believe it, according to Gunwatcher.com, (no idea how they pull this information), they sold four of these rifles Tuesday. Note the four exact models at the exact same price I was trying to buy and four days ago would put it on Tuesday. -cry-

dangit.jpg
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In case you haven't noticed, this group is great at helping spend other people's money. 🤣
 
OP. Direct response to your question. I had an 1886 Miroku Winchester 4570 short rifle. Solid, Beautiful, Accurate, Reliable. Top notch gun. Picked it up new in box on GB three years ago under $700, deals still abound but not that good. Slew many deer with it and outfitted it with a simple 1x4 scope for said use.

The rebounding hammer trigger was not too bad but factory set about 7 lbs. Careful stoneing and acquisition of extra rebound hammer spring and strut (modified to ease the overall function) resulted in what I consider to be a trigger worthy of a nonrebounding hammer model. Clean crisp 4.5 lb break and maintained rebound function as there is no safety notch on these hammers.

If you find a Winchester Miroku 45-70, buy with confidence.

Draw backs related to the 1886 design only, not to Win/Miroku....heavy....very heavy, Gosh Damned frustrating to reassemble after a disassembly for deep clean.
 
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I contacted Taylor's Firearms and asked if they had any discounts and what their best price on a Pedersoli 'Sporting/Far West' model was. (Hey, you always gotta ask, never know what you might get!)

They said they could do a military discount of 5%, which would save me about $121.

I told them I'd think it over.

taylorsfirearms.com

1886 Sporting Rifle

Some sporting rifles are just too good to die and a classic example is the 1886. Originally created by genius gunsmith John Browning and produced from 1897 to 1935, is manufactured in even more configurations today. These new models are produced with modern metallurgy and a twist rate suitable...
taylorsfirearms.com taylorsfirearms.com

www.davide-pedersoli.com

Breech Loading Rifles model 1886 Lever Action Sporting Rifle

Davide Pedersoli sells and produces reproductions of Breech Loading Rifles such as 1886 Lever Action Sporting of the product line Model 1886 Lever Action
www.davide-pedersoli.com www.davide-pedersoli.com

far_west_1886.jpg


No tang safety, but a better grip and better stock for less pain. After some reading and asking around, I've found that those changes are worth a 'break from the original'.

I've been looking around the last few nights instead of writing on Book Four and I'm pretty sure this is what I'm going to go with.

I reckon I'll try and negotiate for a deal on some of their Black Hills .45-70 ammunition as well. They've got it for $1.68/round, new reloads.;)

Like I said, it never hurts to ask. You never know what you they might offer to sweeten the deal.
 
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Oh, I should add, I did find a decent Uberti 1886 on Guns International from a seller who was willing to take gold/silver in trade. (Picture's weren't great, but they seemed to be a good quality rifle from what I gather.)

www.gunsinternational.com

Uberti 1886 Sporting 45/70, 26" New in box 71230, for sale

Uberti 1886 Sporting 45/70, 26" New in box 71230, for sale online.
www.gunsinternational.com www.gunsinternational.com

Asked him what his best price/silver payment would be. He said it was priced to sell as it was. (Like I said, never hurts to ask.)

Not sure on the gold, but for silver he was offering 14.5x Face Value. So a $5 roll was worth $72.50... except it's worth closer to $110 if you were to buy it today at $19.xx/ounce. That means I'd have to pay extra to ship my silver at a discounted price to him, for him to sell the rifle to me(making profit on the rifle), and then he'd turn around and flip the silver to someone else(making profit again on the silver).

Just going to throw that out there to folks, do the math if you're going to trade precious metals.

I wouldn't expect $110/$5 roll... but closer to $90-$95 might have worked.
 
Try making an offer. Asking someone to bid against their own asking price is... well... no.
 
Taylor's is out of Va, take a day trip and go fondle their merchandise. You could also call down to Midsouth guns and see if they have any 1886 in stock.
 
I think the tang safety and the 'hillary hole' are totally unnecessary, but I don't get bent out of shape about a gun that has them. I simply don't use them. Same with the marlin cross-bolt safety. You can still use the half-cock as god intended.

The feature of the newer Winchesters I'm not a fan of, however is that silly rebounding hammer. Its been my experience that it doesn't hit as hard as the non-rebounding type, and sometimes will fail to fire ammo with harder primers on the first strike. Not the end of the world with a range gun, but its a definite deal breaker with a hunting rifle. I've got a custom '94 Winchester that was my fathers, and I love it, aside from the rebounding hammer. I should probably look into having it converted to a standard version, if that's possible.
 
The much lightened rebounding hammer on my 1886 never failed with hundreds of hard cci primers. I consider the issue another of those overblown internet stories. But, many will believe and pass on a solid firearm
 
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Think we have one in the shop up for sale. Got to look. I know it's a 1886 deluxe takedown.
I bought my personal one off the SASS website. We'll worth joining to get cowboy stuff
 
Wonderful choice, and a fine rifle! I hope it shoots as good as it looks!
 
RedneckFur said:
I think the tang safety and the 'hillary hole' are totally unnecessary, but I don't get bent out of shape about a gun that has them. I simply don't use them. Same with the marlin cross-bolt safety. You can still use the half-cock as god intended.

The feature of the newer Winchesters I'm not a fan of, however is that silly rebounding hammer. Its been my experience that it doesn't hit as hard as the non-rebounding type, and sometimes will fail to fire ammo with harder primers on the first strike. Not the end of the world with a range gun, but its a definite deal breaker with a hunting rifle. I've got a custom '94 Winchester that was my fathers, and I love it, aside from the rebounding hammer. I should probably look into having it converted to a standard version, if that's possible.
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My 95 has a rebounding hammer and has set off hundreds of GI M2 .30 rounds with hard primers with no issues.
 
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