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Picked this up last week, and thought I would share a few pics and first impressions with you. This is the newly minted Winchester 1873 made by Miroku. Introductory caliber is 38/357. Bright blue finish with round barrel as was standard production for the Winchester 1873 back in the day. Overall fit and finish is excellent! Action is very smooth and light. Rifle seems to run any thing I have put through it, whether 357 or 38 spl. Nice straight grain wood with a soft "oil" finish. Wood to metal fit is on par with original pre-war Winchesters. Clearly aimed at the Cowboy Action market. Price point is about the same as a new Uberti 73.
Tang marking as per original, but not as well done as I would like to see!
Carrier is marked with caliber, as per the original Winchester 1873.
This rifle is set up with a 20 inch round barrel. Note that the forearm has been properly proportioned/shortened as standard for a short rifle.
Last edited by Grizzly Adams on Wed May 15, 2013 9:11 pm, edited 1 time in total.
If you can read this, thank a teacher. If you can read this in English, thank a Vet! COMNAVFORV, Vietnam 68-70
NRA Life, SASS Life, Banjo picking done cheap!
There've been some changes to Ubertis over the years... early models had a nice long ramp in the front of the carrier, which would allow shorter cartridges to get pushed back in the mag tube. In newer versions, Uberti shortened this ramp, reducing the range of cartridge length that could be handled.
My 1986 production '73 has about a 45º ramp, and my 2004 has about a 30º ramp... much steeper. I suspect that FN (Browning, who I understand took the lead on this model as the product management team), listened to the cowboy action market with their complaints on the later Ubertis.
Griff,
SASS/CMSA #93
NRA Patron
GUSA #93
There is a fine line between hobby & obsession! AND... I'm over it!!
No I ain't ready, but let's do it anyway!
Looks darn nice! I expected rounded corners on the wood and typical gaps, but it's looks to be as good as an Uberti. Can you show us the roll markings on the barrel?
Thanks for the look and report!
Cheers,
Oly
I hope and pray someday the world will learn
That fires we don't put out will bigger burn
She's a beauty! Thank goodness no tang mounted safety on this one. I'll take a Miroku over a Uberti just about any day.
Thanks for the report & pictures.
Illegitimus Non Carborundum Akā, ʻo ka poʻe hilinaʻi aku iā Iēhova, e ulu hou nō ko lākou ikaika;
E piʻi ʻēheu aku nō lākou i luna, e like me nā ʻaito;
E holo nō lākou, ʻaʻole hoʻi e māloʻeloʻe,
E hele mua nō lākou, ʻaʻole hoʻi e maʻule.
`Isaia 40:31
Oly: I guess I would have to give the edge to the Miroku in terms of overall quality. Seems to be built to closer tolerances.
44-40 Willy: These clones, both the Uberti and Winchester, are proofed for 357. Uberti is now selling a 73 in 44 Mag!
Friends call me Ji: No safety buttons or rebounding hammers - just a standard half-cock on the hammer. It does have a firing pin block, which would prevent the firing pin extension from leaving the frame in the case of a catastrophic event. I suspect competition shooters and purists who don't like "improvements" on original designs, will be removing it within a few minutes of unpacking! Looks like a 5 minute job to me....
Forgot to mention that the tang is tapped for a tang sight just as the original were!
If you can read this, thank a teacher. If you can read this in English, thank a Vet! COMNAVFORV, Vietnam 68-70
NRA Life, SASS Life, Banjo picking done cheap!
Because I Can, and Have
-------------------------------------------------------------
USAF-72-76
God Bless America.
Disclaimer, not responsible for anyone copying or building anything i make.
Always consult an expert first.
If you can read this, thank a teacher. If you can read this in English, thank a Vet! COMNAVFORV, Vietnam 68-70
NRA Life, SASS Life, Banjo picking done cheap!
That's a beaut! I've shot the heck of my Uberti '73 and it's held up fine. From what I've seen of Miroku's guns I wouldn't be a bit surprised if yours is a step up in quality.
If the fit and finish and overall quality are as good as my '92 Miroku 357 - and I'm sure it is - then you have a fine rifle. Miroku builds a fine lever gun.
That is a very good looking '73. It should have great appeal among cowboy action shooters. I have several Miroku-made guns and they are all top quality.
SHASTA
California Rifle & Pistol Association LIFE Member
National Rifle Association BENEFACTOR LIFE Member
A fine rifle indeed. It would be hard to use that one for CAS. I had a hard time deciding to quit using mine for CAS because it (Uberti 73) is just to nice to beat up,and Cowboy guns do get beat up. My Marlins get to play Cowboy and the 73 stands in the safe at this point. That may change at a later date.
Chuck 100 yd wrote:A fine rifle indeed. It would be hard to use that one for CAS. I had a hard time deciding to quit using mine for CAS because it (Uberti 73) is just to nice to beat up,and Cowboy guns do get beat up. My Marlins get to play Cowboy and the 73 stands in the safe at this point. That may change at a later date.
I hear ya, Chuck! I had the same feelings about using my Browning BSS shotgun for CAS. Left it in the safe for 5 years while I struggled with a Stoeger . Finally sent the Browning off to be set up for CAS by a gunsmith who specializes in them. Wow! The Browning is not only a great shotgun, but it's a fantastic CAS shotgun. This 1873 will go onto the gun cart along with it's Uberti 73 brothers, because it's too good not to use! At my age, I try to eat off the good china.
If you can read this, thank a teacher. If you can read this in English, thank a Vet! COMNAVFORV, Vietnam 68-70
NRA Life, SASS Life, Banjo picking done cheap!
Congratulations - nice gun! How about a full pic of it? Easy for me to say, I don't CAS, but use the heck out of it! I'd like to see them make a SRC.
Ed.- With the extranneous "safety" add ons thankfully banished from the '73, would be interesting to hear what the justification for keeping them on the 92s and 94s - maybe hope for them too?
Okay, add me to the list of a few more pictures: specifically...can you take a sideplate off and get us a picture of the guts? Also, will SOME parts interchange with originals? i need a dust cover (bought one in a parts bin at a gun show last year for $5...and promptly lost it!!). On ebay now they bring over $100. Oh well. I was on record as stating that due to liability concerns Winchester would NEVER make the 1873 again. I stand humbly corrected . Now i can keep the dream alive for a Winchester produced 1866 (but in the original 44RF).
"...for there is a cloud on my horizon...and its name is progress." E. Abbey, 1958
The bolt and firing pin assembly is very similar to the Uberti set up in that it is two piece. The firing pin block is much like the one found on the 86. Lever cam has greater bearing surface. Lifter arm is a bit more robust.
As for parts interchangeability with the original, I really doubt it. I did compare the carriers, and can tell you they are not the same.
I will try to get a full length shot up later. Photobucket is being a pain right now........
If you can read this, thank a teacher. If you can read this in English, thank a Vet! COMNAVFORV, Vietnam 68-70
NRA Life, SASS Life, Banjo picking done cheap!
That's one imported gun that does impress me as we all know the Japs make near indestructible weapons. I never would have thought that the Japs would repro the '73 and one thing for sure, that gun will hold up for tens of thousands of any kind of ammo you can feed it. I know guys who have put 10-20 thou out of 86's.
People say the 73 action is weak. Its not weak, its just not as strong as an 86.
But Grizz, I disagree with 'ya on one point, ain't no regular production gun out there that can equal the wood to metal fit like a pre-1900 Winchester.
How much it set you back, about 12?------------------------Sixgun
1st. Gen. Colt SAA’s, 1878 D.A.45 and a 38-55 Marlin TD
My understanding is that Winchester WILL be offering this rifle in 44-40 next time around. A high grade version is also on the way, with a case hardened frame and a step up in wood.
Sixgun, you are right about pre-1900 Winchesters, but this one is as close as it comes!
Check out Wolf Bane's blog for his impressions and some nice pics!
If you can read this, thank a teacher. If you can read this in English, thank a Vet! COMNAVFORV, Vietnam 68-70
NRA Life, SASS Life, Banjo picking done cheap!
Very nice looking 73! Thanks for the pix
A 32-20 or 38-40 would be sweet too
I did pass on that 73 uberti in the white, had it been like your Winchester, id be
shooting it right now
That is one beautiful 73! When they make the 44-40 I am definitely getting one. In the meantime, let's hope that the head honchos at Winchester realize that their 86s, 92s, 94s and 95s would also benefit from an action minus the rebounding hammer and tang safety as shown is the case with this new 73.
Great looking gun. I jumped on an Uberti (45 Colt) last fall and I am very please with it, but I would have preferred a Miroku. I have a Miroku 92 (.357) that is a gem in fit, finish and accuracy. I'm sure the Miroku 73 is the same. I'm always the last to find out about new models and probably a little impatient too. Strange how things have changed. Not many years ago we would not be talking about Italian or Japanese products but which American made rifle was the best.
All it takes for tyranny to succeed is for good men to do nothing.
I thought it was reported that it had a coil spring for the hammer. These photos show a flat spring????
I read some speculation by folks who had not seen one that it would have coil springs like the others made by Miroku. No coil springs in this model!
The hammer spring in the Winchester is however, different than the one used in the Uberti version.
If you can read this, thank a teacher. If you can read this in English, thank a Vet! COMNAVFORV, Vietnam 68-70
NRA Life, SASS Life, Banjo picking done cheap!
Saturday at our Monthly Cowtown Cowboy Shooters Match a local Gun Smith had a new Winchester for us to handle and do a visual inspection. The comment he made was the piece can not be timed to function as fast as the Uberti. He tried the piece with 38's & 357's. 357's functioned the best, but not great. His report was major problems with 38's when at CAS/SASS speeds. This shooter usually shoots average in the high teens low 20's per stage and is a top 10% SASS shooter.
This is only one report of many to come on this new Rifle.
. Now i can keep the dream alive for a Winchester produced 1866 (but in the original 44RF).
