Santa came early

[257 Ackley]

I bowed to peer pressure and found a 45-70 that should be fun to play with :lol: . I don't see this being a new p-dog rifle, but should work for the thick north woods for deer.
It is a model 1886 Extra Light manufactured in Japan for Winchester.

 

[SJB358]

Joel, I love it! It is one beautiful rifle that is well suited to that triple canopy hardwoods you have! Now, get it to the range! Scotty

 

[DrMike]

Wow! Great find, Joel. I'll be most interested in what it does for you at the range. I've been looking at that very rifle for about six months.

 

[JD338]

Joel,

Congratulations buddy. Beautiful rifle for sure. You are going to love the 45-70. It is right at home in the big woods of MN.
Give the .458 300 gr BST a try with 59.0 grs H322. It is a hammer on WT deer. :wink:

JD338

 

[cloverleaf]

That is gonna be a fun rifle! Very nice. I believe that is what they refer to as a bigger hammer. So many loading optons.....When you are ready to go to the range give me a call. I can get you in....CL

 

[257 Ackley]

How about tomorrow? :mrgreen: I have loads ready to go!

 

[Guy Miner]

Wow! Quite a rifle. Looks like it came from the factory, drilled and tapped for a Williams receiver sight... I'd have one on there in about a half a heartbeat if it was mine. No scope, just a good receiver sight.

Several of us here have some good .45/70 load info, free for the asking.

Terrific rifle! Tell Santa "Thanks!"

 

[Elkman]

Very nice, you like the 70, does have a significant thump at the rear end as well as out front. I still have the peep sight on mine. Gongratulations !!

 

[257 Ackley]

Wow! Quite a rifle. Looks like it came from the factory, drilled and tapped for a Williams receiver sight... I'd have one on there in about a half a heartbeat if it was mine. No scope, just a good receiver sight.

Several of us here have some good .45/70 load info, free for the asking.

Terrific rifle! Tell Santa "Thanks!"

Thanks Guy -
I would appreciate any load data you have. I bought some 350 grain cast bullets and R7 to start with and have 20 loaded up ready to test. Will need to find some jacketed bullets to test before too long.
Scotty and I have been talking about what peep to put on it already. I was concerned that it would need to be drilled and tapped for a peep, so it was nice to see that has been taken care of at the factory. With top eject it would be difficult to use anything but a peep and the classic lines of the rifle would be pretty fuggly in my view. Which one do you have on your rifle, and why? I don't think I have shot with a peep sight since I left the Corps .

The main hunting purpose for this rifle will be deer in Northern Minnesota that is pretty thick woods, with most shots under 100 yards. Even my eyes, that are getting worse by the day should be able to see through a peep and get on a deer at those distances.

 

[257 Ackley]

Very nice, you like the 70, does have a significant thump at the rear end as well as out front. I still have the peep sight on mine. Gongratulations !!

I went into this with both eyes open, since I got to shoot Scotty and Brian's guide guns this past summer. Not sure if recoil will be the same in the 1886, but I don't plan on shooting high pressure loads like they do :roll: . If I can get an accurate load with a 300 - 350 grain bullet going about 1800 I will be happy.

 

[Woodycreek]

You got a fine looking 45-70 buddy! I was wondering how long it would take before you got one. Scotty and me shoot high pressure loads in the 45-70s?

 

[BK]

You guys are wearing me down! I was at a local shop the other day, and they had a couple of Marlin .45-70s and a .450 Marlin. I was sorely tempted to pick up the .450 and one of the .45-70s...

Nice looking rifle! I dig the '86 Winchesters (and the Browning repros), just never found one when I had the money.

 

[CatskillCrawler]

You guys are wearing me down! I was at a local shop the other day, and they had a couple of Marlin .45-70s and a .450 Marlin. I was sorely tempted to pick up the .450 and one of the .45-70s...

Nice looking rifle! I dig the '86 Winchesters (and the Browning repros), just never found one when I had the money.

I'm feeling the same pressure. I never had a desire for .45 until the last few years but their attraction factor has become hard to ignore.

very nice piece!

 

[Woodycreek]

You guys are wearing me down! I was at a local shop the other day, and they had a couple of Marlin .45-70s and a .450 Marlin. I was sorely tempted to pick up the .450 and one of the .45-70s...

Nice looking rifle! I dig the '86 Winchesters (and the Browning repros), just never found one when I had the money.

Just pass on buying anymore 700s for now and get one! Between Jake, you, and now CatskillCrawler it just gives Nosler more reason to bring back the 300gr Partitions!

 

[SJB358]

You guys are wearing me down! I was at a local shop the other day, and they had a couple of Marlin .45-70s and a .450 Marlin. I was sorely tempted to pick up the .450 and one of the .45-70s...

Nice looking rifle! I dig the '86 Winchesters (and the Browning repros), just never found one when I had the money.

Just pass on buying anymore 700s for now and get one! Between Jake, you, and now CatskillCrawler it just gives Nosler more reason to bring back the 300gr Partitions!

Good call. They are a ton of fun and are really fun to load for as well. They are kinda like an M4 as there is so many things to bolt on them and ways to configure them. I just love the heck out of my Guide Rifle. It is a fun thumper! Scotty

 

[BK]

I'm going to swear to no more 700s, but between the M70 Sporter .338 I gawked at yesterday and the Marlins, I may be off the Big Green train for a while!

 

[SJB358]

I'm going to swear to no more 700s, but between the M70 Sporter .338 I gawked at yesterday and the Marlins, I may be off the Big Green train for a while!

Now your talking Kurt... Get ya some 338 and 45's! You won't ever look back on those choices. They are a ton of fun. Plus, I have a ton of great loads for both, just to get you started! Scotty

 

[257 Ackley]

Took the rifle over to a local indoor range to run a few rounds through it yesterday. I had loaded up some 350 grain cast bullets using 42 grains of R7 just to have a starting point (start sending me all that load data you 45-70 shooters have ).

I shot everything at 25 yards with the buckhorn sights that came on the rifle. Group of 15 shots was about 2 inches once adjustments were made. This rifle has the malady that the Browning re-make of the 1886 is known for, with the rebounding hammer and misfires (@%^&@&& lawyers :twisted: ). I had one yesterday out of the 20 I shot. Does anyone else have this model (or similar models with the same lever mechanism), and have you made the changes to the hammer strut and mainspring that fixes this problem?

 

[cloverleaf]

How about tomorrow? :mrgreen: I have loads ready to go!

Hey, sorry missed this post earlier. Hope you didnt have to spend your money at "Bills" That place scares me! Family stuffyesterday and today you know.... Will Send you a PM. 26th perhaps? CL