The 1886, oh yeah!

[Raylan]

One beautiful old takedown he had there. 

[Forty Rod SASS 3935]

I bought a Browning '86 back in 1990 or so.  It's a .45-70 and hits like Thor's hammer.  Accurate to 200 yards (which is as far as I've shot it) and, because of the weight of the gun, it isn't even too unpleasant to use......if you don't have to carry it too far.  It isn't a take down model, which is of no concern to me and come with a beautiful walnut stock and it looks like the butt and forearm were cut from the same piece of wood.  The grain matches all the way.

 

I don't hunt any more and wouldn't hesitate to go after most North American game.  I wouldn't deliberately take on the biggest bears, but in a pinch it would get used.

[Yellowhouse Sam # 25171]

I think Commodore Perry was the most famous to use the 86....John Slaughter had one too though.  Commodore Perry

[Crooked River Pete, SASS 43485]

I have a carbine, let my buddy shoot it at Guns of August. He not only beat me he came in second over all. I never have let him touch it since.

[Raylan]

Just ordered an 1886 by Cimarron - straight stock, 26 inch octogonal barrel, case hardened frame,  in 45 70. Haven't been this excited to purchase a gun in quite a while. Now the adventure of getting all the reloading components begins. Got RCBS cowboy dies, a Lee factory crimp die, and a Lyman cartridge checker. Need to pick a powder, get more primers, cases, and bullets. 

[Trailrider #896]

The only "weakness" I've ever run into in an original '86 was the ejector on one rifle that broke off either due to slamming the action closed or backthrust on the bolt face.  The original ejector formed the bottom of the firing pin channel, so when it flew out of the action, it left the primer of the next round unsupported, so the primer backed out!  I got a sprinkling of gas particles on my forehead, but due to the basic design, no other problems.  I was shooting some pretty stiff loads (the barrel had been replaced with a modern steel tube with a quarter inch wall!).  Rather than simply replace the ejector, I replaced the entire breechblock and locking lugs with one from a M71, which has a smaller ejector button, so the entire firing pin channel is supported.  They were available from Numrich at the time, and I ordered two sets.  Had a 'smith install and headspace them in that rifle and another, chambered for .33 WCF, which is a .45-70 necked down to .338.  Hell of a great cartridge!  I was able to get Hornady to create a 200 gr. Flat Soft Point Jacketed bullet which they sold for a number of years, until they discontinued it!  Would do a real number on wild boar and also steel plate ducks, pigs, turkeys and rams.  I competed against some guys with .30-30's, and finally quit because it was no contest.  The duck targets would get moved right off the concrete supports!  Winchester discontinued the original '86 in favor of the M71 in .348 WCF, which was basically a .50-110 case necked down to .348", with the improved lockup.  Still the same basic design with nickel-steel barrels.  IMHO, they would have done better to have stayed with the .338" bullet, "blown" the shoulder out.  But the powders of the day weren't slow enough for a .33 WCF Improved.  I don't hunt anymore, but if I did, out to about 250 yds, I'd take an '86/71 for anything on the North American continent, including those big brown wooly-boogers in Alaska!

 

Do I love an '86? Naaa! Not much!

 

Stay well and safe, Pards!

[Dutch Coroner]

Here’s my brother JB Sledge with his moose taken with an original 1886. 140 years old I believe it is. 
 

Dutch