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Post by nolongcolt on Sept 16, 2012 14:31:35 GMT -5
As hoped I got this on Saturday. A really nice rifle in 99 percent condition with stuff listed above for $1150, no tax or fees or paperwork, love the gun show! My boy and I took it to my close plinking spot just now and had a ball with it! We each fired offhand at the 14 yard target with the Hornday factory load and our group looks as one with all 6 in just over 2" well centered just above POA. After that we spent another 10 rounds breaking rocks which is much more fun than paper. Its awesome and my boy was literally shaking with the fun of it! He is 15, 6'2" and usually prefers the latest and greatest semi's to some old lever gun but he loves this one! We also had a go with the above mentioned new SBH which I will post about in SA's. Fun shootin'!   |
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Post by crash87 on Sept 16, 2012 19:15:53 GMT -5
A number of years before the introduction of the 405 chambering, I bought a Grade 1 in 270 WCF, why that rifle was ever chambered in that cartridge is beyond me. I had the late Richard Nickel re-bore and rifle it to a 35 caliber, yep 35 Whelen. A better cartridge/caliber best suited for this rifle IMHO.
Yes the platform of this rifle does not put it in the 94 carry-ability or the slick handling lever-ability of say a '86 or 71. But then again it is a real marvel of ingenuity and engineering to allow pointed bullets to be fired in a lever, the American hunting at the time. Every time I take it afield I am awestruck at the genius efforts of John Browning.
CRASH87
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Post by toroflow on Sept 16, 2012 23:12:50 GMT -5
Well, not a Winchester 1895, but a Browning (no safety!) in .30-40 Krag. Picked this one up on Gunbroker last week for $630:  |
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Post by nolongcolt on Sept 17, 2012 0:00:29 GMT -5
Thats quite a score. I have read that the Brownings in that cal are most desireable. Mine of course has the tang safety and rebounding hammer, which are not enough for me to step in front of a bus over but would have preferred not to have.
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Post by CraigC on Sept 17, 2012 11:09:40 GMT -5
I love mine! It's serial number 12 from the first run of .405's that started life as .270's. They sold poorly and were returned to Miroku for conversion to .405WCF. Mine is a tackdriver and will pile the factory 300gr Hornady roundnose under an inch all day long. As well as a few of my handloads. I gave up on Hornady bullets for hunting after one blew up on a doe's shoulder. I switched to Woodleigh's but have yet to take any game with them. I always thought the 95's were ugly rifles and turned my nose up at them. Until I handled one. I was impressed enough to buy this one, rather than the 1886 Extra Light that was right next to it and $200 cheaper. I've never regretted it!  |
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Post by Gary @ R&G on Sept 17, 2012 17:00:17 GMT -5
Dont know much about the Asian 95s but my partner and I own some originals. I shoot a 30-40 and a 35 wcf made in 1903. My partner shoots an original 405 made in the 20's. The originals can be bought for around the same price as the new guns (except 405 and rarer versions) so I never saw the need to buy an new production one.   |
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Post by nolongcolt on Sept 17, 2012 20:38:27 GMT -5
I suppose one might argue that the newer guns are made at the very least with newer steels and perhaps even better steels, making for a stronger, safer gun. In my case not being interested in any cal other than .405, the choices are few. Either pay pretty big bucks for an original and hope it aint all beat to hell, or pony up a grand or so for a nearly new gun. Easy choice for me.
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Post by Gary @ R&G on Sept 17, 2012 21:07:21 GMT -5
The 405's run high for sure. I think my parter gave $2400 for the one above but it is real nice. I have never given over a grand for any of the others I have. The 35 is a real thumper, kicks but not quite as punishing as the 405. The steel crescent butt isnt much for absorbing recoil.
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Post by toroflow on Sept 17, 2012 21:30:59 GMT -5
The 405's run high for sure. I think my parter gave $2400 for the one above but it is real nice. I have never given over a grand for any of the others I have. The 35 is a real thumper, kicks but not quite as punishing as the 405. The steel crescent butt isnt much for absorbing recoil. I wish I could have found an original 1895 .30-40 for reasonable, everything I looked at was $1k or higher and beat to hell!! Thus, I settled for my $630 Browning. Also, I hear ya on the crescent buttstock, lucky for me my 1905 vintage .35WCF has a shotgun style butt on it, which I like both for looks and recoil!   |
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Post by CraigC on Sept 17, 2012 23:07:22 GMT -5
I could search for the rest of my life and not find a decent original 1895 for close to what I paid for my new one. I'd rather be shooting.
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Post by dobegrant on Sept 22, 2012 23:59:48 GMT -5
I have a standard grade Browning in 30-06 that I had Jim Brockman add a scout scope mount, balances real nice and shoots very well
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Post by nolongcolt on Oct 3, 2012 22:07:31 GMT -5
I took mine to the range a couple weeks ago and was frankly somewhat dissapointed. At 100 yards between factory fodder and one box of handloads I had maybe one group that was OK, 4 in about 3 inches. Everything else was scattered. Old eyes and open sights often dont mix well so I had my smith/FFL guy drill and tap it for a Williams FP-71. Took it again today and it did indeed do much better. I still had some elevation issues, largely due to simply not getting that front sight (bead) in the same place each time. But I was getting clusters this time and not just patterns. Shot H335 and H4895 with the Hornady FN. Shows lots of promise so will keep working with it. Its a blast to shoot. One of my shoot buddies said if TR was there he probably would get "a woody"!
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Post by Lee Martin on Oct 4, 2012 8:56:48 GMT -5
Stick with it. Most 1895's I've shot do well on paper. But I agree, open sights are tough. I think you made a wise choice upgrading to the Williams FP-71. -Lee www.singleactions.com"Building carpal tunnel one round at a time" |
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Post by nolongcolt on Oct 4, 2012 10:51:53 GMT -5
Thanks Lee, I am enjoying it, and finding a good load is half the fun!
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Post by nolongcolt on Oct 5, 2012 18:13:29 GMT -5
I called Winchester today and asked for the make date by serial number and was told 1997. That being the first year of manufacture for these guns according to the Blue Book, I was surprised because the BB says the .405 didnt come along until 2000. Then I remembered posted above by CraigC that he had a .405 that started out as one of the poor selling .270's that were returned for rebarrel to .405, so I guess I must have one of those as well, unless the BB info is wrong. I could not find serial number info on Wins website for the Miroku guns.
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