I've got a bad hankering for a new Winchester 1873. I'm thinking Sporter, case coloring, .44-40. I'm debating between straight vs pistol grip. What are your thoughts on this?
Also, his is it that there is no rebounding hammer and no tang safety on these rifles?
The Miroku has the original half-cock and lever safeties.
No rebounding hammer. No tang safety.
However, where the original 1866 and 1873 and Italian repros have a solid breech pin, the Mirokus have a sliding automatic safety tunneled inside the breech pin that deactivates when the hammer strikes the breech pin. It's hardly noticeable.
In the pistol grip versions of all 1873 Winchesters and repros that I have seen, the curved portion is so far back on the stock that it doesn't seem to do anything. The lever and portion of the grip under the lever seems just as straight as the straight grip version.
Perhaps it was mostly for a deluxe appearance, along with the checkering?
