Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Single Shots Winchester Low Wall?

Do you folks have any thoughts about the newly manufactured Winchester 1885 Low Wall Hunter rifle? I am considering one in .223 for a walk-about rock chuck rifle. They are discontinued but still available for around $850. I read some about the Browning version that was made in the early 2000's. Those are around $1300 now. I think that Browning was an odd combination of high polish blueing and very shiney epoxy stock finish all in a Japanese made rifle. Those folks with the Brownings go all a-flutter over them, though...what say you?

If you like the rifle buy it. I have 3 Miroku built Wincheseter marked guns and they all 3 are top quality, from stem to stern and inside to out.
Miroku has been building a number of Brownings long guns since way back in the 1980's.

Winchester is made by the same factory that made the Browning (Miroku in Japan) and the guns are virtually identical except for finish. I'm not a fan of Japanese Winchesters (mostly because I was born so long ago that I was able to afford some original US 1885s; age has some benefits....) but I have fired and handled one of the Hiwall Miroku 1885s (I think it was called a "Hunter Special" model) in .243 and it was an impressive shooter, although rather heavy for caliber (I prefer my Ruger 1A in that caliber; much handier). The Low Wall .223 should be handy unless they put too long and heavy a barrel on it; that little hole leaves a lot of barrel metal, and weight.

$850 is a decent price; I don't think Ruger makes a 1A in .223 or .22 Hornet or I would recommend that instead for a walk-and -stalk varminter.

Have you looked at a T-C G2 Carbine in .223? Butt ugly but very handy and SHOOTS! Cheaper, takes down easily, can switch barrels/calibers, has a hammer, made in USA, etc. Have a look at them on Buds Gun Shop online.

Where do you find rockchucks in MO????

Cedarville, CA. Around here they call them woodchucks...

yeah, I thought it must be out this way somewheres. Cedarville is in the boonies some! I have a little land in Tehama County that my brother and I go to for hogs, deer, and quail. No rockchucks but God's own plenty of ground squirrels to pop!

Any chukars or sage grouse to hunt up by Cedarville?

The Winchesters are not as pretty as the Brownings. Actually, the major difference is the wood. Mine, a 243, has very plain wood with little grain and the dull finish makes it look even plainer. For actual hunting I think the dull finish is better.
The bluing is still nice, the fit is perfect and the action is smooth as pulling a hot knife through butter. Quite accurate and nicely balanced too.
As far as I know they are less expensive than the Brownings only because of the finish and straight grained wood. I like mine alot.