Well, I picked up another Winchester rifle the other day, one of the new 1886 lever rifles, made by Miroku, Japan with the Winchester label. I have another Miroku made rifle, a Winchester 1895 copy made by Browning in the early 1980's and it is a fine rifle, so I anticipated this would be a high quality rifle, and it is.

As you all probably know, the 1886 is a John Browning design, chambered "Back in the Day" for big bore cartridges, 45/70, 50/90, etc., big Buffalo cartridges. The design was later slimmed down to become the Winchester 1892, chambered in pistol cartridges like 44-40.

Of course, shootable original Winchester 1886's are priced at what a good used car would bring, and even the 1980's vintage Browning examples are priced high as a cats back when you can find one. This one was in my local dealers shop, brand new with a warranty, 90 day layaway made it irresistable.

Heres' a pic:



Took it to the range today and sighted it in with some of my favorite cast lead handloads, 350 and 405 grain bullets propelled by Trail Boss and Unique powders to approximately 1100 feet per second, mild recoil, still accurate and hard hitting. The rifle shoots good, I haven't done any serious accuracy testing as it was cold and windy today, and once I got it dialed in at 50 yards, I was too cold to move to 100 yards for more work, I'll save that for next week. I did have a lot of fun schwacking a 6" swinging steel target, shooting offhand (standing), a 405 grain cast lead bullet has a lot of energy behind it....

The rifle weighs about 8.5 pounds, and holds six rounds in the full length magazine tube.

The rifle does have the annoying rebounding hammer and tang safety, making it mechanically different from the originals or the copys made in the 1980's, but I think I can over look that for now.

Lever action rifles are fun, and even more fun when they are Big Bores!

had one of these in 45-90 takedown i bought new. sold it recently because i wasn't able to shoot it anymore. they are quite nice looking. i also shot trailboss and lead bullets in mine. try some loaded with 4198 loaded to 1886 pressure levels. might not want to load to many until you try them. a good friend took a nice deer with mine a few yrs. ago. said it didn't move after it went down in place.

Man, that is a nice one and I know you are going to enjoy it. I am glad Win/Miroku are producing these. I have the earlier Browning versions, both the full octagon barrel rifle (a hi grade version, actually) and a SRC. My SRC has the ladder rear sight and a shotgun buttstock. And both without the tang safety. I always found it peculiar that they put the ladder rear on the SRC. Both are unbelieveable shooters, even with irons. The rifle using a 405gr cast will easily do <2" groups at 100 yds if I am having a good day seeing, and often the clusters make it look better. So will the SRC. Have fun developing loads for them. I find mine seem to like a velocity right around 1150-1180 with the cast bullets I am using. Of course, I have tried the SRC with 405Rem JFP "elephant" loads a few times (we all gotta do it!).

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" I said, good DAY! "

I had one of the Browning SRC's some years back. Killed several antelope and a couple of elk with it. That thing was a sure-fire killer! Sure never felt like I was giving up anything to the "modern" rifle shooters.

I have a 1980's Browning, 1886 in 45/70: at cowboy shoot a few years back, I did a "speed rifle" event, at about 110 plus yards offhand,I shot a steel plate 6 shots in about 8.8 sec.,as this is a timed event and the 1.5 by 2 inch group didn't count to anyone but me.
I also own a 5 or so year old Winchester1886 take down in 45/90 (only 501 made) it is by far the worst (roughest) lever gun I've ever handled. I've smoothed about 5 '92 actions and 15 or 20 Marlins, but I can't get this one, I then sent it to a "Gun smith" who had almost 6 months, 5 months past delivery date, and charged well but nothing improved. still looking for a real :Levergun Smith" I like loading both for the 70 and 90 cases with cast bullets. AA5744 pushing a 405 flat nose, was what I won with.(You should use a 300gr. flat nose in the 45/90 Winchester as that is what the rifleing twist is set up for. If you have a single shot like a Sharps or am 1885 High Wall, they should be rifled for 400 to 600 Grain bullets.

Ivan, have you tried Steve Young, in Port Arthur Texas? I had him work on both my Winchester 92s, all four of my Rossi 92s, my Browning 53 and my Browning 1886. All eight of 'em is real sweet.

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I always take precautions

Yours is more of a carbine than a rifle. I've got one of the Brownings, the Montana Centennial ones with a bit of engraving and glitter. I love it, and regardless of the gold wash, I've shot it. Its a good gun if a foot longer than yours. The Brownings all had spectacular wood, their trademark.

The fault I can find, and it includes my 1885s and 1878s is the "recoil absorbing steel buttplate". They don't. The guns are OK to shoot in the winter months because you've got a jacket on to help. In the summer with just a Tshirt, the steel takes its toll. I've considered taking the stock off one gun and putting it on another, specifically the 22-250s nice soft rubber butted stock onto the 45-70 that could use it.

The 45-70 is easy to reload, and components used to be easy to find. These days all jacketed bullets are expensive. Large bore bullets even more so. My advice would be to anyone who see's them cheap would be to buy as many as you can.

I used to be rich and owned a .458 Winnie. Back in the last century I envisioned myself as a great white hunter. Well, anyhow, I bought a bunch of supplies. Speer used to market, I think, Grand Slams for the .458. Feeling flush about 20 years ago I ordered a box of their deluxe Tungsten Core bullets. I have no idea how much they cost, but I've still got them. Its the same bore as the .45-70, just a little heavier! Might be fun to punch holes in old cars or things that need ventilation!

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Dick Burg

Here are few that I hate........Congrats on your find. My browning SRC with the ladder sight is my favorite. I'm all giddy over a 405 grainer at @ 2100FPS.

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Go big or stay home