THE MODEL 1886

DOWN RANGE

- Mike Venturino

Model 1886 lever-action rifles originated in the U.S. and have been copied in factories as far away as Japan and Italy. They have been offered as Winchesters, Brownings, Winchester/Mirokus and Cimarron/Ubertis. My opinion is that for reasons unknown, Model 1886s have been admired by the general shooting public more than any other levergun; even those made in vastly more numbers and for longer time periods. In my many years of writing about leverguns – both original and reproductions – this following comment has been heard many times, “I’ve never owned a lever-action rifle, but someday I’d like to have an ’86.”

Historically speaking, Model 1886 Winchesters arrived late in the Old West times. Texas Rangers never were issued them. Indian fighters never carried them. The only fracas I’ve seen in which they were documented was the 1890’s Johnson County, Wyoming, cattle war. Hired guns from Texas brought in by the large ranchers to subdue small ranchers turned in some 1886s at their surrender to the U.S. Army.

In the hunting fields they are less than handy. They weighed about 10 pounds in standard rifle configuration, and unless special ordered they were shipped with no provision for slings. There’s no way to handcarry one without your hands being wrapped around steel. On even a moderately cold day, an 1886 bearer will be tossing it from hand to hand like a hot potato unless he is wearing heavy gloves.