If This 1886 Could Talk

Sixgun · Post by **Sixgun** » Sun Feb 03, 2008 9:12 pm

All 1886 Lightweights or Extra Lightweights are in .33 WCF or 45-70 only, so when I saw this one in 45-90, I had to get it despite its condition. Condition was very, very used but surpringly not abused as no pitting was evident and the bore was mostly bright and shiney. Standard shotgun butt, 22 inch barrel and takedown, which is always a plus on an old levergun. Mechanics are excellent but...........it had an extra dovetail right through the lettering on the barrel and an extra hole on the left side of the receiver.

After some head scratching, I surmised that the previous owner had a scope on this gun and that this gun was a serious working gun. The wood had a 104 years of grease, dirt, and other junk about a 1/8" thick. AND, the wood was "wavey" at certain areas. I striped off the dirt and other gunk and low and behold, guess what all those "waves" were?

I counted to 180 or so and lost my count, probably 250 or more. Look real close at the bottom edge of the buttstock and the top edge of the forearm. Its on both sides, top and bottom and some in the middle.--------------------NOTCHES----------I'm gonna leave 'em on the wood and kill an elk with this rifle---------------------Sixgun

kimwcook · Post by **kimwcook** » Sun Feb 03, 2008 9:19 pm

Cool, a rifle lives again.

crs · Post by **crs** » Sun Feb 03, 2008 9:55 pm

Very iteresting. I look forward to pics of the finished refurb job.

salvo · Post by **salvo** » Sun Feb 03, 2008 10:14 pm

I cant see the notches, looks like some pretty good looking wood though.

Mike D. · Post by **Mike D.** » Thu Feb 07, 2008 10:23 pm

Looks like an excellent project, Sixgun. I'll bet it cost you a lot less than the one I'm working on obtaining at the moment.

Winchester actually made lightweight rifles in more calibers than .33 and .45-70, it's just that they didn't advise it. I have handled them in .38-56, .40-82 and .50 EX. The 50 EX was a very late teens gun and too high for me at the time, at $4800. The .45-90 I'm currently trying to get will be several thousand more, so I want the "pedigree" to be correct.

Sixgun · Post by **Sixgun** » Fri Feb 08, 2008 6:30 am

Mike, Now a 50 Ex. in an extra-lightweight! That would be something. I would sell my kids to get a rifle like that. (those '86's are a disease---bad one too)
This is my second extra lightweight in 45-90. In the safe is a 95% er that I bought back in the early nineties for a song. I did see another one several years ago in 40-65 but the owner was just showing it off.
Looks like you and me have the same affliction. Sure not many '86's left like there were back in the seventies. I see beaters going for 2 g's.-----------------Sixgun

Ram Hammer · Post by **Ram Hammer** » Fri Feb 08, 2008 6:51 am

Another orphan rescued

Noah Zark · Post by **Noah Zark** » Fri Feb 08, 2008 8:56 am

Huh. Some assembly required!

Seriously, that's one of those unique firearms that sometimes chooses one of us as an owner for a period of time, if we are so fortunate.

Congratulations on a rifle with a great action, great chambering, and great "character."

Noah

Griff · Post by **Griff** » Fri Feb 08, 2008 11:12 am

Sixgun,
Great project! And yours has wood. Only one of mine does, and it's just a temp to keep it from getting lost. Now I have to wait till Precision Gunstocks gets back up and running, (if they do). Do you have "before" pics also?

Modoc ED · Post by **Modoc ED** » Fri Feb 08, 2008 11:34 am

Griff -

In their new Master Catalog (#31), MidwayUSA list several Precision Gun Works Stocks for Winchester Rifles that they have IN STOCK on page 588. One rifle they list stocks for is the 1886.

Sixgun · Post by **Sixgun** » Fri Feb 08, 2008 11:46 am

Griff wrote:Sixgun,
Great project! And yours has wood. Only one of mine does, and it's just a temp to keep it from getting lost. Now I have to wait till Precision Gunstocks gets back up and running, (if they do). Do you have "before" pics also?

Griff, No, I did not bother to take pics of the before. It was a no finish gun with no major blemishes, excluding the extra holes and dovetail on the barrel. The entire gun was in uncleaned condition from the last century. This gun has more character than any gun I have ever owned.

I am not "refinishing" the gun, so to speak as to make it something is was not. I do not fake anything such as welding, new wood etc. I filled in the dovetail and extra receiver holes but you can still see them, but now, it looks presentable.

I did steam out the wood as the notches were nasty. They are still in the wood but the wood is now somewhat smooth. I have the entire gun broken down into every conceivable piece and am presently going over each screw and part so it is something I am proud to walk around the Rockies with. An original Lyman 21 (climbin' Lyman) will be put on as it was originally D&T for this type of sight.

You need wood for your '86? Thats a toughy but if I see anything at the Allentown shows tomorrow, I'll get the contact info from the guy. Precision Gunworks is not the only company that makes wood for your gun, but probably the most reasonable.----------Sixgun

Bluehawk · Post by **Bluehawk** » Fri Feb 08, 2008 12:55 pm

Jack Probably wont see you tomorrow at the Allentown show . Too much going on right now and I have business up state to attend to .
Looks like a fun project I hope your finished it by next fall. IF SO then you can try it out and walk around up my place again and see hwo it does there

Don't I recall someone else wha had holes drilled into a nice old 86 in 33 Win and used a scope on it for years ??????????

Sixgun · Post by **Sixgun** » Fri Feb 08, 2008 1:46 pm

Bluehawk wrote:Jack Probably wont see you tomorrow at the Allentown show . Too much going on right now and I have business up state to attend to .
Looks like a fun project I hope your finished it by next fall. IF SO then you can try it out and walk around up my place again and see hwo it does there
Don't I recall someone else wha had holes drilled into a nice old 86 in 33 Win and used a scope on it for years ??????????

Oh come on Danny! I drilled and tapped that '86 back in 1975 when I was a spring chicken at 21. (man, you got a good memory--even I forgot about that one) And yes, I might take you up on that offer this coming fall. -------------Have a blast upstate as I'm sure you will and no shootin' at strangers in the woods

Mike D. · Post by **Mike D.** » Fri Feb 08, 2008 1:47 pm

Sixgun wrote:Mike, Now a 50 Ex. in an extra-lightweight! That would be something. I would sell my kids to get a rifle like that. (those '86's are a disease---bad one too)
This is my second extra lightweight in 45-90. In the safe is a 95% er that I bought back in the early nineties for a song. I did see another one several years ago in 40-65 but the owner was just showing it off.
Looks like you and me have the same affliction. Sure not many '86's left like there were back in the seventies. I see beaters going for 2 g's.-----------------Sixgun

Ain't THAT the truth! I can remember when a good .33 would set you back a couple of hundred, 'cause nobody wanted them. Not that I had even $200 at the time, but I was tryin' to make ends meet. My first .40-82 was FORTY DOLLARS, back in '63. It was not a beater. either, by ANY means. Some of the garbage on GB is sickening to me. I feel for the fools that pay 3 Gs for a boogerd up junkpiece. The way my luck is, though, it's them that will make out in the long run.