Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Thoughts on new production 1892?

I have never owned a lever gun, which is odd considering I have owned dozens and dozens of bolts and semis. How are the new production Winchester 1892s? The LGS has one in 45 colt that is tempting me, sort of like a PCC with more style is my line of thought. Just a fun gun. It's a bit more than the Marlin 1894, but I know Marlin doesn't have much of a reputation right now.

Miroku (the Japanese manufacturer of the Winny lever guns and falling blocks) makes very good stuff. Sometimes they make minor changes to improve function and safety, and that annoys traditionalists like my buddy blackheart, and he's certainly entitled to his notions. I don't like the tang safeties left on at Winchester's insistance when production moved to Japan, but otherwise like them just fine. The 1873s are also very nice, by all reports have good triggers and shoot well, and don't have the safety. They come in .45 too, though that cartridge never appeared in originals, but seems to be popular with Cowboy Action types.

I occasionally drool just a bit over the '73s in .357 (also never an original chambering), but have a hard time dropping that much on a plinker. One of my gunrunners has a 10-month layaway, so that's one possible way to ease into one.

I bought one of the reproduction Miroku Winchester 92's in .45 Colt about twenty years ago. Well-built gun; good accuracy, but my favorite handload with a 260 grain cast bullet required seating the bullets for my handgun loads noticeably deeper in the case to feed & function through the '92. A '94 Trapper in .45 Colt didn't have such a restriction, so I kept that one and sold the '92.

I handled a new one at the LGS a few weeks ago. It was a good gun and I have an original. I much prefer the 44-40 to the 45 Colt they're normally seen in because I reload blackpowder and the 45 LC is famous for blowback.

I have a Miroku 1892 in 45 Colt. It will soon be sent to Turnbull Restoration for color case hardening, safety removal & some other work. I'm such a fanatic about all things 45 caliber, especially the 45 Colt, that I will nearly buy every one I can get my hands on.

That's the same objection Duke Venturino had to the .357 1873s, but recently he came around and bought one. Used with smokeless (he's become a big Trail Boss fan) they apparently do just fine. Before I picked up my Low Wall Traditional Hunter, I passed on scads of the .45s, hoping for a .357, but finally "settled" for a NIB .44 mag with very pretty wood. If I squint my eyes just a bit, I can pretend it's a .44WCF. .45s still outnumber the other two on GB by a considerable margin.

Dad gave me a Browning 1892 back in the mid-80's. Made by Miroku, .44 Mag. Excellent rifle. I would expect the Miroku Winchesters to be the same.