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Browning Branded Winchester Clones


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Long before I started CAS, and to be honest, I am not sure of what the exact timetable was, Browning started marketing reproductions of the 92, 86 and 95 Winchesters.   

As I recall, they didn't have any silly safeties and were of rather decent quality.   Occasionally, I see the 92 mentioned here, but not all that often.

 

I have had a chance to handle one of the 86's and a 95, and I thought they were very well made replicas.

 

I know that the company that was then Browning and the company that was then making Winchester branded rifles have become the same company.  Again, if I recall things correctly.

 

 

 

So now some questions born of simple curiosity.

 

Were those "old" Browning reproductions as good as a seem to remember them?

 

Are they still being made?  [And WHERE were they made?]

 

Anybody here shooting them?

 

Can you provide an assessment as to how they compare to the originals and some of the other reproductions on the market?

 

 

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Miroku in Japan made the rifle sold as the Browning B92. A friend has one in .44 Magnum; they made a smaller number in .357.   Very nice Carbine.  Miroku also makes the 1892 sold as a Winchester; those have a tang safety and a rebounding hammer.

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I can't talk about the rifles, but in the early 90's I bought a Browning Model 42 .410 pump shotgun, pretty much an exact copy of the Winchester Model 42.    It is a very high quality, well-made shotgun and still functions perfectly.  It is marked, "Made in Japan".   If the rifles were made about the same time as my shotgun, I would expect the quality to be first rate.

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7 hours ago, H. K. Uriah, SASS #74619 said:

Long before I started CAS, and to be honest, I am not sure of what the exact timetable was, Browning started marketing reproductions of the 92, 86 and 95 Winchesters.   

As I recall, they didn't have any silly safeties and were of rather decent quality.   Occasionally, I see the 92 mentioned here, but not all that often.

 

I have had a chance to handle one of the 86's and a 95, and I thought they were very well made replicas.

 

I know that the company that was then Browning and the company that was then making Winchester branded rifles have become the same company.  Again, if I recall things correctly.

 

 

 

So now some questions born of simple curiosity.

 

Were those "old" Browning reproductions as good as a seem to remember them?

 

Are they still being made?  [And WHERE were they made?]

 

Anybody here shooting them?

 

Can you provide an assessment as to how they compare to the originals and some of the other reproductions on the market?

 

 

The rifles to which you are referring were replicas of the 1886 Winchester that were made by Miroku for Browning and were brought out for the 100th anniversary of the 1886 Winchester.  They came in two grades, Field and High Grade, in both rifle ( crescent buttplate ) and carbine (shotgun buttplate ) configurations.  I had both the field grade carbine and the high grade rifle at one time or another.   Those carbines/rifles are no longer made and, they come up for sale from time to time on the used market.  They were only made in 45-70 and I found  that the carbine was more accurate than the rifle.  I was able to put 2 or three rounds out of 5 touching at 100 yds with the carbine, but wasn't able to duplicate that with the rifle; although that may have been that because the high grade rifle was so fancy, I didn't shoot it as much.  The high grade came in a Browning badged Naugahyde lined case.  As I recall, they were not case hardened and the high grade rifle had a scroll engraved receiver with gold filled bear and deer figures.

 

Both versions were extremely well made.  I would not be surprised to learn that Miroku still makes them for Winchester.  I believe the current model has a tang safety, where the ones produced in 1986 did not. 

 

I noticed that there is a high grade carbine for sale under the Browning lever action rifle section on the gunsamerica web site.  According to the description, it's unfired and for sale at $2,150.   Guns International has a high grade rifle for sale at $1,500.  I have no idea of the current market price as they don't trade very often.  The high grade version was made in a limited run of 3,000, I believe. 

 

That's about all I know or remember.  There was a gun magazine article about them around late '80s, but I can't remember which magazine it was.

 

Tex

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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I have looked over an 1886 Browning, made in Japan, and I actually own a Chiappa 1886, made in Italy.  From this limited comparison, the Browning was the better of the two, in quality, workmanship, and simply the feel of it. 

All I can go by is just my own limited comparison. 

I do like the Chiappa a lot, and when I had a problem, and called them, they were quick to help and react to me. I got the Chiappa at a pretty good price, and when I was hankering to buy one, a used Browning was not to be found.  They are up for sale, now and then, on the major gun buying sites.  A used, in good shape, Browning, like as not, will run you a lot more than a new Chiappa.  Some of that may be because they originally came out in 1986 for the 100th anniversary of the Winchester model 1886, as designed by John M. Browning.  These Browning's did not have a tang safety, or lever safety.  You either left the chamber unloaded, or you put the hammer on the safety notch, and kept your finger off the trigger, and kept the rifle pointed in a safe direction.     

The Browning had a full blue receiver, whereas the Chiappa has a "casehardened" receiver....not sure if they really went to the trouble to do traditional casehardening, but mine does look pretty good, however it got put on.   

But, of the two...I would lean to the Browning, if you can find a good used one, at a price you can stand.  I have seen a few that are described as "new in the box", so sometimes one can find one in really pristine condition.   

 

I looked at a Browning 1895 too, and I compared it to my Winchester 1895, that was made in 1915.  The Browning, that I examined, was really a great reproduction, very high quality.  I believe the Browning 1895's were originally offered in 30-40 Krag, and 30-06, and I think some even came in 270 Winchester. 

My brother-in-law has an 1892 Browning, in .44 Magnum.  Another quality firearm, from what I could see.  

 

My Two Bits.

W.K.

 

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I have both the browning 1886 rifle and carbine and one of 92’s in 44 mag.  I have an original Winchester 1886 born in 1887.  If you lay it beside the browning rifle and handle them one after the other it is tough to tell them apart. The browning may be smoother. I shoot the browning rifle when my club has a monthly big bore option. It shoots mighty fine. 
great quality guns. Highly recommend. 

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My Browning 92 in 44 mag is as close to the original Winchester 92 as you can find. Great shooter well made. I have the Centennial model with gold engravings.

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I found one of the ‘80s Brownings [no tang safety or tang logo] a few years ago in .30-06 to restock into a full stocked NRA musket. These use a lot of Krag parts. Been busy with other builds lately. I’m hoping it turns out something like this. The Russian ‘95 rifle would be better but this will be ok. I do like a musket, have a uberti ‘66, an 1896 Krag and a Winchester’73 with bayonets. Neat rifles. 

4E3C7361-1F32-4399-A58F-D68BC5B979E0.jpeg

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In retrospect, I wish I had bought a Winchester 1873 in 357 for SASS, instead of my 1894CB.
They don't make an 1873 in 44 mag, so I bought a Uberti 1873 to supplement my 44 mag stuff.

I do own one Miroku:  a 1970s era Charles Daly 500 SxS that I got from Deuce Stevens.
The metallurgy and craftsmanship of this Japanese shotgun is exemplary.
It is miles and miles ahead of the Stoeger I had for such a brief time, until it died.

Miroku made/makes Browning.
Superb quality.

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On 7/25/2020 at 2:35 PM, Johnson County Mike said:

Hi, here's my 1895 saddle ring carbine, in 30-40 Krag, made in japan, regards, Mike1480036485_1895Winchester2.thumb.jpg.445e5d83479f6bfb1b86d84bf55d5650.jpg2122178578_1895Winchester.thumb.jpg.074839eaaae0672c93377791a916c897.jpg

 

I've never noticed the lever on an 1895.  What's the purpose of the hinge?  I looked for some more pics and I didn't see any with the lever pulled apart. 

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1 hour ago, Ramblin Gambler said:

 

I've never noticed the lever on an 1895.  What's the purpose of the hinge?  I looked for some more pics and I didn't see any with the lever pulled apart. 

Browning deigned it to facilitate the box magazine, lever guns always used a tubular mag so when Winchester wanted a non detachable lever gun browning had to come up with a way to deal with it and came up with the hinged lever

Rafe 

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I got a Winchester and Browning 92 in .44 mag, the Winchester is a rifle 24”, the Browning is a carbine. Have the John Wayne 92 Commemorative in .44-40/.44 spcl, and a Winchester 1886 in .45-70. And I just picked up both the 1866 & 1873 as well. Looking for a Winchester 1895 and either a 1875 clone or maybe another great deal like the one that was listed here for $1,500 that I couldn’t afford at the tome but can now. Those are the last 2 lever actions to complete my collection of Winchesters, starting with a Navy Arms 1860 and finishing with a pre 60 94, along with the JW commemorative in .32-40!  What can I say, I love the Duke!

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