Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Winchester Collectors Where are all the winchesters?

So I have had a Winchester ss 308 on back order since last October. I’ve talked to Winchester to see if their guns have still been in production during the pandemic. They got back to me and said they have been producing guns the whole time. (Needless to say they are discontinuing the featherweight ss 308). Not sure I’ll ever see one now.
All the whole sale companies have not seen a gun from Winchester or browning in along time. Where are they going or is Winchester just trying to keep everybody on the hook?

I waited about 8 weeks but got one from them as a warranty replacement last month. Extreme Weather MB

Yeah my local guy is trying to find me a new Win 70 safari in .458. All are on backorder. Dont tell me that there have been a run on 458s

You guys against buying used? I'd buy a classic before a Browning arms rifle.

Not at all. Looked all over for a ss 308.

I agree! The new ones are made in Miruko Japan! Browning now owns Winchester! Everything changes, nothing is the same anymore! There's so many choices out there today! Get what you like, and want!

I thought the M70 was assembled in Portugal with American made parts. The levers including the high wall/low wall are made in Japan however.

BINGO!!! Every time and twice on Sundays...


I know I have at least one NIB M70 left, .264WM Super Grade, blued/walnut with fantastic wood.. Might be on Gunbroker by August..

just buy a new Ruger its a better rifle these days or buy a used Winchester from GUNS International .com ,good luck,Pete53

Ditto that, I have a few older ss classics in the stable including a pair of 308’s, no space in the safe for a Baco.

You could be right. I lost interest in the newer Winchester stuff, as I've gotten more selective in my later yrs. with staying with the older traditional, collectable/shooter Winchesters! Besides, Customer service has gone by the wayside in everything! Can't buy American anymore! The Government has sold us out! (another story)

Those stainless Classics in 308 just keep going up in cost and value when they become available.

I suspect that the Miroku made Winchesters are backlogged because of COVID and the global lockdowns. Ammo supply chains have been effected here, as well as guns, so it should come as no surprise that Winchesters made overseas are delayed. Heck, I can’t even find a Mossberg 590A1 in stores and those are made in the USA.

Fwiw, I got the same response from Winchester regarding lever gun availability. I see the occasional new Model 94 on gunbroker.com but those listings are few and far between.

I’m not against used, in fact, I recently bought a ‘79 Winchester 94 xtr 30-30 in decent condition. I’d prefer a pre-64 but those are selling for top dollar which I can’t afford. I’d actually pick a Miroku Winchester over a post 64 since they’re better made, but I couldn’t afford to be picky.

I don’t think the weight is much different? Someone here may be interest the op said he is not

https://shop.williamsgunsight.com/ecommerce/p/used-winchester-70-308-bolt-805892

Humpf... Not at all true, all the time..

I did handle a Miroku Mod 92 in the 90s that was junk especially compared to my original 92, however I did have a Mod 94 built in 67 if memory serves that was even worse. It stamped lifter would push the cartridge straight up and jam the gun. I read others were having the same problem with with this vintage 94. Luckily the guy I bought mine from took it back and sold it to another guy who just wanted a wall hanger.

My Miroku 1886 45-70 is an awesome gun. I have had it for almost 30 years and it locks up like a vault. Very smooth. When my eyes were better it wasn't too difficult to hit steel at 300 yards with it. The sights could be a lot better though.

My Winchester 94 xtr is nice but not Miroku nice. The bluing on the receiver isn’t great and my gun suffers from a loose forend which seems to be a common issue with post 64’s. The Miroku 94’s have better bluing and from what I understand the receiver is made from forged (stamped?) metal like the pre-64’s. Not saying I dislike my 94 xtr, in fact, I love it, but if I buy another Winchester it’ll be the Miroku made variant. If prices on pre-64’s start coming down I’ll buy one of those first, but I don’t foresee that happening since they’re collector items

Oh - '94s.. Thought you were referring to M70s.. As to the '94s, I have to agree to a point - some of those post '64 '94s were absolute crap.