Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Winchester Collectors Winchester 1886 45-70

Thoughts on this rifle?

https://www.gunsinternational.com/g...ecial-order-sights-.cfm?gun_id=101459264

I know it's been reblued...but do those swivels really look factory? And did Redfield sights get installed in 1897?

Wouldn’t touch it with a ten foot pole at that price. Reblue, aftermarket sights, swivels. Dang....

My all original 1886 in 33 WCF would go for $2500-$2800.....

My impression is the seller is insane.

My thoughts too. I have a 33wcf. Really want a 45-70 that won't break the bank. But that one had redflags all over it.

Left the factory as a .38/56. No explanation. No mention of bore condition.

I have bought a couple re-blued 1892 rifles. Seller was old and assured me wasn't polished to death , because it was sent back to Winchester for said operation. Winchester

polished the hell out all re-blues . I have seen several others re-blued by Winchester. All rather poor polish. Even though seller does not state work done by Winchester.

Now, I would rather have , and do an 1886 silver in good honest , shootable shape.

.33WCF Pshaw done with those.

Don't walk, RUN, I have the same rifle, serial number 74XXX, it's a 45-70 with a 24 inch half octagon, half round barrel with half mag tube, crescent steel butt, all the case colors are gone, and blue worn from the barrel flats, don't care, I love that rifle, it shoots a 492gr grease groove bullet over black powder, it has the black powder chamber and leade being an 1892 year model rifle.

I want one of those ^

If I didn't love her so............................................................

Divorces are cheap nowadays

LOL!

Hello Donkey, you can go down to the BPCR forum and look up Dan's "Vaccination Load" thread, there's a pic of my old 1886 45-70 if you care to see an old honest, un-bubba'd rifle with some good hunting wear on it.

A true parts gun, in addition to the reblue, non-original barrel, sling swivels, studs and sight noted above the half magazine is not original to the gun (would have been noted in the factory letter) and the receiver is non-factory d&t for the Redfield.
Hard to imagine a less desirable gun.

I’m surprised it doesn’t have “Louisville Slugger” burned into the wood somewhere.

I ended up with this one for a good price.

https://www.guns.com/firearms/rifles/lever-action/winchester-model-1886-45-70-gov't-lever-action-4-rounds-25-%60-barrel-used?p=37909

Link is not working.

[img]https://ibb.co/fSMnGpy[/img][img]https://ibb.co/hfm48hK[/img]

BEAUTIFUL! congrats Donkey.

Thank you! They said it has a very strong bore and still has a shine. Hopefully it's here soon. Do you reload Gunner?

Nice, and heck yes I hand load, from 22 Hornet to 577 Nitro.

What did you find that works best in your 86? I found some data in some of my older Lyman books.

I have a couple of half-magazine 33 WCF 1886 rifles with a similar one in 45-70. All are from 1903 onward
with nickle steel barrels.One is a special order 2/3 magazine-checked FE and PG. They all still shoot well, especially with Hawk 200 gr FP bullets that are kind to the bores.
I have an article in the American Rifleman from the 1950s on rifles used for bear in Alaska -written by a guide.
In the early 20th Century, the 1886-33 WCF combination was well thought of for bear.


And then there is a famous fellow by the name of Ben Lilly-who hunted lion and the last grizzlies in Arizona, NM, and Colorado.
His rifle? An 1886 in 33 WCF -full magazine I believe.