Takedown 1886

[stanr5686]

I just became a registered member after a while of looking and reading. My first post has to do with 1886 model Win./Brownings and their copies and clones. I have often wondered about the "takedown" models. Do you give up or maybe gain anything with the ability to remove the barrel, mag tube, etc. ? Having a takedown never really appealed to me as I have never had that need that I recall. Most shotguns come apart and once I assemble them they've never been taken apart except for cleaning. Maybe a takedown rifle would be easier to clean the barrel on. Any input from takedown owners or people who are opposed to them would be welcomed. Thank You

[crs]

I have a couple of big bore take down rifles that perform well and have been no trouble. They are Winchesters - 1886 .45-90, 1895 .405.

[Rimfire McNutjob]

Well, yes, it's definitely easier to clean the barrel. But mine is a takedown to swap between substantially different calibers ... 348 WCF and 450 Alaskan.

[buckeyeshooter]

I have several, 1886 45/70, 1892 44-40 and 1895 30-06. The benefit for me is the ability to use a short case to transport them, less chance of damage by airlines and being a smaller size, less attention because of the short case.

[marlinman93]

Takedowns had their time, and back when they were first introduced in the 1800's they were often ordered by folks living in cities so they could be taken down to make them more compact for travel. The option of having numerous barrels to shoot different calibers was a cool option, but seeing how few multi barrel sets exist, it appears this was not a popular option for them.
Modern takedown rifles are still cool, but whatever benefit they have over solid frame rifles is pretty much aesthetics. Guys buy them for the cool factor mostly, and that can't really be debated. They are just plain neat to own.
One negative with takedown rifles was the mechanisms could get sloppy when people constantly took them down for whatever reasons. The more you use the takedown, the more it wears, and I've seen numerous old 1800's takedown rifles that wont tighten up anymore after over 100 years of being taken apart. So even if I had a newer takedown rifle I'd limit how much I took it apart.

[crs]

For my recent birthday my son gave me his like new SKB hardback take down case as he no longer needed it. He even trimmed it to handle my 45-90 DR with or without the scope mounted.
Now I have a soft SKB case and the hard back SKB case and and all my TD rifles and shot guns have TD cases.