BEST 45-70 MODEL 1886 LEVER ACTION BRANDS

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What brand model 1886 lever action 45-70's are best in you'all's opinions?

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[Trailrider]

Probably the Miroku/Browning/Winchester.  Of course, the original Winchester M1886 is the best IMHO!  Especially, if you can get ahold of a later one with a lightweight barrel chambered in .45-70.  The .33 WCF is a great cartridge, if you don't mind handloading, and can find some of the Hornady jacketed FLAT softpoint 200 grain bullets in .338.  The M71 Winchester, the modified '86 in .348 WCF is alright, though the round kicks a bit.  I really wish Olin/Winchester/Browning/Moroku or whoever owns the patent rights had brought out a .33 WCF Improved with a slightly sharper shoulder, or a .338/.348. The former would have been easier to form shells if the manufacturers didn't have an ammo company make the improved ammo.  I shot some Cowboy Sihlloette (sp?) offhand matches at a local club, using a .33 WCF '86 against mostly M94 in .30-30 shooters.  Not to brag, but I finally quit because I felt like the .33 WCF was taking unfair advantage over the .30-30-170 gr. loads, especially on rams at 200m.  The .33 WCF makes a helluva hawg round, too!  But so does the .45-70.

[Forty Rod]

Yup, what he said.

[Pancho Peacemaker]

The Miroku/Brownings (made late '80's and early '90's) are a bit superior to the other Mirokus.  1) There is no tang safety on the Brownings and, 2) The wood used had nicer grain that the current Miroku/Winchesters.  I have one of the Miroku/Browning saddle ring carbines and it is one of my favorite rifles. 

You can find the Miroku/Brownings for sale in 98%+ condition for the same price as the current Miroku/Winchester offerings.

I've handled one of the newer Chiappa '86's.  The action is not as smooth as the Miroku guns.

An original Winchester in good condition would trump all of these.


Pancho

[Sir Charles deMouton-Black]

Haven't tried the rest.  My Browning BLR/SRC is pretty darn good!

And I won a Cowboy LR side match with it!  I got the long gong by aiming at the tree line behind it

[Marshall John Joseph]

I know where there is an 1886 NIB Winchester 45/70 for below cost.  PM if interested.

MJJ

[Thomas (Tom) Horn aka James Hicks]

Do not know what the "BEST" 45-70 Model 1886 Lever Action would be ... other than a REAL Winchester 1886 in 45-70.  I bought the Chiappa Winchester (copy) 26" Barrel in 45-70.  As  it comes ROB the copy is identical to the real Winchesters of 1886. It is tapped for Tang Sights. BUT as it comes ROB it is not the easiest of rifles to lever, VERY STIFF and a very HEAVY trigger pull.  All of this can be solved ifn one wishes to take the time. I took the time, and now the trigger pull is down to 2.5 lbs and the rifle levers a lot smoother now.  Replacing the EJECTOR SPRING with a lighter spring helped a lot and work on the Lever Cam and the Carrier and the Carrier Hook reduced the binding when levering. It is more than tolerable now. The rifle came with a flat Buckhorn rear sight and standard Blade front sight (adjustable with screw). The problem with this set up is that you cannot get a sight picture as the slot in the buckhorn was too narrow... when sighting all you could see was BLACK... front sight Blade filled the slot in the rearsight. I removed the buckhorn and replaced with a Vernier Tang, problem solved.  The rifle shoots very well at 100, 200 and 300 yards for cowboy Long Range.  But is is it the best... hmmmmm, don't think so, but the Chiappa (PUMA) 1886 is a very good copy. Some pictures showing the Vernier Tang Sight with leather butt cover and leather wrap on lever.

[rbertalotto]

I love my Mirchester Take Down..........



One of the most accurate rifles I own........Lever, bolt or single shot!

With RanchDog Gas Checks and Reloader 7 its a real shooter!

http://public.fotki.com/Rbertalotto/things-that-go-bang/1886-winchester-tak/

[Slickshot]

VERY Pretty Mirochester take down!!!

Very nice indeed.  I have always had Straight stocks on all my leverguns, is the pistol grip better or worse and is it hard to get used to?

Was going to get a 1873 when I had enough money, but now I have to get an 1886...That's my kind of gun!!!


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[rbertalotto]

Thanks!

I have a dozen lever action rifles. Both straight and pistol grip stocks. I like the looks of the straight grips but the PG are much faster in CAS in my hands. They tend to "point" better and certainly handle recoil better.

[PJ Hardtack]

The Japanese made '86. No tang safety, non-rebounding hammer. Locks up like a bank vault, great trigger.

Ridiculously accurate. Dropped two moose for me with single heart shots using a BP-equivalent smokeless load and my cast bullets.

I remember when they were scorned as "No Winchester should have 'Made In Japan' on it ...." Now they're desirable. The guy that I bought mine from wanted the money to buy an Italian-made 'Sharps'! He's tried twice since to buy back the Browning '86.

Yeah, right ..... ;>)

My wife and I both own .44 mag B-92s as well, the mini-'86. Great guns all, for the above reasons.

[rbertalotto]

The Japanese made '86. No tang safety, non-rebounding hammer

This only applies to the "Browning" version. The Winchester version has a Tang Safety and a rebound hammer. Both easily modified. If a tang sight is used (recommended!), then the tang safety is simply removed. The rebound hammer is handles with 5 minutes of a Dremel tool..........Or the Browning parts can be swapped into the Winchester.

The slot for the tang safety can be filled in with TIG welding and reblueed by any competent gunsmith.

[PJ Hardtack]

In other words .... turn any other '86 clone into a Browning '86, right ... ;>)  They did it right the first time - like Winchester.

[rbertalotto]

turn any other '86 clone into a Browning '86

Yup, the lawyers screwed this one up!

[sail32]

The 1886 at  www.turnbullmfg.com  is expensively interesting.