I want a lever action rifle.

[Choatecav]

Yesterday, six friends and myself, piled into a van and went to Louisville, KY. for the annual "Show of Shows" at the Ky Expo Center.  We went last year and were hooked.  It is absolutely unbelievable. 

Anyway, while there, I channeled my inner "Snaveba" and found this Winchester 1886 in 45 - 70 at a price I could not pass up.  I have been wanting to get something in that caliber for some time, so this sort of allowed me to scratch a couple of itches at once.  Have not shot it yet, but hopefully that will be in near future.  

I want to add a tang sight and Marbles makes a really nice one that allows adjustment for both elevation and windage.  However, it is going to require drilling a hole in the tang and they recommend a gunsmith to do this.  I am not set up for such an endeavor.  Do any of you know of a good and reliable gunsmith in mid-state area that might do this?

 

[Snaveba]

Nice rifle!!

[TripleGGG]

Great find. 

[gregintenn]

4 hours ago, Choatecav said:

Yesterday, six friends and myself, piled into a van and went to Louisville, KY. for the annual "Show of Shows" at the Ky Expo Center.  We went last year and were hooked.  It is absolutely unbelievable. 

Anyway, while there, I channeled my inner "Snaveba" and found this Winchester 1886 in 45 - 70 at a price I could not pass up.  I have been wanting to get something in that caliber for some time, so this sort of allowed me to scratch a couple of itches at once.  Have not shot it yet, but hopefully that will be in near future.  

I want to add a tang sight and Marbles makes a really nice one that allows adjustment for both elevation and windage.  However, it is going to require drilling a hole in the tang and they recommend a gunsmith to do this.  I am not set up for such an endeavor.  Do any of you know of a good and reliable gunsmith in mid-state area that might do this?

 

That rifle appears to be drilled and tapped for a receiver sight. Providence makes a repro of the old Lyman 21 “climbin’ Lyman. To my eye, this would look “right” on your rifle, and you wouldn’t need to go drilling extra holes on such a fine specimen.

Just something to consider.

[Choatecav]

Thanks for that suggestion, Greg.  I am reading about this receiver sight on the Providence website.  Might give me a good option to consider.  I'm gonna chew on it.

[papa61]

Dammitall! I started looking again today,,,have to put my mind to saving again. Have y'all seen the Taylor's & Co. takedown in 45-70? Case colored receiver, peep sights, carbine length, threaded oh my!

[Snaveba]

I have now

[Snaveba]

I finally shot my 1970 Marlin 1895 in 45-70. It didn’t kick quite as hard as I was expecting it to. I also shot the 1893 in 38-55. I like that rifle.

 

[Choatecav]

9 hours ago, Snaveba said:

I finally shot my 1970 Marlin 1895 in 45-70. It didn’t kick quite as hard as I was expecting it to. I also shot the 1893 in 38-55. I like that rifle.

 

In your experience, when shooting the heavier loads, do you find the crescent shaped butt stocks more comfortable than the traditional flatter ones or does it matter?

[gregintenn]

52 minutes ago, Choatecav said:

In your experience, when shooting the heavier loads, do you find the crescent shaped butt stocks more comfortable than the traditional flatter ones or does it matter?

Crescent buttplates are pretty, but abusive on a rifle that has heavy recoil.

[Snaveba]

My 45-70 has a mild crescent butt plate and was not bad. The 444Marlin is a normal butt plate. The 38-55 should have a carbine butt plate but I can’t find one so it has a recoil pad. 

[Snaveba]

A couple more followed me home. Pictures as soon as they are cleaned up.
 

1907 Winchester model 1894 in 38-55. 25” octagonal barrel with full length mag tube. Well used with most of the blueing gone to a brown patina. 

1927 Winchester Model 94 on 30wcf. 22” octagonal barrel, 3/4 length mag tube. Better condition, the barrel is beautiful (possibly a re-barrel sometime in its past). It is actually a buddies but I am cleaning it up. 

Soon to be here a really really ugly and rough 1951 Marlin 336RC. Should be a waffle top. Not sure and don’t know if it has been tapped for a scope (hope not) as there were no photos of the top of the receiver. “Gunsmith special”. It was a bit of a gamble. But should be a fun project. 

[Fishman731]

I believed all the hype on the 45-70 recoil.  I finally got my Marlin 1895 sbl and sighted it in after shoot 4 different types/weights of ammo.  Recoil was acceptable in each one. 

[Garufa]

3 minutes ago, Fishman731 said:

I believed all the hype on the 45-70 recoil.  I finally got my Marlin 1895 sbl and sighted it in after shoot 4 different types/weights of ammo.  Recoil was acceptable in each one. 

That model has a pretty thick Nancy pad on it.  . 

[Fishman731]

10 minutes ago, Garufa said:

That model has a pretty thick Nancy pad on it.  . 

It sure does! 

[Snaveba]

Ok so first is a 1923 Winchester 94. The barrel is actually from an earlier 1894 and is octagonal. It has been cut down from 26” to 22”.

This is a buddies but I did the cleanup on it. Full tear down and cleaning. Wood cleaned up and a new hand rubbed oil finish. The barrel blueing is great except for some spots near the muzzle where something got on the finish and caused rust. I cleaned it up the best I could w/o messing with the original finish. The receiver/parts, butt plate and forend cap got some cold blueing. 

 

turned out nice. 

[Snaveba]

Ok. I probably should have taken better (more) photos.  This is the rifle I got when my buddy Bjon got the one above.  It’s also a Winchester 1894 but from 1907 chambered in 38-55. I cleaned up and re-did the oil finish on the wood. This was the dirtiest rifle I have picked up yet. It made me wonder if it had been cleaned in the last 50+ years. I had to get oil in it just to get it to cycle. I did a complete tear down, cleaning and such. The rust was removed from the metal parts for the most part and then cold blued. I like them to still have some of their character, not to look like a Turnbill gun. I picked up an old Lyman peep sight for this one. 

 

 

Edited March 27 by Snaveba

[slickshot22]

I like the Marlins the Best Well made with Classic Styles I have a 39A Mountie & an 1894 22 WMR 22 magnum i love

[KahrMan]

53 minutes ago, Snaveba said:

Ok. I probably should have taken better (more) photos.  This is the rifle I got when my buddy Bjon got the one above.  It’s also a Winchester 1894 but from 1907 chambered in 38-55. I cleaned up and re-did the oil finish on the wood. This was the dirtiest rifle I have picked up yet. It made me wonder if it had been cleaned in the last 50+ years. I had to get oil in it just to get it to cycle. I did a complete tear down, cleaning and such. The rust was removed from the metal parts were for the most part and then cold blued. I picked up an old Lyman peep sight for this one. 

 

 

Nice job.  I bet that will shoot great.

[Choatecav]

8 hours ago, Snaveba said:

Ok. I probably should have taken better (more) photos.  This is the rifle I got when my buddy Bjon got the one above.  It’s also a Winchester 1894 but from 1907 chambered in 38-55. I cleaned up and re-did the oil finish on the wood. This was the dirtiest rifle I have picked up yet. It made me wonder if it had been cleaned in the last 50+ years. I had to get oil in it just to get it to cycle. I did a complete tear down, cleaning and such. The rust was removed from the metal parts for the most part and then cold blued. I like them to still have some of their character, not to look like a Turnbill gun. I picked up an old Lyman peep sight for this one. 

 

 

That's a real beauty.  Shame it had been neglected but after the disassembly and lube, I'll bet it moves nicely.  Nothing is as satisfying as the cycling of a good lever action that is well oiled.  

[Choatecav]

I just scratched another lever action itch that I have had for some time.  It is a reproduction of a Sharps 1874.  I would like to add a period accurate tang sight and see if I can replicate the "bucket shot" from Quigley Down Under....  

It is chambered in .45-70 so this makes two in this caliber I've added in the last month.  If I see another one that I really want I'll just take a cold shower or something.  

[TripleGGG]

That's a very nice Sharps repro and it is the perfect caliber.  Congrats.

[Snaveba]

[Snaveba]

6 hours ago, Choatecav said:

 

If I see another one that I really want I'll just take a cold shower or something.  

 

That doesn’t work

[Snaveba]

Vermeer sight for your Sharps

https://www.trackofthewolf.com/Categories/PartDetail.aspx/883/2/rs-dp-1874

and double set triggers

https://www.dixiegunworks.com/index/page/product/product_id/6842/category/531/category_chain/392,520,521,531/product_name/YP0906+Trigger+Assembly+-+Doule+Set+(repro.)+For+Dixie+1859+Sharps+Rifle+%26+Carbine+and+1874+Sharps+Sporting+Rifles+(Reproduction