Hi,

for some time I had been interested in acquiring a lever action rifle in a handgun caliber. Beeing mostly a handgun guy with occasional rifle shooting, I onw a Browning 1886 in 45/70 for about 33 years now, accompanied by a 1885 single shot in the same caliber for about 25 years. I guess both together have a rounds count of less than 1000. Now they spend even more time in the locker because of my problems with herniated discs of the cervical spine - I got 2 disc protheses some years ago and more and more dislike the recoil of a standard 45/70 load. That's the reason why i was looking for a lever action rifle in a smaller caliber.

Yesterday, I took the decision and ordered a Winchester 1892 in .44 Magnum. This was a quite spontaneous idea. I had always thougt there only were Winchester 73 replicas on the market, which I do not consider too strong, and I like strong actions. I didn't want a 94 as I was looking for a handgun caliber. Not familiar with the different lever action models, I wasn't aware that the 92 is technically just a 86, adapted to smaller cartridges. Finding out that Miroku makes the current Winchester lever action rifles, I jumped on it. Both my 45/70 are Miroku made and they are flawless, accurate and absolutely reliable. There will be Miroku #3 in the locker soon. I'm quite excited.

Has anybody some experiences with the 1892 im .44 Magnum to share with me? I will be handloading, have a whole box of Hornady XTP 180 gr on the shelf. Don't need fullhouse loads, it's just for plinking and to have fun - without damage to my disc protheses.

regards from Germany
Ulrich

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Life is too short to own a bad gun

They are absolutely fantastic rifles. The fit and finish is excellent. Some don’t like the tang safety and hammer set up, but they are very well made, smoothly operating, and accurate little rifles. Very handy too. I bought one a few years ago in .44 Mag, and the. had to have one in .357.....and the had to a 16” takedown in .44 Magnum. It’s a good looking fun gun to shoot. You’ll be pleased, I think.

Agree 100% with SLT223 above. The only thing I would add because of the OP’s mention of back issues, is shooting full house loads in one of these rifles can be a surprise. It can be surprising how much recoil they have with a handgun cartridge. However, with you plan to use lighter loads I have little doubt you will be fine. And if you want to ramp up to Buffalo Bore/Underwood type max loads, you can get a slip-on butt-pad to help tame the kick.

Be sure and post pictures and a range report when you receive and get shooting.

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No school like the old school.

I’ve owned a Browning B92 .44 Magnum carbine for around 35 years buying it used. It’s a Miroko and is slicker than my special ordered Winchester ‘92 from 1911. But kicks with magnums. Is your gun a rifle or short rifle? The Browning has no added safeties but does yours have a tang safety? Don’t matter. You’ll love it.

Miroku manufactures a fine rifle. I think you’ll really enjoy your new acquisition.

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Some Might Say.

Daimler1989,

I don't think any one answered your question. I use 5.0 grains of Unique under either a 180 grain plated bullet or a 240 grain cast lead semi-wadcutter in 44 special or 44 magnum cases. Either is a nice mild load in my Marlin 1894 carbine or S&W 629 for plinking. I cast some bullets in lighter grains but few people do so these are common weights you can buy. You can load down to 4.9 grains or up to 6.9 and still be in the 44 special range. I use 5.0 of Unique because my powder dispenser is set at this for other calibers. You might get better responses posting in the reloading section of the forum. I agree you bought a nice rifle.

Hope this info helps.

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SWCA 3417 HF 642 NRA-TC

Congratulations and hope you enjoy your new pistol caliber lever rifle. Next to a shotgun, they are the most fun thing I have to shoot.

You might want to have a look at the Miroku Winchesters that get an absolutely stunning treatment by Navy Arms. Georgeous furniture, case hardening, and "Short Stroke" kit. The salesman had to pry it from my hands when I got a chance to fondle one at Cabela's.

Navy Arms - Home

Bought a Browning M92 in .44 Mag a number of years ago, and it was very well made (I think it was Japanese made also). Only things I didn’t like were the plastic (yes plastic) barrel bands and the gold plated trigger!
My Miroku made 1895 Winchester (which I still have) is also well made, but without the “chintzy” changes that the 92 had.

Sounds like a nice gun to get. The Miroku guns are high quality.

I have an original 1892 that was converted to 44 Magnum by an old friend, Jack Roy, who has been gone for years unfortunately.
My gun is pretty accurate with my hand load of 19 grs 2400 under a 240 gr SWC.
The target is 65 yards sitting with a rest. I need to take my next deer with this gun.

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Shoot it with .44 Special loads in it. You may not like the felt recoil with the magnum loads.

My first 1892 Winchester cost me $75.00 in about 1975. It was a .32-20.

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USMC 69-93 Combat Pistol Inst.

Received the new Winchester catalog recently. the guns look wonderfully made is right. The 1873 short rifle is on my bucket list. Love the receiver and crescent butt plate on that model. Good luck with yours.

I have a Miroku .38 Special revolver from the late 1960s (I think). Excellent workmanship and finish, but a little odd-looking to Western eyes.

I didn't know they made a short stroke action for a Model 92 but that would be fun to have. M 92s in pistol calibers are VERY popular in cowboy action shooting.. I had two, a .44-40 Rossi and a .45 Colt Navy Arms/Rossi. I sold the .44-40 but I'll never sell the .45 Colt Navy Arms M 92. Accurate, fun to shoot, amtches my Vaqueros in .45 Colt.

You WILL enjoy that Miroku! Good choice - and, yes, 44 Special will be more fun!

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Come and take it!!

I don't have a 92 in 44 Mag but in 1969 I bought a Winchester 94 in 44 Mag, I haven't shot it in years but took it out about a month ago. I found out why I haven't shot it in years. From the bench it will bring tears to my eyes and off hand it still kicks the snot out of me. I was using up old full house reloads from years ago. The rifle is so light with that big hole in the barrel it feels like you have picked up a BB gun when you handle it. I have an original 92 trapper carbine in 44/40 and it is fun to shoot.
SWCA 892

Sorry, should have been more specific. The one I saw was the 73. Navy Arms didn't start offering the 92 until about a year after I saw that 73. I don't know if a short stroke is part of the 92 package.



Sent from my Moto G (5) Plus using Tapatalk

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Slava Ukraini!

I have a 45-70 Browning 1886 (1986), a 38-55 Winchester 1885 (2005) and a 44 mag Browning 92 (late 90's) all were fantastic; slick actions, beautiful fit and finish. The guys and gals at Miroku, did a wonderful job!

Then I got a 45-90 Winchester 1886 (2005) takedown (only 500 or 501 made). It to was made in that same factory, but whoever put it together, absolutely didn't know what they were doing! Cycling the action had a hitch so bad, you could not keep it to your shoulder. I had 3 lever action gunsmiths work on it to no avail! It never got smoother in 400 rounds.

Inspect and cycle from the shoulder, if it is found wanting send it back!

My Browning 1886 in 45-70 from the factory was so smooth I won a "Speed Rifle" match in 2003 against the Ohio State Champion with a tricked out Marlin 336 in 30-30. "Speed Rifle" is usually 10 rounds fires offhand, starting with an empty chamber. The steel plate can be any distance over 25 yards, the day I won the distance was 105 yards. (that day the plate was 16") It is a timed event, and each miss adds 5 seconds to your time. My time was 3.76 seconds with no misses. Group size doesn't matter but mine was slightly less than 1.5" I was the first shooter, so the plate was clean. As I was shooting I could hear the crowd yelling, but kept going. When I was done they were wild about both the time and the group size. The load I was using was 5744 at about 950fps and a blunted conical weighing 425 grains of cast wheel weights.

The Browning 1892 in 44 Mag I had was extremely smooth! compared to the Marlin 336 (only made 1 year) and Marlin 1894 I owned! However the perceived recoil was almost double (the crescent steel butt plate and lighter weight were big factors!) I was shooting S&W factory 240 gr JHP ammo (by the case was cheap back then!) I sold it to a friend for about $250 (1995) and he has shot it only 20 times (the one box of S&W ammo I gave him). He thinks it is a blast to get a bruise on his shoulder from one round!

Ivan

You are going to enjoy that modern 92!

Many moons ago I stepped into the same realm when I acquired a fantastic Marlin Model 1894 chambered in .44 Mag. That rifle was nothing but fun to shoot. I installed an aperture receiver sight on it, and you would be truly surprised of its accuracy.

What has been said is true. Full-blown .44 Mag. in a light carbine can kick!

The Marlin left me a lot of years ago, but I'm not cured. Currently I have three original Winchester 92s: a .44-40, a .32-20, and a .25-20. That pretty well covers the waterfront.

I put a modern Lyman tang sight on the .32-20. I think it's my favorite. What a great shooter it is!

Enjoy your incoming lever carbine!

Curl

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Curly
SWCA #2599; SWHF #626

I still have several 92's and Marlin 1894's in pistol calibers. My Marlin 32-20 also wears a modern Lyman tang sight and on one of the Rossi 92's I have an original Marble's tang sights That I got for $5, because somebody put it together backwards!

Ivan

Your '92 is perfect in every way. It's a short rifle, .shoots .44 Mag/Spl., has a shotgun butt (!!!), and is really a Winchester. With elegantly stamped caliber makings. My 1911 .44-40 Win. has a bunch of custom features, verified by letter. The shotgun butt fits me like no other rifle I ever owned. Except my Shiloh Sharps. My dad traded a Luger for that '92 in the 50's. Pictured with my Browning Miroko .44 Magnum B-92.

I had one. Sold it recently. It was a good gun. No complaints about it. Fit, finish and functionality were all excellent.

I own two modern '92s. The Rossi in .357 is just about perfect. Manageable recoil, and the .357 magnum in a rifle tube has almost as much effect on the target as a .30-30, which kicks way too much for me in a '94 carbine.

While the Browning '92 is well made in Japan, when stoked with .44 magnums, the recoil is BRUTAL. It was all I could do to fire a magazine-full for sighting-in purposes, and my shoulder hurt for a month afterwards. With .44 specials, it's a sweetheart, and I no longer use the maggies in it. I just refuse to be a masochist.

John

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- Cogito, ergo armatus sum -

Hi,

I'm impressed with the wave of information and advice I get here on the forum. Thank you all, that's great. And thanks for showing the photographs of your guns, always

Good to learn, that I should use the .44 Special in this rifle. It's one of my favorite cartridges, I reload them for my S&W 624 4", and I have plenty of different bullets to try, not to mention the large box of cases for reloading. So far, my favorite loads were 7.8 grs of Vectan Ba9 with a 200 SWC coated lead bullet and 7 gr of VV N340 with a 215 LSWC. I used 9.5 gr of Vectan A0 with a 200 LSWC, which is not short of a magnum load with about 1130 ft/s out of the 4" barrel... This makes me even more excited to have the 1892 at home.

BTW it's the Short Rifle version I ordered. Will take a few days for my local police authority to complete the background check. I hope to get the gun in about one week.

regards from Germany
Ulrich

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Life is too short to own a bad gun

Ill say there is definitely a difference in felt recoil between the cresent stock and shotgun stock, and also what you are wearing when it comes to the cresent stock. That little point at the bottom will definitely produce a bruise where it contacts the body, and that contact is inevitable for me due to the small size of the cresent butt plate. It’s less of an issue in winter when wearing a jacket. I also load for 44 Mag and mitigate the issue with powder selection and charge weight. Pretty much anything fast and medium burn with 200 to 240gr bullets will keep me comfortable. The only slow powder Ive used in it that doesn't produce the abrupt slam of 110/296 is IMR4227. Still wouldn't want to shoot those with only a t-shirt.

A great little rifle. And I shoot a really hot load out of mine A 300 grain Hornady TSX on top of 20 grains of Winchester 296. Quite accurate. And recoil is fairly tame.

OP,

You will really like it. I ordered mine over a year ago. 1892 Deluxe 44 Magnum with 24” octagon barrel. With magnum loads it’s very soft shooting.

Cory

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Cory
SWCA #3015 SWHF #465

Here’s one of my fav’s...two Colts, one Winchester 94, one caliber! Also big fan of ivory and stag grips, as you can tell.

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Looks kind of like a Colt in the Official Police style.

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Jim
Many K and N Frames

The rifle may cycle .44 Special cartridges successfully, but I recommend using .44 Magnum brass in your reloading. The brass is easier to find and cheaper (usually). Use a mid speed powder like Herco. I've never loaded with Trailboss but it should be ideal for lighter, low recoil loads.

No kidding!

I have a Marlin 1894, and maybe I'm just getting old, but it's not nearly as pleasant to shoot as it was when I was younger. I shoot a 200 gr. cast flat point at a reduced velocity most of the time, and I can shoot that all day long.

I had both 92 models 357 and 44. They are well made! Once you get use to the curved butt plate the recoil isn't bad. Enjoy your rifle.

I bough my S&W model 57 in 1964,less than 30 minutes after it arrived at the store. A couple decades or more ago I bought my Marlin 1894S also in 41 Mag. I reload, so what a wonderful pair. I have enjoyed them above all my other firearms.

,44 Magnum cases are much easier to come by that finding .44 Special cases.
I shot both .44 revolvers and a Marlin 1894 for a lot of years. Rarely did I shoot a .44 Magnum load in the Magnum cases. No sense beating up the guns if you don't have to...........

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USMC 69-93 Combat Pistol Inst.

The barrel on my 44 mag 92 heats up quick and "accuracy" falls off. Let it cool between shots and your sights will not be hampered by the heat waves. It will shoot very nice groups after you do your homework finding a load it likes. Good luck!!

Hi,

here it is. Winchster 1892 Short Rifle .44 Magnum

[IMG][/IMG]

got it on tuesday, took it to the range yesterday. Very nice shooting and handling little rifle. Accuracy at 50 meters was not what I expected, but this might be a problem with .44 Special loads. I only had a handful of .44 Magnum handloads which were more in the lower performance range - 180 gr XTP and 200 gr LFN, and accuracy was quite ok. Each handload of .44 Special was more or less all over the place, no matter which bullet, but did not try 180 gr XTP. Feeding SWC is ok, some chambering issues with the first cartridge, but no accuracy at all. Slightly better with LFN, but not satisfying at all. I suspect that there is too much travel with .44 Special cases. Next step is purchase of .44 Magnum cases and doing some XTP and LFN midrange handloads. But I guess that the best accuracy will be reached with jacketed or plated bullets.

best regards
Ulrich

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Life is too short to own a bad gun

Ulrich - Nice rifle. I had one of the original Browning versions of the 92, and it was very well made and accurate. Try a 240 grain SWC in a .44 mag case with 6.5 grains of Red Dot powder, standard primer. About 950 fps. That was an accurate load in my 92, as well as several Marlin 1894's. If you have feeding issues, a RNFP might work better. I did notice my B-92 was a little less sensitive to bullet shape and COAL than my Marlins.

Also, aperture (peep) sights can make a big difference in accuracy compared to the buckhorn sights they come with. I believe Skinner, as well as a few others make them for the 92. There are tang mounted peep sights available as well, though I personally prefer receiver or bolt mounted versions.

Larry

I have a 1904 Vintage 1892 that a previous owner had converted to 357 Magnum and re-finished, probably back in the 1960's when Winchester still offered this kind of service. As a result I have a very pretty shooter. Accuracy is excellent, I've shot many sub 1 inch groups at 100 yards using a rear tang peep sight. About the only downside is the crescent butt plate, with full power 357 Magnums putting 50 rounds downrange can get rather painful. At times I have considered shopping for a shotgun style stock. BTW, I shoot a LOT of Skeet and Trap, last weekend was 300 rounds of 12 and 20 gage, so I am quite certain that would make my 1892 a much more comfortable shooter.

Tip. Marbles still makes a rear tang sight for the 1892 and they are a great aid in shooting with some accuracy. BTW, I have left the standard buckhorn sight on my rifle, so shooting is sort of a triple sight affair. For me that has worked very well because it insures that you have your eye placed in exactly the right spot.

Can’t speak to the 1892 in particular but I have a NIB Miroku produced 1895 takedown in 30.06 with case colored receiver and the fit and finish is superb! Any company can put out a lemon on occasion but overall I think Miroku does and excellent job on the firearms they produce.

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BCCI Life Member #2068

I had one of the original Brownings as well. I used the old Norma Carbine load, it was a handful but dropped a couple of nice whitetails, a few hogs.

My favorite of the Brownings was the 218 Bee Model 65.