Does anyone on here actually have a NEW Winchester lever gun,made by FN via Miroku? I've heard they're nice but....wow are they expensive. How nice are we talking? All forged parts?...quality blueing, nice wood and nice wood to metal fit? I'm just wondering how high a quality these rifles are. They could be the nicest Winchesters ever made as far as I know, Japanese quality is usually excellent. I'm curious to hear from those who have one. I cant find a review anywhere as far as the fit, parts manufacturing, accuracy, etc.
NEW Miroku Winchesters
- Thread starter MJFlores
- Start date
johnwilliamson062
Moderator
Hasn't Miroku been manufacturing the Winchesters for quite some time? I would think any reviews from the last ten years would be on miroku rifles.
http://www.winchesterguns.com/suppo...ion-of-winchester-s-historic-designs-mov.html
I guess only 5 years or so on some models.
http://www.winchesterguns.com/suppo...ion-of-winchester-s-historic-designs-mov.html
I guess only 5 years or so on some models.
I believe Browning started to before Winchester did. i thinking merging with the FN group helped that along for Winchester. My questions are still, what is the quality like? Worth the considerable price? Are the parts forged? Accuracy good? Etc. I've never seen one, and dont know anyone who owns one. I know they have a tang safety...but I'm ok with that. Would rather it wasn't there but it's really not so bad.
NoSecondBest
New member
I have three Miroku Winchester/Browning guns and the quality is outstanding, absolutely outstanding. My favorite is the Winchester 1886 in 45-70. I bought the gun and took it to Turnbull to have it case colored and have the throat lengthened so it would feed and shoot bullets with blunt ogives and longer/heavier bullets. Miroku makes the chamber to these guns as they are spec'd out in SAMMI. I can get this gun to shoot five shots into 1.8" or less on a consistent basis at my private range of 114yds. Anyone who has trouble with the safety on the Winchester guns can have it taken out and replaced and not even know it was ever there. FWIW, the safety works very well regardless of the BS you hear from complainers who can't get their head out of their past. My Miroku High Wall shoots one ragged hole at 100yds with the right loads and is the most accurate rifle I've ever owned (hunting gun). It to was gussied up by Turnbull. Miroku takes a back seat to no one when it comes to quality and accuracy. They don't cut corners and they make excellent firearms. PM me your email and I can send you some pics of the gun. I tried attaching them on here but the files are too big and I don't want to mess with them. I can answer any specific questions you may have also.
back in the 1960`s, I had a Charles Daly OU 20 ga. skeet gun...It was of the highest quality...It was made in Japan, by B.C. Miroku...very nice gun...
that being said, I`d still rather have a made in USA Winchester...it`s probably just me, but I will say I`ve not heard anything bad about the quality of Miroku...
that being said, I`d still rather have a made in USA Winchester...it`s probably just me, but I will say I`ve not heard anything bad about the quality of Miroku...
Recently bought a new issue Winchester 1873 made by Miroku and it is absolutely gorgeous. In fact, although I bought it with the idea of having some fun shooting, after looking at it, I don't have the heart to even work the lever. I hate it when that happens.
I also have two non-lever Browning/Miroku guns from years past that are excellent. One is a BL-22, the other a Browning .22 auto (bottom eject).
BTW: The Winchester '73 does NOT have a sliding tang safety.
I also have two non-lever Browning/Miroku guns from years past that are excellent. One is a BL-22, the other a Browning .22 auto (bottom eject).
BTW: The Winchester '73 does NOT have a sliding tang safety.
I have a Miroku manufactured Winchester 1873 lever action with the octagon barrel and case hardened receiver. Mine is a 38/357. The gun turns heads every time I take it to the range. It is one fine looking gun. The action is exceptionally smooth and it is very accurate. Well made, good fit on parts, great finish..
Expensive, yes a bit pricey. A joy to shoot, absolutely.
I also have a Miroku made Winchester 1886 low wall single shot, octagon barrel in .17hmr. It has the same attributes as the 1873 lever action.
Expensive, yes a bit pricey. A joy to shoot, absolutely.
I also have a Miroku made Winchester 1886 low wall single shot, octagon barrel in .17hmr. It has the same attributes as the 1873 lever action.
2damnold4this
New member
I saw an 1873 in Franklin's of Athens the other day and it was gorgeous.
Nitescout, when I shot trap in the 80's, I picked up a Charles Daly Diamond grade o/u in 12ga., made by Miroku. Still have it, and it is of the finest manufacture, from the engraving, to inlays and checkering. My BL22 is also Miroku manufacture, of the same era (Grade II).
It was hard for me to get my head around buying these two guns of Japanese manufacture, but they are the equal of any maker out there. Will they be worth a lot of money 25 years from now? Well first, I'll probably be worm food by then and second, if I wanted to invest that money, it woyld have been placed in the bank or stock market, etc. i buy guns and shoot for my enjoyment, nothing more, nothing less.
It was hard for me to get my head around buying these two guns of Japanese manufacture, but they are the equal of any maker out there. Will they be worth a lot of money 25 years from now? Well first, I'll probably be worm food by then and second, if I wanted to invest that money, it woyld have been placed in the bank or stock market, etc. i buy guns and shoot for my enjoyment, nothing more, nothing less.
Tony Z, yes that engraving was so well done, you couldn't see where the action opened up...when the gun was closed, you couldn't see the line...
I`m headed to the Tulsa (Wannamaker) gun show tomorrow...they bill themselves as the worlds largest gun show...11acres and 4,600 tables under one roof...I`ll pick up a few m 94 pre `64 Winchesters. the old Winchesters are doing better than the stock market!!!
I`m headed to the Tulsa (Wannamaker) gun show tomorrow...they bill themselves as the worlds largest gun show...11acres and 4,600 tables under one roof...I`ll pick up a few m 94 pre `64 Winchesters. the old Winchesters are doing better than the stock market!!!
I have a Browning 1886 that's been converted to .45/90. The accuracy on the conversion is excellent both with .45/70 and .45/90 loads - I can hold 2MOA with the irons off a bag. I can't speak to the original chamber, but obviously the barrel is OK. Some people complain the factory chambers don't have enough free bore. Can't say. Overall workmanship is great. I've never had to detail strip it, but none of the parts I can get at are suspicious in any way and I'm picky.
Hopefully I'll go my whole life without encountering a charging bear or bovine, but were it to happen that 1886 is the gun I'd want in hand.
Hopefully I'll go my whole life without encountering a charging bear or bovine, but were it to happen that 1886 is the gun I'd want in hand.
Driftwood Johnson
New member
Howdy
I guess I will pile on too.
I own a couple of Uberti reproduction lever guns so I am very familiar with their quality.
I had a chance to examine one of the Miroku 357 Mag 1873 rifles a year or so ago at a local shop. I was very impressed, the quality seemed terrific. Action not quite as smooth as my Ubertis, but they have been professionally smoothed out, so that is not really a fair comparison. I have been inside my Uberti rifles and I can tell you that the quality of the machining and finishing of the parts inside is NOT first rate, lots of milling marks left over from CNC machines running too fast, and some burrs that should have been removed.
Everything I have heard from the Cowboy gunsmiths is that the interior parts of the Miroku guns are better finished than the Uberti parts. Have not had a chance to tear one apart to see for myself yet.
Manufacturer's suggested retail price of the 357 Magnum Winchester/Miroku 1873 with 24" octagon barrel, straight grip, and color case hardened finish is $1739.99. Other variations have different prices.
The same configuration from Uberti has a suggested retail price of $1259.
Of course those are manufacturer's suggested retail prices, street price is usually less for both.
If I was looking for a new 1873, I would seriously look at the Miroku. Unfortunately I seem to be on an original Winchester Model 1873 buying jag right now, and I have found a couple of good shooters in the same price range as the Miroku, so I probably will not be looking for a Miroku.
By the way, if you want to find reviews of the Winchester/Miroku Model 1873, just google winchester miroku 1873. There are lots of reviews about it.
I guess I will pile on too.
I own a couple of Uberti reproduction lever guns so I am very familiar with their quality.
I had a chance to examine one of the Miroku 357 Mag 1873 rifles a year or so ago at a local shop. I was very impressed, the quality seemed terrific. Action not quite as smooth as my Ubertis, but they have been professionally smoothed out, so that is not really a fair comparison. I have been inside my Uberti rifles and I can tell you that the quality of the machining and finishing of the parts inside is NOT first rate, lots of milling marks left over from CNC machines running too fast, and some burrs that should have been removed.
Everything I have heard from the Cowboy gunsmiths is that the interior parts of the Miroku guns are better finished than the Uberti parts. Have not had a chance to tear one apart to see for myself yet.
Manufacturer's suggested retail price of the 357 Magnum Winchester/Miroku 1873 with 24" octagon barrel, straight grip, and color case hardened finish is $1739.99. Other variations have different prices.
The same configuration from Uberti has a suggested retail price of $1259.
Of course those are manufacturer's suggested retail prices, street price is usually less for both.
If I was looking for a new 1873, I would seriously look at the Miroku. Unfortunately I seem to be on an original Winchester Model 1873 buying jag right now, and I have found a couple of good shooters in the same price range as the Miroku, so I probably will not be looking for a Miroku.
By the way, if you want to find reviews of the Winchester/Miroku Model 1873, just google winchester miroku 1873. There are lots of reviews about it.
The Miroku Win levers are now low-volume, high-priced & high-quality nostalgia pieces, they're no longer the affordable workingman's rifle.
Internals have been re-engineered for "safety", and they differ slightly from the original designs, but they are all well-built.
Denis
Internals have been re-engineered for "safety", and they differ slightly from the original designs, but they are all well-built.
Denis
I'm hoping all the positive things being said are true. I'm a couple days away from taking possession of a Miroku Winchester 1873 Short Rifle in 44 WCF.
I had a 1889 44 WCF '73 with a 24" round barrel, that I had relined. I shot it for 8 years in SASS matches shooting strictly black powder.
At my current age and state of disability I'm not going to go the BP route again but I like the authentic look of the Miroku Winchester and the reported quality.
Dave
I had a 1889 44 WCF '73 with a 24" round barrel, that I had relined. I shot it for 8 years in SASS matches shooting strictly black powder.
At my current age and state of disability I'm not going to go the BP route again but I like the authentic look of the Miroku Winchester and the reported quality.
Dave