Winchester 1886 Extra Light

cam1936

cam1936

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Just a thread showing off my most recent EE purchase. I bought this Winchester 1886 Extra Light in 45-70, which was a 2010 Shot Show special. Such a smooth fast handling gun. I really like the shotgun style buttstock. It has quite a bit straighter comb than either a SRC or a curved rifle style Winchester buttstock. Here are a couple pics:

Full 1886 with props Med.jpg
Square Close Up Med.jpg

So I took it to the range yesterday just to get it sighted in with the stock buckhorn sights at 100 yards. First shot marked by the blue arrow, pretty much dead center and ~3" low. Move the sight up 1 notch and fire three rounds. 1.3" group, which is pretty freaking good for me and buckhorn sights and my giant/not so precise target (I like it for sights like this). The 15 patches up and left are 357 load development for my 1892.

efa3fd33-26d3-47ad-a2e8-a50cde48e91f~1.jpg

I'm pretty happy with this recent purchase. I wonder why Winchester hasn't done another run of this configuration? As much as I like the aesthetics of a full octagon barrel and a curved butt; this configuration is much more functional as a carry/hunting rifle.
 
That's why Winchester introduced it early 1900's as a standard model. So many ordering 1886 rifles with 22 and 24 inch round lightweight barrel, half mag, shotgun butt. The old 26 inch octagon or round barrel, full mag and crescent rifle butt stock made for long, heavy rifles that often just plain hurt the shoulder to fire.
 
You will be able to feed cartridges with bullets loaded pretty long, up to 2.850”, I believe. I tested it with some loaded to 2.830” and it worked just fine. Plus the gun can handle pretty much everything that isn’t a ruger no1 load, even if your shoulder can’t. Happy reloading and shooting!
 
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hafetysazard said:
You will be able to feed cartridges with bullets loaded pretty long, up to 2.850”, I believe. I tested it with some loaded to 2.830” and it worked just fine. Plus the gun can handle pretty much everything that isn’t a ruger no1 load, even if your shoulder can’t. Happy reloading and shooting!
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Thanks for the info! I still haven't got dies, but I bought 10 boxes of factory S&B. So I have a bit to shoot through before I have to start loading. I will have to experiment with COL. One benefit of the 1886 vs the Marlin.
 
That is my favourite configuration of the 1886. I even like the tang safety, if you have to have a safety. They show up now and then for significantly less than a new Marlin and seems like a heck of a nicer rifle to me. Congrats on the new toy.
 
Suther said:
Is that right? Good to know.
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These new Japanese made guns are pretty strong. In many older reloading manuals, where, “Winchester 1886,” level loads are listed, they are more mild, generally within the SAAMI specs for an original gun. The new 1886’s from Winchester will eat any load safe for a Marlin lever-action, and potentially more.
 
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I agree they are likely the nicest handling ‘86, way better than the OBFM rifles in my opinion. I had an original for years in really nice condition but sold it to a guy a year ago who had to have it and had more money than sense. I have mostly used my Browning SRC since getting it anyways but I always intended to get a butt stock from the lightweight version to replace the SRC version. You can still find decent lightweight’s in .33 WCF which is also a great round and I supposed if you found one that has already been molested, it could easily be re-bored or re-barred to .45-70. The sound of an ‘86 being cycled is really nice to my ears.
 
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