Anyone else enjoying these fine firearms? I have two 1892's now in .357 and .44. I also have an older Browning 1886 in .45-70, also made by Miroku. I must say these are far superior, in my opinion, to what New Haven made in the four decades prior to closing...the 9422 being an exception.

I have a beautiful 1892 16" .45 Colt (I know that was not an original chambering). I got it fairly cheap at a gun show from a fellow who had bought it and took it home brand new, and his young son had promptly dropped it on his tiled kitchen floor, leaving a big ding on the stock. He couldn't stand to look at it, and I bought it for a substantial discount.

The craftsmanship is fantastic, but the lawyers must have been at work, as it has a rebounding hammer and a safety, which spoils the authenticity.

But...it is a beautiful gun (even with the ding), and I am happy to have it. I also have the current iteration of the Browning .22 semi auto rifle, formerly made in Belgium, and now made by Miroku. It is also a very nicely made and finished little gun.
See post #22, I finally got around to taking a few photos today.
Edit:

Best Regards, Les

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SWCA 3084, SWHF 495, PGCA 3064

Les is your 1892 "Trapper" a takedown model?

Back in the day I wanted the Original 1895 Winchester.
I looked and looked, spied several I would like.
Their condition was questionable.

I found a new in the box Miroku Winchester 30-06 .
Wow, what great Craftsmanship in the machining
and wood to metal fit. I knew with the Miroku I
wouldn't blow my face off, so I got it.

Then I found a NIB Miroku Win in 270. The above
applied again, so I got it.

I have a Friend that always says "yea but their not
Winchesters" (he collects Winchesters). My reply
is always "Your damn right their not!, my 1895's are
built better than Winchester ever could!".

I shoot both with great care, and the 30-06 is softer
in recoil and the 270 has a sharp kick. I prefer the
30-06. I Reload so cost is not that much of a factor.

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SD social distanc'n since 1889

I bought a new .357 magnum 1873 Miroku Winchester last Christmas. The craftsmanship is superb. I didn't care for the standard buckhorn sights, so I added a Marble's tang mounted peep sight.

I don't think so... I think I would have noticed, but I have ot had it out for over a year... I'll have to check!!

Best Regards, Les

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SWCA 3084, SWHF 495, PGCA 3064

I have a 1986 production 1886 Browning in 45-70. Out of the box it is fantastic. I have won speed rifle competitions with this rifle with a 435 grain "target" load. With "full Power" hunting loads, it shoots in the 2-3 inch area off a rest with the factory iron sights.

I bought a modern Winchester '86 takedown in 45-90 (501 produced in 2004 +/-). It had a hitch in the action neither I or another gunsmith could get rid of. The little old Japanese man that assembled my browning must have retired! I sold the 45-90 about a year and a half ago. The action frustrated me so much, I never bothered to test how well it could shoot!

Ivan

Been wanting one of the 1873 models with a 20 inch barrel since they were introduced. I heard the Miroku guns have quality workmanship and they do look great. This one is my dream in .357. Might bite the bullet this year. Do the flatnose bullets feed better in this model can anyone tell me.

And that sums it up. No risk, fraction of the cost, and quality is 100+ percent of the the original. If you are into shooting vs collecting, or dont want to damage your colledtion, the Miroku guns are second to none. There's an interesting history on Miroku being contracted by Browning. Browning was still a family business when the grandson was diversifying the supply portfolio. Too much to type, but worth a google.

I owned an original Deluxe Winchester model 71 (348 win.) Very nice rifle. When Browning introduced their Japanese made version, I bought one in the high grade.

The Browning version was just as well fit and finished, maybe better. The Winchester had a little slicker action, but it had a fair number of rounds thru it over the years.

After owning that Japanese made Browning, as well as a few others, and having handled quite a few others, I'd say Miroku makes one fine firearm, with quality higher than most out there these days.

Larry

Attached Images

	348 win 2.jpg (145.6 KB, 73 views)
	348 win.jpg (163.5 KB, 74 views)

That rifle is absolutely gorgeous!

Don't have any Winchester Mirokus, but got three late-20th-Century Browning Mirokus. A 53 in 32/20, an 1886 in 45/70 and an 1895 in 30 US.

Attached Images

	Browning Winchesters, 53, 32 WCF & 86 45-70.jpg (16.4 KB, 80 views)
	Browning 1895 Winchester, 30 US.jpg (15.3 KB, 63 views)

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I always take precautions

Finally! Thanks Fishinfool and Alpo. This thead desperately needed pictures.

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Possum—The other white meat!

I've had three examples; an 1886 Extra Light, a Model 53, and the only one I have left (and my oldest) a model 92 .357 that Dale Storey's shop did a trigger job and mounted the Lyman sight on. It's one of my favorites out of too many firearms.

In '73 & '92 model carbines and rifles, you must use flat nose bullets, The Cowboy market has put a lot of ammo on the market.

I have an original Model 1886, made in 1892. The action is smooth. Around 1987 I bought one of the Browning 1886 rifles. It is first quality, but just not quite as smooth as the original.

I have a couple of original Model 1892 rifles. The actions are smooth. A few years ago I bought one of the Winchester Deluxe take-down rifles. It is first quality, but just not quite as smooth as the original. Then a few months ago I bought another Winchester 1892 rifle. Again, it is first quality, but just not quite as smooth as the original.

That being said, I love my lever action rifles made by Miroku. I also have a new Browning T-Bolt rifle made by Miroku. I love that one, too. Now, even though the original Winchester Models 1886 and 1892 incredibly are smooth. the Marlin Model 1888 is even smoother. The Marlin 1888 was the last top eject rifle and only made for one year, the smoothness of the action has to be experienced to be believed.

I have one of their 1886's in 45/70. I didn't care for the stock finish so I fixed that. The more I stared at that rebounding hammer, the more it bothered me so I fixed that too. I didn't want to spend the time and money to get rid of the tang safety and weld up the hole so it's still there. Even with all that I like the rifle. I had several of the Miroku/Brownings back in the day, and this is one is every bit as nicely fit and finished. I use a 300 gr. bullet in a load that duplicates the original 45/90 blackpowder round and it works great on deer and is a pretty fair elk killer too.

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Everybody could shoot

The workmanship in those rifles is second to none. You will never see me part with any of mine.

"I have a couple of original Model 1892 rifles. The actions are smooth. A few years ago I bought one of the Winchester Deluxe take-down rifles. It is first quality, but just not quite as smooth as the original. Then a few months ago I bought another Winchester 1892 rifle. Again, it is first quality, but just not quite as smooth as the original."
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Give those Miroku's about one hundred years of use as an equal basis for comparison, and get back to us.

I like the Browning/Miroku over-under and SxS shotguns quite a lot, but I'm also a big fan of their limited run of pumps, an action type as American as lever actions. Here's a model 42 & 12:

I have two, an 1886 in 45-70 and an 1892 in 44 magnum. I'd love to find one in 357 magnum. The 1892 says 44 Magnum Only. I found that it will fire 44 Special, but it doesn't cycle them well.

1886:



1892:

I found a picture of my Browning 1886.

Finally made it to the house today, and brought my Model 1892 up to the cabin to take a couple of photos and maybe shoot it a little. Turns out that it is a limited series of 500, and mine is serial number 00491. Very nice workmanship, high polish, deep blue, wood to metal fit is nice. Of course there is that $500.00 ding (plus a couple of minor scuffs). But those are a blessing in a way, as I don't have to worry about scratching it up when I'm out and about!!





This is the part that I am not crazy about... the rebounding hammer and the sliding safety are not historically correct. They are really well done, and are functional, but they grate a little on me, sort of like the IL on a Smith. I know that there are some specialists out there who can make these go away, but I'm not sure that it's worth it... still debating with myself over this:



All of the internal parts are really well machined and fitted. The action is slick and as smooth as one could expect from a newly made rifle.



The wood to metal fit seems to be impeccable. Check out the butt plate:



Overall, I am very pleased with my Miroku Japanese made Winchester. It is made under license, and after all, they aren't making any more of them up in New Haven, and from what I can ascertain, these are made to the highest standards, and are very functional little rifles. I know that we all crave original products, and I have a few old original Winchesters, but these are pretty nice rifles, and since mine came pre-dinged, I am not afraid to take it out and shoot it!!

Best Regards, Les

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SWCA 3084, SWHF 495, PGCA 3064

I have two 1892 Winchesters, one made by Winchester in 1904 and one made by Rossi sometime around 2012. Both are chambered in 357 Magnum and the work on the Winchester was done by Winchester sometime in it's past for a previous owner. After doing a bit of tuning on the Rossi it is actually now slightly smoother than that Winchester.

However the fitment of the forearm on the Rossi was absolutely horrible so last winter I took a wood rasp to it and "free Floated" the forearm to barrel fit past the first inch of the barrel back by the receiver. Prior to doing this the Rossi would shoot 2-3 inches at 50 yards with 38 specials and around 6-8 inches at 50 yards with 357 Magnum ammunition. Now after relieving the forearm the rifle has grouped under 3/4 inch at 50 yards off a rather unsteady bench at a local indoor range. Still have to get it to a local gun club and test it at 100 yards from a real rest bench. One big advantage for my older eyes is that the Rossi can have a short mounting rail mounted where the rear sight slides in and it's a perfect position for a Weaver 4X Scout Scope.

As for the Winchester, I have actually been able to shoot it to 1 MOA using a Marbles Rear Tang Peep Sight with some coaching from a very experienced RO calling each hit. Since I don't have the eyesight to see my hits at 100 yards anymore most of the time I just shoot the Winchester at 50 yards where I can still score nice tight groups.

As a kid in VA, a friend's brother let me use a Winchester 65 in 218 Bee for a summer of groundhog hunting. It was scoped with a Weaver 3/4" post and crosshair. That was in 1951. In later life, I decided I would like to relive those days by finding another Win 65 in 218 Bee. When I started searching, the prices were well above my level. I ran across a few Miroku copies that were in my range and on buying one, I was very pleased with the quality and looks. I did not get around to shooting it (still unfired), and lucked into a nice affordable real Win. 65 in 218 Bee. The Winchester quality is good, but not up to the Miroku level. Having a hard time deciding whether to sell the Miroku or keep them both, knowing I will probably never shoot the Miroku. I have two Martinis in Bee and Mashburn Bee that I haven't shot in 10 years or so, but owning nice pieces is a pleasure in itself

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TOMBECK

Very nice rifles. I've owned one of their 1895 SRCs 100-yr 30-06 a nib guns and it was very well built, fit, finished etc, eventually traded it for something more useful to me. Also shot a friends 1886 LW 45-70 and while recoil was stout, I remember liking the gun.

Deluxe 71 in process of being converted to 50 Alaskan wood and quality of workmanship is fantastic

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Len

My 1886 says "1 of 500", but I believe it only means that it is 1 of the 500 made, not necessarily the first of the series. I haven't been able to find much information on it. It seems that there are a number of special runs of Miroku Winchester's.