NEW Miroku Winchesters

I'm pretty pleased with my Miroku Winchester 73 in .357 Magnum. It loves soft swaged bullets with the light cowboy loads I've been shooting.

The blue is so shiny I can use it for a mirror while combing my hair!

Winchester%2073.jpg


Ten shots at 25 yards (still have to adjust the windage).

30%20yard%20group%20Win%2073_1.jpg
 
Howdy

Regarding the 'affordable workingman's rifle.'

Looking at a reprint of the 1875 Winchester catalog (the first year the Model 1873 was cataloged) the least expensive version available at the time was a 20" barreled carbine, which sold for $38.00.

The most expensive was a fancy Sporting Rifle with octagon barrel, set trigger, curly grained and checkered wood, for $60

A standard model with 24" round barrel, plain wood and no set trigger was $40.

Using one of the many inflation calculators on the web, in 2015 dollars that would be $826.09 for the carbine, $1,304.25 for the fancy rifle, and $869.57 for the standard model.

Not as expensive as the current Miroku rifles, but certainly not cheap either.


Looking back further, the standard price for the 1860 Henry rifle, the predecessor to all the Winchesters, was $42 in 1862 (the first year they were produced).

$1,023.81 in 2015 dollars.

When first introduced, these rifles were cutting edge technology, and if you wanted to own one you had to pay for it.
 
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My comments were more directed at the 40s, 50s, 60s, and 70s, when a decent Model 94 in .30-30 could be had for less than the fancier new-fangled bolt-action scoped hunting rifles. :)

Back in the 1800s, when the Winchesters had very little direct competition, your pricing comps would be more applicable.

Later on, when a plain old .30-30 was going up against Winchester, Remington, and Weatherby rifles, the 94 WAS the workingman's hunting rifle for many years.
Denis
 
I once owned a Winchester 1885 high-wall in 270 WSM.

It was an outstandingly accurate and well-made rifle, as others have noted. It was purdey, too!

The only other Miroku made rifle I have ever owned was an early model A-Bolt Stainless Stalker in .300 Winchester magnum, another outstanding, well-made firearm.

I would not hesitate to buy something else from the same outfit. They do good work.
 
My Miroku made 1885 Browning is very well made and very accurate and as strong as a Ruger #1. Mine is in 45-70.I'm keeping it ! :D
 
I didn't get to shoot it, but a friend of mine recently bought a near mint condition Miroku Winchester .357 that was very impressive. I want one, but I will probably buy a Rossi and work it over myself. With all the videos on youtube, it would be hard to screw it up.
 
Miroku

I have the same "problem" as a couple of other people ....have two Miroku made weapons top rate fit finish and engraving...so their safe queens. I don't have the heart to shoot them, and yes I would buy another one.








Artillery King Of The Battlefield
 
My Browning-Miroku 1885 BPCR "Highwall" is not Winchester inside, but it is a good shooter. I prefer it to Sharps, even the high dollar American made rifles.

The neatest CAS rifle I ever saw was from when a Miroku lever action was, like my single shot, branded Browning and had not been "improved" by Japanese engineers. They made a Model 53 .32-20 copy. If you put on a full length magazine tube, you had a competitive Cowboy match rifle and I think it looked better, too.
 
They more than compare to Henry rifles. Better quality materials, a loading gate, action just as smooth as the Henry's, extremely accurate. No real comparision in overall quality - Miroku/Winchester wins easily. That's to be expected considering the price difference.

Don't get me wrong, Henry's are darned nice guns, the Japanese made Winchesters are just nicer. And yes, I own both.
 
Been comparing Miroku Winchester to Henry and Uberti for weeks. There is no comparison to build. Win and Uberti are up there. Henry is well built. With a little less detail Winchester takes it by a nose. The action on both Winchesters I tried was so smooth compared to the Henry and Uberti. Not close. I'd say it went Winchester,Uberti and Henry. Not that the others were bad or wouldnt ease up after there broken in. I'm just a noobie to these rifles the past couple months. My 2 cts.
Tim
 
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I have to stop and think, just how many Miruko guns I own. That includes Browning shotguns, one 92 lever and multiple 1885 single shots. This may well be the only company that for me, has delivered 100% in finish, reliability and performance. The price is high, but I believe the value is there.

My 2c on the 94, is that anyone wanting a good serviceable 1894 can find good used gun. I would like to try an 1886 Miruko someday.The 86 is a bruiser and have this idea that would be a great gun to re-incarnate in 50-110. Not a mega bucks custom, Miruko is dollars enough. And not some 30" barrel, full magazine crescent butt plate - wall hanger. I can dream.

I am sure there will be more Miruko's in my future. A low wall for sure. An 86 maybe.
 
I dunno. With the prices the new reproductions are selling at, one can find an original in decent condition many times. In my view, that is a better value.
 
I came back from the Wanamaker gun show in Tulsa with 2 m-94`s...one was made in late 1939, the other was made in 1949...same year I was made:)...both are honest old guns in nice condition...I didn`t spend as much on the pair, as what a new MADE IN JAPAN model costs...I just wish they could talk!!!
 
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