Home Forums Lever Action Central Lever Actions - General Gunsmith For Winchester/Miroku 1886

Looking for a gunsmith, who specializes in these rifles, to remove or modify the tang safety, get rid of the “rebound” on the hammer, and generally smooth out the action.
Thanks!
TR

I would send it to Turnbull.

I had a gunsmith do this and he screwed up the job. He lives in South Sioux City, Nebraska.

This guy is a lever gun smith, mostly working on CAS '92's.

I'd ask him that question and see what he says.

https://stevesgunz.com/

DF

Stevesgunz has a good reputation.

PS, when my Miroku 1886 was new, a CAS friend smoothed the action for me and lowered trigger pull to 4 pounds. All I needed and it has shot great for many years now.
The tang safety is OK with me - I just do not use it.
All my double rifles and shotguns have tang safeties and I like them.

The best solution:

Sell the Winchester and buy a Browning.

I sent Stevegunz a request to repair the damage the so called gunsmith created. My Jap 1886 is a "1 of 500" with a heavy octagon barrel and nice sights. I have no idea what the value is now.

Would like a follow up report on what he says.

DF

bugger said "My Jap 1886 is a "1 of 500" with a heavy octagon barrel and nice sights. I have no idea what the value is now." Does it look like this Miroku 1886 TD 45-90 From Davidsons one of 501??

That rifle looks exactly like the one I have, except mine is in 45-70. Would that be a Davidsons also?

Sorry to hi-jack your thread!

That's the one I have in 45-70. Mine is pretty much like new except the tang has a bubba mark. It now wears a Lyman steel aperture sight rather than the tang sight. I don't like tang sights. They are in the wrong place for me. My hand goes there.

Bugger,
Thanks for reminding me that I need a new pic of my 86.
The stock comb has been moved back so that the folding tang sight folds down and locks below the top line and allow better room for the cheek.

Also there is a folding barrel sight when using the tang sight.
The barrel sight is fast and good enough for big game such as ele, buffalo, nilgai if they are close in (which they usually are).

It will be too cold for puttering around outdoors tomorrow, so I will put taking that new photo high priority.


PS I have receiver mounted peeps on some other lever actions, but wanted this sight combo for the 86 with the 26 inch barrel. Very long sight radius.

'95 Marlin Cowboy, not an 1886, but gives an idea of what a LONG sight radius looks like with 26" bbl. and tang sight.

The '39 is set up as a practice companion for CAS.
.
DF

I do not understand: "Where do you put your hand while using the tang sight?" The aperture sight I use adds plenty of extra sight radius, in my opinion.

Place your thumb along side of the tang sight, works fine.

DF

here's my 1886

1886 with receiver sight.

DF

It's not that I "Hate" tang sights, I just find them clumsy on repeaters. I have a tang sight on my 45-90 1885 - It's set up for BPCR. The receiver sight makes the rifle much handier, I think.

My view... Don't care for any of the 'belt & suspenders' safeties on the classic levers. That said, the tang safety a bit less objectionable than the cross-bolt design! I have one of the Winchester 1886 extra lightweight rifles so equipped. My first idea, simply to remove it and install a tang sight in as simple a classic design possible. Not a gunsmith & only 'presuming' sliding safety button removal to be a benign operation. Long story short, never accomplished. This safety mechanism 'is what it is'. As noted above and paralleling my experience, the tang sights a bit clunky on lever rifles' other than such as Savage 99 where small height models & non-interference with the bolt cycle, work well.

For me, the best 'solution' in the saying "...not to play the game." The - by now - decades old Browning Miroku '86 models or such others adhering to original Browning design; 'the solution'. My '86 SRC below.

Best & Stay Safe!
John