Winchester 1886 heavy barrel?

[Kev18]

I have an 1886 and im wondering how can I tell if I have a normal octagon barrel or a heavy? Does anyone have a thickness on the heavy barrel? I I have a winchester book but It doesn't say the thickness of both.

https://i.imgur.com/mmhfp00.jpg

[M-Tecs]

A factory letter may answer that but they are expensive. An e-mail here MIGHT give you some insight http://mikehunterrestorations.com/barrels.html

[indian joe]

Kev
I thought I might have been able to help but just confused myself
Always thought a full magazine 86 was a nine pound gun (my old Winchester catalog quoted 8 3/4 to 9 lb) and I assumed short mag the lighter weight -- so I have a Chiappa 86 sposed to be a close copy and they list it at 9lb - barrel is .842 at the muzzle and .950 right at the action - the wood looks dense / heavy - just weighed it on a baggage scale - 9.99lb !!!! .....scale must be dodgy!!
so I check my Uberti 76 it goes 10.25 and has a heavy tang sight extra - Uberti lists it at 10lb so doesnt look like anything wrong with the scale.

The curious thing about this I would have sworn the 86 was the lighter gun by a decent bit - I have shot them both offhand and struggle to keep that 76 up on target - more of the weight is forward I guess.

Unless your barrel is fatter than my measurements I think you likely have a standard weight - but back then Winchester would do anything to order so who knows really.

[missionary5155]

Good morning
Is there a barrel taper ? The heavy barrels as I understand what Winchester did was not taper the heavy barrels.
We have several model 73's which all taper except one a 2nd model 24" straight (no taper) which the letter says is a "Heavy Barrel".
Our 1876 "ol clunk and rattle" 45-60 has a taper. Letter states 28" "straight taper" rifle barrel.
Our 1886 has no taper in 26" 45-70.
Our 86 Chiappa (4xxx) 26" heavy barrel has no taper and was a prime candidate to get rebored by JES to 50 Alaskan. That reduced a bunch of steel.
I am 5000 miles from my Winchester Book or could do some reading as Mr. George Madis wrote about near everything as of the date of printing. Been a few years since I searched all the random notes scattered about on each model.

AS far as the model 76... remember the action is about 2" longer to fit the lifter in there.
Mike in Peru

[indian joe]

Good morning
Is there a barrel taper ? The heavy barrels as I understand what Winchester did was not taper the heavy barrels.
We have several model 73's which all taper except one a 2nd model 24" straight (no taper) which the letter says is a "Heavy Barrel".
Our 1876 "ol clunk and rattle" 45-60 has a taper. Letter states 28" "straight taper" rifle barrel.
Our 1886 has no taper in 26" 45-70.
Our 86 Chiappa (4xxx) 26" heavy barrel has no taper and was a prime candidate to get rebored by JES to 50 Alaskan. That reduced a bunch of steel.
I am 5000 miles from my Winchester Book or could do some reading as Mr. George Madis wrote about near everything as of the date of printing. Been a few years since I searched all the random notes scattered about on each model.

AS far as the model 76... remember the action is about 2" longer to fit the lifter in there.
Mike in Peru

Mike
My Chiappa is a (T7xxx) tapered .950 to .840 .......That barrel is still a good solid hunk of metal
I really was surprised when I weighed those two rifles this morning - the 86 weight just seems to be better balanced - like you say two inches more action in the 76 and another two inches of barrel length as well BUT the balance point of both of them is between 7 and 8 inches ahead of the trigger - I must have been dreaming I think - or have gotten used to shooting these heavier rifles. I had forgot I replaced the magazine tube on my 76 and probably trimmed some weight doing that.
We lucky we get to decide which big lever gun to shoot today:bigsmyl2:

[Kev18]

Good morning
Is there a barrel taper ? The heavy barrels as I understand what Winchester did was not taper the heavy barrels.
We have several model 73's which all taper except one a 2nd model 24" straight (no taper) which the letter says is a "Heavy Barrel".
Our 1876 "ol clunk and rattle" 45-60 has a taper. Letter states 28" "straight taper" rifle barrel.
Our 1886 has no taper in 26" 45-70.
Our 86 Chiappa (4xxx) 26" heavy barrel has no taper and was a prime candidate to get rebored by JES to 50 Alaskan. That reduced a bunch of steel.
I am 5000 miles from my Winchester Book or could do some reading as Mr. George Madis wrote about near everything as of the date of printing. Been a few years since I searched all the random notes scattered about on each model.

AS far as the model 76... remember the action is about 2" longer to fit the lifter in there.
Mike in Peru

I Have that exact book but the author doesnt speak of measurements im afraid. Only the rifle factory options.

[Kev18]

A factory letter may answer that but they are expensive. An e-mail here MIGHT give you some insight http://mikehunterrestorations.com/barrels.html

A nice man on here said he had a membership at the cody museum so he messaged me all the info on my guns. Nothing came out for the 1886.
I have the winchester book by Mr. Madis and it states that a half mag, and ocatagon barrel were a rare combo since the customer had to request it. I even have the long range leaf sights.
He also states in the book that not every single rifle had everything marked down, so it is possible to have a custom rifle without a corresponding letter with all the options written down. :(

[Texas by God]

Your picture looks like a lightweight octagon tapered barrel, and the button mag backs that up, as that feature was on the lightweight models octagon or round or half& half. I think.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

[Kev18]

Your picture looks like a lightweight octagon tapered barrel, and the button mag backs that up, as that feature was on the lightweight models octagon or round or half& half. I think.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

Its not a taper. Its full size all the way down.

[indian joe]

Its not a taper. Its full size all the way down.

What do you measure across the flats as full size?
What does the rifle weigh?

[Kev18]

What do you measure across the flats as full size?
What does the rifle weigh?

I measured the barrel and i got what you mentioned above so I guess it has a light taper to the end. I couldn't spot it with my poor vision it seems!
And I have no idea what it weighs. I weighed it when I bought it but it was in the nine's for sure.

[ohiochuck]

Kev18
This site can probably help answer your question.
https://winchestercollector.org/forum/
Jim