Opinion of newer Winchester levers

[robertbank]

Well NSB, we'll see what you have to post once it is your job sent overseas and the pad lock is being placed on your home. Everything is warm & fuzzy when it's someone else.

Rick

Rick the employees you are worked up about owned the company and couldnt make it work. The jobs did not move to Japan, a company bought the rights to the name and that company is now producing Winchesters on equipment that was already in Japan by workers who were already employed in Japan. Last time I looked Japanese workers have a higher average wage than exists in the US so it is not a case of cheap labour taking American jobs.

This has been going on since the industrial revolution. I own a Toyota Avalon made in St. Louis, MO, designed by American designers, made by American workers by a Japanese company. A company I could, if I chose to buy shares in.

We live in a world economy where the days of going to school once in your life time is over. Rather than refusing to buy a product made in another country, why not support government initiatives to provide funds for adult re-education and be prepared to pay for it through higher taxes if you are concerned about your fellows.

Canadian companies are the largest customers for products made in 39 of your lower 48 States. How many of those products do you think would be purchased by Canadian consumers if Americans refused to buy Canadian made products. The reverse is also true.

If the employees could not generate a profit making Winchesters the business closes. That is the first lesson in a free marketplace. Para recently moved all their production of pistols to South Carolina from Toronto. The Toronto workers lost their jobs and had to move on. Should I now refuse to buy American made products just because someone at Para made a business decision. I do not think so.

Take Care

Bob

[Ramjet-SS]

Bob,

I think every American should think about supporting American made products and buying local so also stimulate the local economy and support American workers. Not saying Union saying American workers of all kinds. It is choice but also know the holding company of Browning is faceless group of money grubbing profiteering investors you know the kind who buy companies and put themselves above everyone else.

Nope I will buy Henry rifles great family owned company making a fantastic product and Customer Service second to none.

Got nothing against Japan or their workers or India and their workers but I will support and root for the Home Team.

[robertbank]

Fair enough but it is not always possible and buying the best quality - price trade off keeps everyone honest and ends up being the best for the economy.

Take Care

Bob

[KirkD]

I've had three different Miroku-built lever guns and all were beauties. The best one, which I still have, is the Browning 1886 saddle ring carbine 45-70. It was built like the original .... half cock safety, no rebounding hammer and no tang safety. I have heard of the rebounding/light primer strike problems, but the two Miroku Winchesters did not suffer from it. If you can get your hands on a Browning 1886 Saddle Ring Carbine 45-70, grab it.

Regarding where I buy stuff from .... I will not pay the local boys down the road to build a shoddy product. In this day of international competition, there is no excuse for an American or Canadian company to build second rate stuff. There are still first-class American shooting-oriented companies to buy from. Shiloh Sharps is one of them. Turnbull Restorations is another. When it comes to bullet moulds, I have been very pleased with Accurate Moulds, another American company. When it comes to quality lever guns, however, it is hard to beat the Miroku made Brownings and Winchesters.

[robertbank]

I've had three different Miroku-built lever guns and all were beauties. The best one, which I still have, is the Browning 1886 saddle ring carbine 45-70. It was built like the original .... half cock safety, no rebounding hammer and no tang safety. I have heard of the rebounding/light primer strike problems, but the two Miroku Winchesters did not suffer from it. If you can get your hands on a Browning 1886 Saddle Ring Carbine 45-70, grab it.

Regarding where I buy stuff from .... I will not pay the local boys down the road to build a shoddy product. In this day of international competition, there is no excuse for an American or Canadian company to build second rate stuff. There are still first-class American shooting-oriented companies to buy from. Shiloh Sharps is one of them. Turnbull Restorations is another. When it comes to bullet moulds, I have been very pleased with Accurate Moulds, another American company. When it comes to quality lever guns, however, it is hard to beat the Miroku made Brownings and Winchesters.

+1

Bob

[Kull]

Well said KirkD.

[451whitworth]

KirkD speaks my lingo. My Miroku/Browning 1886's, 1892's, 1895's reproductions from the '80's are the cats pj's. I don't own any Henry's but I've seen alot of real nice wood on them for such an affordable firearm.

[Lead Fred]

When I was getting into levers, I spent months researching Winchesters. This is what I figured out.

94s come in three lots 1963 and older, 1964-1980, 1981 and newer.

Pre-64 is the way to go, I now have a 1949. I had a 1967, and tho it worked perfectly, it was hollow sounding, the parts were not as nice as the pre-64s, it was a very good rifle.
My bud has a 1971 94 in 44mag. Ive got to replace a bent hollow roll pin, and jewel some to smooth the action out.

I was told by 100% of all the Winnie folks never to buy any 94 newer than 1981. The are all junk. Between the lawyer CBS (cross bolt safety) & the side eject, problems abound.

Ive owned several Marlins, with CBS, and have removed them all. As far as I know, no one ever made a CBS removal kit, like they have for Marlins.

[Dryball]

Gandydancer, thanks for the info on the CBS replacement...I never knew they existed and just ordered one!

[winelover]

Being left-handed, I hate the cross bolt safeties. I never engaged it, as a result. Once, in a hunting situation, I found that it had engaged. Here is my non-permanent solution.





Winelover

[robertbank]

Winnelover excellent solution thanks. I see you have a peep sight mounted. Who made that one.

Take Care

Bob

[FergusonTO35]

Love the snap ring idea, I'll remember that. Henry is a great company, I really need to buy one of their .30-30's someday. My H001T is sweet, one of the few rimfire rifles that actually fits me.

[winelover]

Winnelover excellent solution thanks. I see you have a peep sight mounted. Who made that one.

Take Care







Bob

X-S Sights

Winelover

[KirkD]

Speaking of first class American-built quality, if you want to put a tang sight on your new lever gun, I would highly recommend http://www.montanavintagearms.com . I received one of their tang sights a couple months ago and it is a beautiful precision instrument. I am mounting it on my Browning SRC 45-70 lever gun since my old eyes can't focus up close enough anymore to sharpen up that front sight. The tang sight solves that problem.

[Canuck Bob]

Speaking of first class American-built quality, if you want to put a tang sight on your new lever gun, I would highly recommend http://www.montanavintagearms.com . I received one of their tang sights a couple months ago and it is a beautiful precision instrument. I am mounting it on my Browning SRC 45-70 lever gun since my old eyes can't focus up close enough anymore to sharpen up that front sight. The tang sight solves that problem.

Kirk I am very interested in your review of that sight. I'm glad to hear you got it ordered in. Is it windage adjustable, I could never quite figure that out from the pics?

[North_of_60]

I have a Model 1895 Japchester that I traded for. I love it. I hadn't even heard of a Miroku before that. The tang safety was most likely designed by lawyers because the only thing it adds to the gun is aggravation. But like many others have said here, just learn to live with it.

As far as the rebound hammer goes I have not had a bit of trouble or a single misfire due to it. But then I'm kind of a wimp, at -20 I just quit shooting. It may be a problem if I need to shoot it when is gets cold. I may try it this winter. If I do I'll report back.

Al

[Canuck Bob]

Please confirm something. Didn't the safety and rebound hammer source from the pre-Miroku era. I thought the last series of US owned Winchester produced rifles were outfitted this way. I've never handled a late AE but always thought this of the 94AE.

[fecmech]

I've never handled a late AE but always thought this of the 94AE.

My .357 94AE from the early 2000's was a rebounder.

[FergusonTO35]

My 2002 94 had a rebounding hammer and push button safety.

[shdwlkr]

first I have had real winchesters made here in the old USA which no longer exists, Japan and a lot of other places around the world.
I buy what fits my needs don't care who makes it as long as they understand firearms, good design and functionality.
As to the lost of firearm makers here look at stock holders, bean counters, suppliers and to some extent workers, the last being the real pawns in the whole deal.
The firearms industry in this country is really risky place to be just look at Henry Repeating Arms and how hard they are fighting to just stay in business and how long they have been this game.

Fighting over why we have to buy a firearm with a name that used to be made in America is silly, just look how we don't make anymore it is all driven by profits and greed has nothing to do with desire or should we stay or go.

Winchester is only a name now for a firearm that resembles what was once made here, one of the issues was that new machines cost ex dollars and Japanese could make the same thing for x dollars less per firearm and no capital expense by the parent company here only purchase of a company name and that was a one time expense.

The reality is today most business decisions are based on what the bean counters say should be done to generate profits to the share holders and they have no problem dumping whole company and the workers if they can make some bucks off the deal.