Hey guys, I'm new to this forum so bear with me if I screw up! My question is about the quality of the new reproduction of the Win. 1886 light weight rifle in .45-70. The 1886 is about my all time favorite Winchester (Browning design), and I am the proud owner of an origional 1886 in .45-70 which I love to shoot. My problem is that it was manufactured in 1888 and even though it is in fine shape, I feel like it deserves to be at least simi-retired. With a new 1886 I could shoot all day without guilt. But it can't work if the quality is inferior. The prices seem good at $600 to $700. Can anyone advise me to their quality?
Ralph

Ralph,
Nice to have you here. If you do a search in the Leverguns forum here at Beartooth, you should be able to find a ton of posts about the new Browning/Winchester 1886's. If I remember correctly, everyone that has them are extremely pleased.

Thanks for the welcome! I will do the search as you suggest.
Ralph

Ralph, I have had one of these great little guns for a couple of years. i think that they are fine rifles, despite being made in Japan. The overall quality is excellent. I also have several original '86s, so this new one gives a couple of the old ones some rest. I am purchasing 2 more of 'em for future conversions to other calibers.
Check out CDNN Investments of Abilene, Tx. They have the guns in stock at $599.99. You will have to call them at 800-588-9500 to access the firearms. They currently run ads in the GunList, with many levers on sale.

Mike, I ordered one today from CDNN, they said Tues. or Wed. next week.....can't wait!

I bought one of the '86 take down models back in '99. I think that's the year they brought that model out. :confused:

For a re-introduced rifle made in Japan, I think they did an excellent job on both fit and finish. It is an impressive rifle with that 26" full octagon barrel.

My rifle shoots every bit as good as it looks. :D I especially like to shoot the Laser Cast 500 gr. bullet out of it.

It certainly isn't an original '86 but then neither was the price tag. ;)

The only objection that I have is that you need to have the tang drilled and tapped in one location to add a Marbles tang sight. I don't want to do that to mine. :(

I have a Winchester 1886 EL .45-70 on the way from CDNN. On the sight issue, I also don't like having to drill and tap the rifle, but could live with that, (I do like shooting with a peep sight). What bothers me more is that a receiver sight detracts from the natural slim lines of the rifle. And while a tang looks good and doesn't widen the rifle, doesn't the dang thing get in the way of your thumb? I'm considering the Williams dovetail firesight set. This would not change the lines of the rifle or require any modification. Of course you don't have the quick field adjustability, but it looks like a big improovement over the factory sights. Any thoughts?
Ralph

Ralph, your '86 EL will come factory d&t for receiver sight. I have Winchesters with both Williams and Lyman sights. Either one works fine.

Mike, Thanks for the info. Being that the receiver is already drilled and tapped, I will probably go with that way. I do like a peep sight anyway.

I bought one of the '86 take down models back in '99. I think that's the year they brought that model out. :confused:


Yup, the take down model came out in '99. In 1998 the non-takedown 26" octagonal barrel model was introduced. That was the first year of the USRAC offerings.

I'm a little dismayed seeing these prices. A little over a year ago I paid $1000 for a new EL grade 1! :eek: Oh well, I honestly feel that it's worth the money anyway.

Thanks for the good advice guys! I got my Winchester EL 1886 from CDNN, last week, and I am very pleased! The tang safety and rebounding safety are a little strange, but I think I can adjust!
Now, to work up some loads!

I bought one from CDNN about 6 months ago and am impressed with it. At first the action was very stiff but after 100 rounds or so it started to smooth out.

I installed a Lyman 66WB receiver sight and a red Williams Fire Sight up front (.290" in height). Great shooting iron.

Thanks Nitro,
Unless someone else has a better suggestion, that looks like about the best option for sites, (excluding glass), which I am not interested in for this rifle.

Mike,
I was wondering, with the "warm up" potential of the .45-70 in this rifle, what conversions are you thinking of, and why?

Ralph, I'm thinking of doing one to 45-90. I realise that the 45-70 can be loaded to the very upper end of the power scale, however, I have always had an affinity for the 45-90. I would like to retire my original Winchester. Another cartridge considered would be the 50 EX. I have a Browning 71 short rifle that will probably be used for this project, if and when time and funds allow. I'm glad that you took advantage of the great deal on you '86 EL. Tha action will definitely smooth out over time.
My unfamialiarity with the tang safety cost me a nice buck a few years back. Having used original Winchesters for most of my life, I just pulled back the hammer and touched 'er off. CLICK!! Oops. Away went the deer, over the fence and through the woods. That only happened once, so far. :D

Mike, The 45-90 is a great cartridge. Would the conversion require more than reaming the chamber?
The 50 EX would require re-barreling
as well as action work? How about that 1895 in .405 Win. in the CDNN ad? Not a bad price, but too soon for me!

Ralph, besides chamber reaming, some slight mods would have to be made to the loading gate and magazine to accommodate the longer cartridge. My new ELs will not accept a 45-90 cartridge as issued. My original '86s will cycle a 45-90 cartridge regardless of caliber. The 50-110 would require a new barrel as well as carrier and other internal modifications. Maybe too costly, I don't know.
Yes, the CDNN price of the new 405 is indeed a dandy deal. Alas, I'm already overspent for the short term. I'd rather work on the 71/'86 projects first. We must stick to our priorities,eh?

Mike, Yeah, I guess you are right about the priorities. Your projects do sound cool, let us know how they progress!

Any idea what the production run on the 1895/.405 is going to be. If it is going to be a limited, short run it may be a good investment opportunity.

I believe Winchester is in their second or third year of producing limited runs of the 1895 in 405. They are really nice rifles.

I believe Winchester is in their second or third year of producing limited runs of the 1895 in 405. They are really nice rifles.

a338,

At CDNN, for an additional $100 you can get a 2-digit serial number. Is it worth it?

Hard to say. Speculating on firearms as an investment is a gamble. I've seen the standard grade 405's in the first year production blue walnut (reproduction) go for around $1K. Since CDNN is offering these, I'm not sure these will hold that value. I suspect the reason they were that high in the first place were people speculating that they were good investments. Strange that CDNN is offering two-digit serial numbers. Might be worth it to have the three digit # 405!!!

I don't know if I would buy one just for investment reasons, but they are very nice firearms. I do suspect they would probably hold their value or increase better than a repro 1886.

I could be mistaken, though.

Check GunsAmerica, Gun Broker, or Auction Arms to see what prices are being asked and what the actual selling price for these rifles are. I suspect the true collectables that are coming out of this series are the High Grades.

I will be attending a gun show tomorrow and/or Sunday. I'll ask around and see what I can come up with.

Thanks much for the info.

Jasper

Gentlemen...no disrespect intended, but I much prefer the Browing version of the modern 1886 vice the Winchester. There is no tang safety, the "Made in Japan" logo is much smaller, the action is smoother, the wood to metal fit is tighter and the blueing is of a higher polish. I am sure they shoot just as well, however. I personally have shied away from all of the modern Winchesters due to their use of a very visible safety and I am sure there are other purist who do the same.

Again, no disrespect intended.

I must agree about the tang safety and rebounding hammer! A tang safety is fine on a shotgun, but not on a Winchester lever! With the rebounding hammer feature, isn't the safety redundant? If I had my heart set on a tang sight, I would look into the possability of removing the safety. Perhaps the sight base would cover the slot. But then there's the liability issue!
txsgt, Since all the Browning pattern lever actions continue to smooth out, for ever it seems, I was wondering how you judged which one was smoother? Two new rifles might show a difference, but I wonder after a couple hundered rounds? For the money I would be quite happy with either Japanese reproduction. But, if you want to talk "purist", I bet anyone out there who only owns and shoots origional Winchesters, got a chuckle!
No disrespect intended from here either!

"Happiness is a warm gun"

I don't like the tang safety either. I agree that it is a silly notion. However, if you want a tang sight, Marbles makes one for each of the tang safetied Winchesters. I have one for my 1895 Winchester. They are spendy, but adjustable for both windage and elevation.

Thanks for the tip! I'll check them out.

Thanks Nitro,
Unless someone else has a better suggestion, that looks like about the best option for sites, (excluding glass), which I am not interested in for this rifle.

Ralph, welcome to the forum. I bought my Browning 1886 in the SR Carbine version about two years ago and it has turned into one of my favorite rifles to shoot. I put A.O.'s aperture sight on my carbine and love it. It mounts on top of the receiver just behind where the locking lugs come up when you cycle the lever. This might be an option for you. It keeps the sleek profile of the rifle and the sights are practically bomb proof. They have several options for aperture diameter available. A gunsmith can drill and tap your receiver for the sight and your in business. Working up loads for the 45-70 can give you some pretty exciting ballistics and accurate results. I can get alittle over 2000 fps with Beartooth's 405 gr. cast bullets with accuracy in the 1.5-2.0 range at 100 yds. Recoil approaches brutal for me at this level when shooting from the bench. I once thought about having an 1886 rechambered to 45-90 but have since decided the 45-70 gives me all I can handle! Good luck, Rob

Have ordered an 1886 EL Winclone. Like the looks of the Marbles tang sight, but wonder if it is as good as the
Lyman 66.

With the Tang sight, thinking about using factory sights pegged at 75 yrds and the Peep Sight pegged at 175 yrds for 100-200 yrd shots.

Have no experience with the 45-70. Plan to limit my shooting to 200 yrds with hotter handloads for 300 or 350 grn bullets.

Thoughts???

Be very careful about shooting with that tang sight. Especially if you are going to be using hotter loads. Shoot it for awhile without the tang sight to see how recoil is. If it rocks you pretty good, avoid putting the tang on it. When shooting heavy loads or at odd angles, those tang sights can be very dangerous. Not worth losing your eye.

Mine is regulated to range use with light loads. I won't use it with my hunting loads, the 411 Hawk has too much recoil for that.

My 1886 EL was rechambered to 45-90 by Bear Country Sports in Kodiak, Alaska. I just wanted to be different and I really like the gun. Still working up loads for it and it definately boots real hard, I agree on the tang sight issue, that thing would be tattooed into my forehead!!! Gun is very accurate and I made it more pleasent to shoot by adding a 1"+ Kick-Eze recoild pad. I have fired a few factory 45-70's in it just to check it out and it works just fine, they just have a long jump to the rifling. Another problem to address is the loading gate. It has to be modified also to take the longer cartridge length and allow them into the magazine. The WFN style bullets are a tight fit on my gun. Now if I could just find a glove lever for it I would be happy. Anyone know who makes or modifies 1886's for glove levers?

Ralph I just wanted to drop a hello. I too reside in Morgantown WV and have an affinity for old Winchesters. I have a Model 71 (1886ish) 348 and love it.

Bill C.

I do not have an 1886 yet. I shoot other 45-70's and find they shoot well with cast of .460. Does this follow true for the 1886? I have a friend that wants me to cast some for him and have not seen his barrel yet to slug it. Thanks for any help.

David