Special Interests - Groups & Societies > The Winchester Model 1886

Some 1886 set trigger questions.

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Roscoe Coles:
A year or so ago an old friend told me that a 45-70 1886 had come into the gun shop where he works.  There is basically no market for western guns there, all his customers preferring black plastic death or military stuff.  The gun was a pistol grip color cases rifle made in 1888.  It is in nice shape with a fancy checkered forearm but the stock had been replaced with a straight stock.  The gun looked odd, but it was mechanically perfect with a strong bore at a very reasonable price (about $1k).  I bought it figuring that improvements could be made.  I lucked out about a month after I received the gun and found a correct early style pistol grip stock on EBay which fit perfectly, but was not checkered or as fancy as the forearm.  I swapped the stocks and sold the straight one for about a quarter of the purchase price.  Anyway, tonight I took the stock off to see if the tang was marked for fancy wood and I noticed that the gun has a set trigger, which is very nice.  I also noticed that there is a spring screwed to the bottom of the top tang, which I assume has something to do with the set trigger as it is not in the diagrams I have seen for the 1886 or on my browning 1886 carbine (which is slightly different mechanically). 

Can anyone tell me this spring’s function?  I have included a picture of the gun and the set trigger/spring.   

I did not realize how rare a pistol grip 1886 with checkered fancy wood is when I bought this gun.  I knew I got a really good deal on it when I bought it, but the deal keeps getting better the more research I do.

Roscoe Coles:
Here is a shot of the numbers of special features for the 1886 from Madis, the Winchester Handbook.  Note that there were 796 pistol grip guns, 501 with special wood, and only 280 that were checkered.  Throw in the set trigger and that is 4 special features on this gun.

greyhawk:

--- Quote from: Roscoe Coles on May 05, 2021, 01:17:54 AM ---A year or so ago an old friend told me that an 45-70 1886 had come into the gun shop where he works.  There is basically no market for western guns there, all his customers preferring black plastic death or military stuff.  The gun was a pistol grip color cases rifle made in 1888.  It is in nice shape with a fancy checkered forearm but the stock had been replaced with a straight stock.  The gun looked odd, but it was mechanically perfect with a strong bore at a very reasonable price (about $1k).  I bought it figuring that improvements could be made.  I lucked out about a month after I received the gun and found a correct early style pistol grip stock on EBay which fit perfectly, but was not checkered or as fancy as the forearm.  I swapped the stocks and sold the straight one for about a quarter of the purchase price.  Anyway, tonight I took the stock off to see if the tang was marked for fancy wood and I noticed that the gun has a set trigger, which is very nice.  I also noticed that there is a spring screwed to the bottom of the top tang, which I assume has something to do with the set trigger as it is not in the diagrams I have seen for the 1886 or on my browning 1886 carbine (which is slightly different mechanically). 

Can anyone tell me this spring’s function?  I have included a picture of the gun and the set trigger/spring.   

That big spring under the top tang is the carrier (cartridge lifter) spring - if you intend to strip the gun down you will need a good quality 90 degree shank screwdriver to shift it and you find if you dont release the spring tension then getting the hammer pivot screw out and back in is a PITA (can do it but at risk of boogering the thread on the hammer screw)

I did not realize how rare a pistol grip 1886 with checkered fancy wood is when I bought this gun.  I knew I got a really good deal on it when I bought it, but the deal keeps getting better the more research I do.

--- End quote ---

yeah you got a rare bargain - enjoy it !

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Roscoe Coles:
Thanks for the information,  I don’t need to take it down.  It is clean enough as it is. 

HamptonBogs45:

--- Quote from: Roscoe Coles on May 05, 2021, 01:17:54 AM ---A year or so ago an old friend told me that a 45-70 1886 had come into the gun shop where he works.  There is basically no market for western guns there, all his customers preferring black plastic death or military stuff.  The gun was a pistol grip color cases rifle made in 1888.  It is in nice shape with a fancy checkered forearm but the stock had been replaced with a straight stock.  The gun looked odd, but it was mechanically perfect with a strong bore at a very reasonable price (about $1k).  I bought it figuring that improvements could be made.  I lucked out about a month after I received the gun and found a correct early style pistol grip stock on EBay which fit perfectly, but was not checkered or as fancy as the forearm.  I swapped the stocks and sold the straight one for about a quarter of the purchase price.  Anyway, tonight I took the stock off to see if the tang was marked for fancy wood and I noticed that the gun has a set trigger, which is very nice.  I also noticed that there is a spring screwed to the bottom of the top tang, which I assume has something to do with the set trigger as it is not in the diagrams I have seen for the 1886 or on my browning 1886 carbine (which is slightly different mechanically). 

Can anyone tell me this spring’s function?  I have included a picture of the gun and the set trigger/spring.   

I did not realize how rare a pistol grip 1886 with checkered fancy wood is when I bought this gun.  I knew I got a really good deal on it when I bought it, but the deal keeps getting better the more research I do.

--- End quote ---

If you have deep pockets this rifle deserves a full turnbull restoration.

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