Winchester 1885
Posted: Fri Sep 05, 2014 4:52 pm
My Winchester 1885 arrived today. - I bought it at a recent gun show, but ATF put the transaction on hold, so the dealer had to ship it to the local hardware store after the time ran out on the hold.
It is a used gun, but looks to be in good shape, no dings or bad spots that I can find. It is chambered in .270 WSM and has a 28" octagonal barrel. My Wheeler trigger pull gauge says it has a 2 3/4 pound pull. It came with Conetrol Custum rings and bases. The barrel has some carbon fouling in it, but no sign of copper so far. I haven't bore-scoped it yet.
Click image to see it larger
I don't have a scope or any ammo for it yet. - But I have a new Nikon Prostaff 3-9x40 that I keep around the shop, and put that on it so that I could play around with it a little. Some 130 grain Federal ammo has been ordered, but I won't see that for 4-5 business days.
My son has volunteered to act as my gun-bearer if I get a chance to hunt, so the 8.8 lb. un-scoped weight doesn't seem too bad. Any way you look at it though, it's a heavy firearm. It handles well though, and feels good on the shoulder.
Looking around on the internet, I could not find a reference to manufacture date by serial number. - You can find that data for the old original Winchesters, but I've had no luck looking for dates on the Miroku-made guns.
Anyway, I've wanted one of these for years, and I'm looking forward to shooting it. - I've already found recipes for low-recoil practice reloads, shooting 110 grain bullets at 2000 fps that are alleged to be accurate. With full-power hunting loads it should kick less than a 7mm Remington mag, especially in this heavy rifle. With the 28" barrel, it should perform well and maybe not be so muzzle-blasty.
It took me over a year to come up with it, but finally I have something good for hunting in west Texas. - Now all I have to do is get my son to romance some rancher's daughter so I'll have a few thousand acres to hunt on!
It is a used gun, but looks to be in good shape, no dings or bad spots that I can find. It is chambered in .270 WSM and has a 28" octagonal barrel. My Wheeler trigger pull gauge says it has a 2 3/4 pound pull. It came with Conetrol Custum rings and bases. The barrel has some carbon fouling in it, but no sign of copper so far. I haven't bore-scoped it yet.
Click image to see it larger
I don't have a scope or any ammo for it yet. - But I have a new Nikon Prostaff 3-9x40 that I keep around the shop, and put that on it so that I could play around with it a little. Some 130 grain Federal ammo has been ordered, but I won't see that for 4-5 business days.
My son has volunteered to act as my gun-bearer if I get a chance to hunt, so the 8.8 lb. un-scoped weight doesn't seem too bad. Any way you look at it though, it's a heavy firearm. It handles well though, and feels good on the shoulder.
Looking around on the internet, I could not find a reference to manufacture date by serial number. - You can find that data for the old original Winchesters, but I've had no luck looking for dates on the Miroku-made guns.
Anyway, I've wanted one of these for years, and I'm looking forward to shooting it. - I've already found recipes for low-recoil practice reloads, shooting 110 grain bullets at 2000 fps that are alleged to be accurate. With full-power hunting loads it should kick less than a 7mm Remington mag, especially in this heavy rifle. With the 28" barrel, it should perform well and maybe not be so muzzle-blasty.
It took me over a year to come up with it, but finally I have something good for hunting in west Texas. - Now all I have to do is get my son to romance some rancher's daughter so I'll have a few thousand acres to hunt on!