New Lever!! 1886 / .33WCF Update: She's a Keeper / Photos

[2ndovc]

I finally bagged an original Winchester 1886!

A lightweight made in 1900 and .33WCF. She's pretty worn and well used but has a perfect bore and super slick action.

I had an original box of .33s and picked up a box of custom made shells at the show made from
45-70 brass and a 200 Gr. jacketed flat point.

I tried to find this bullet online and do far all I can find is a 250 Jacketed RN and 200 gr. spitzer type bullets.
What bullet can I use for this cartridge?

Will post phots and range report with the custom ammo tomorrow.

jb

[salvo]

Boy you really know how to tease a person!
Congrats and looking forward to the range report and pictures.

[Mike D.]

The .33 WCF was added to the 1886 lineup in 1902. Many earlier guns were rebarreled to the then new caliber. Unfortunately, there is a singular lack of decent bullets for that excellent cartridge, one that has been a favorite of mine for many years. When Hornady dropped the number 3315 200 grain FP from their lineup, it left the .33 WCF without a decent bullet. You can file the tip on the Hornady number 3310 200 grain spire point or purchase some pricey, but excellent .338 bullets from Hawk Precision.

[1886]

Congrats J. I bet if you scrounge you may find a decent supply of Hornady .33 cal bullets. I am certain there would be a number of suppliers who could provide you with a life times worth of cast bullets. Please advise. 1886.

[TedH]

That's great! Get some pics up pronto!

[jnyork]

Just before ebay quit selling bullets, those Hornady flat points were selling for $60.00- $75.00 a box!

Just load the Hornady spire points and load one at a time. Or, my technique for converting them to flat point is to run them up in a 30-30 trim die using a piece of dowel on top of the press ram. Knock off the point with a coarse file, finish off with a finer file. Only takes a few seconds, works fine.

[1886]

When I am out and about I will look for some of the Hornady bullets. If I find them should I grab them? 1886.

[Mike D.]

PM me Jason. I might be able to help you with a few 200 Hornady FPs at a non-gouge artist price.

[Sixgun]

Jason,
Like the other boys have said, the old Hornady 3315 FP is the bulet to find. Luckily, I have a half thou from past escapades in old gunshops. I have killed a truckload of deer with those bullets over the years.

Also, like the other boys have said, the 200 Hornady SP will work with the tip ground off, but are near worthless for hunting. These were designed with the .338 mag. in mind and will not expand.

Get yourself a mould with a gas check and go to work-----------------Sixgun

[marlinman93]

Here's a guy selling them at gunbroker already cast, lubed and gas checked.
http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewIt ... =115581528

[2ndovc]

Cold, windy nasty morning but who cares when you got a new Winchester to shoot!!

All I can say is WOW!
What a great rifle!
She's a little beat up and has a couple issues. The butt plate is a replacement. The tang sight was broken
and brazed back together and the old boy that owned it previously carved the stock back a little so the
tang sight would fit a little better.





Once I got the sights figured out I got a nice 1 1/2" four shot gorup!
Ammo was new made from RP 45-70 cases and looke to be that Hornady FP
That's apparently been discontinued.
I've bought 35WCF from these guys before and have been pleased with the results.


Mike D.
You're right about the date. I was in a hurry when I looked it up and it is 1902/ 128810
according to my book anyway.

Thanks for the info on the bullets.
I'm going to gra those cast bullets on GB.

[BenT]

Hornady in 2009 is going to start selling it's gummy tip bullets. So it won't be long before the 338 one's are going to be available for 338 MX. I was looking at the speer 338 200gr bullets the other day because of maybe purchasing a 338 MX . The softpoint is plenty big enough to file off . But I'm not sure of expansion at 33 Win speeds. I will be checking out the gunshops for the 200 gr fp hornady's. I know of one that has a box for $35 that I'll be picking up next time I go through that town. I have a couple of older shops I need check out. If I find more than a couple boxes, which is all I want , I can pass them along . Is the $35 to $40 dollar a box in your price range.

[2ndovc]

You bet!

Thanks Ben.

jb

[Marc]

Issues or no, that is a nice looking Winchester!

[spaceman spiff]

Here's a guy selling them at gunbroker already cast, lubed and gas checked.
http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewIt ... =115581528

I have bought from this guy and have only good things to report. He casts
excellent bullets.

Regards,

Troy

[marlinman93]

That's a pretty decent 1886, and it sure seems to shoot well!

[RKrodle]

Looks to me like you done good. I would love to have a original 86 or 71.

[Sixgun]

Jason,
That is a "used, but not abused '86" I would call that a "clean" gun. Your "issues" are not really issues when concerning a collectable hunting gun. An "issue" is a drilled and tapped receiver, a cut barrel, rebored barrel, buffed and reblued metal, heavily sanded wood, major replacement parts from a different era gun.--------relax---you 'done nice!------------------Sixgun

[2ndovc]

Jason,
That is a "used, but not abused '86" I would call that a "clean" gun. Your "issues" are not really issues when concerning a collectable hunting gun. An "issue" is a drilled and tapped receiver, a cut barrel, rebored barrel, buffed and reblued metal, heavily sanded wood, major replacement parts from a different era gun.--------relax---you 'done nice!------------------Sixgun

I didn't think I was doing to bad. There werent' any extra holes or buggered screws, rust or pitting or anything like that, just a well used old girl.
The bore is absolutely perfect and has the best trigger I've ever seen on a levergun.
I got the guy down to $1400. Figured that wasn't much more than the new 86s are going for and it doesn't say Made in Japan on it.
It was just screaming "Take me home"! Glad I did!
I have a feeling it's going to get a LOT of use for the next few decades

jb

[Sixgun]

$1400??? You done real good. A couple of years ago,that might have been the norm or a bit high,but things sure have changed. Hey! Its an '86!! The most "wanted" of all Winchesters. I did not say the most popular. Everybody "wants" an '86,but usually settle for a 94 or a 92 . Japanese '86's go for more than that and you got the "Real McCoy". If you need info on loading for the .33, drop me a line. I have forming dies and lots of know how on the grand ole 33 WCF-----------Sixgun

[2ndovc]

$1400??? You done real good. A couple of years ago,that might have been the norm or a bit high,but things sure have changed. Hey! Its an '86!! The most "wanted" of all Winchesters. I did not say the most popular. Everybody "wants" an '86,but usually settle for a 94 or a 92 . Japanese '86's go for more than that and you got the "Real McCoy". If you need info on loading for the .33, drop me a line. I have forming dies and lots of know how on the grand ole 33 WCF-----------Sixgun

That means a lot coming from the original Winchester Pirate!!

I've wanted an '86 for probably 20 years but other things kept getting in the way. I've put together a pretty respectable collection of Winchesters but the '86 was the one I just couldn't get 'hold of.

After shooting this one this morning I really feel like I've found my "Forever Rifle" and I want to know
everything I can about this round.

jb

[Sixgun]

Jason,
Back in 1972 when I was 18, my brother-in-law had a .33 that he showed me. It belonged to his grandfather and I heard many stories about it. I started to read up on the cartridge and gun and decided that "one day" I was going to have my own .33. In 1976, the dream came true and I bought a full mag lightweight (not EXTRA-lightweight) that was factory refinished in the 1930's. I paid $400 for it at a gunshow which was about 3 weeks pay. In "Cartridges of the World" it stated that the 33 had a good reputation for elk. This was all in the seventies and I dreamed that one day, I would kill an elk with this cartridge.

Never thinking I would be able to hunt elk, I started killing deer with it. Although I had many other rifles, I almost always took the .33 hunting, and sometimes another 86 in 45-90. I harvested a deer every year with it, along with wild dogs, many foxes and other things. My son, Sixgun Jr. took his first deer with it in 1984 when he was 12.

Fast forward to 1995---my son gets a job with the railroad in Colorado. He finally settles down and we plan an elk hunt. In 2002 I hunt elk with a Model 71 and we see nothing. The next year, I bring the old .33. Below is the pic of a nice 3 X 4 I took using a 200 gr. Hornady with 44 grains of IMR 4895. 125 yards running.

My old 86 in 33 will be the last rifle to go, even though it has a few "issues". ----------Sixgun

[2ndovc]

Too Cool!!


I've got some cast bullets on the way to get started and will be working to track down some of those .338 Hornady bullets.

I'm going to get the loading dies and case forming dies ordered soon. Wow those are expensive!
I've got lots of 45-70 brass to make some cases.

45 Grains of 4895 and a 200 grain bullet sounds like a nice easy shooting round.

jb

[Jarhead]

Congrats on your new/old Winchester...mighty fine looking rifle

[RIHMFIRE]

Nice lookin rifle...
Good shoot'n too!
Congrats!
I'm with envy!

[Mike D.]

I scored my first .33 for something like $125, in 1970. That was a lot of money at the time, but wish that I had grabbed more of them. 1886s were all over the place at less than $500, even for the better condition and rarer caliber guns. I paid the same you did for my last, circa 1935 TD, two years ago.

[Jay Bird]

SWEET!! she's a keeper.

[1886]

Looks real nice J. Happy shooting. 1886.

[2ndovc]

Thanks guys!!!

MikeD. Hooked me up with some bullets and Sixgun's gonna form a few cases for me until
I can get a set of forming dies.
Also ordered some cast bullets to try that MarlinMan93 posted about.

Hoping I can get it all togeher for deer season this year. Going to be rushing it but as good as this thing shoots I wouldn't have any reservations about taking it along.
Need to get the Old Girl back out doing what she was ment for!!

Sure are some Cool Dudes hanging around here!!!!

Thanks again Guys!!

jb

[rjohns94]

Jason, she sure is a beaut!! I wish you decades of enjoyment out of her.

[rjohns94]

this guy has some 6+ boxes of original ammo. the sale did not go through on this auction:

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewIt ... =110363159

Also, he has a lightweight .33WCF for sale from 1920's that looks really nice. is interested in a package deal.

[Mike D.]

The only serious negative about that gun is the addition of those swivels. I thought about that when the auction started and might contact him and see about a "package" deal. You never know, he just might be interested.

[Sixgun]

The .33 he has, has been refinished. Stock is real smooth and the blue is too dark to be original

[Mike D.]

I explained that in my note to him, which has remained unanswered. The gun is useful only as a tool, and not worth what he probably thinks it is. I would go a yard and a half for the ammo and gun, no more, no way. The cartridge boxes aren't in collectible shape, same as the gun. Like most sellers these days, he needs a reality check. His "silk purse" is actually a "sow's ear".

[Jaguarundi]

Congrats on the 1886.Sweet !