Working the Winchester Model 1886 Rifles

The venerable Model 1886 Winchester was originally designed by none other than John M. and Matthew S. Browning. In 1885, Winchester purchased the Browning patent rights and after some alterations, introduced the Model 1886 in that year as a replacement for their large-frame 1876 rifle. The Model 1886 was also a large rifle, with a particularly strong action. It became popular with big-game hunters from its introduction.

Winchester produced the 1886 in sporting rifle, carbine, and musket variations, and it could be ordered in almost any imaginable caliber of the day, from .33 WCF up to the huge .50- 110 Express. All manner of special features, varied barrel lengths, and configurations were available and, for most of its early production years, a takedown feature was also an option. The classic Model 1886 was produced from 1886 until 1935, with a total of nearly 160,000 weapons manufactured.

After the model was officially dropped in 1935, a modernized variation of the Model 1886 with a coiled mainspring, renamed the Model 71, was manufactured in .348 Winchester caliber for the next 22 years until 1957. The old 1886 is still popular with collectors and with shooters alike, who eagerly seek out the rifles, especially in the 45-70 and 45-90 calibers. Today the Model 1886 is being reproduced by Browning, although these new rifles are being manufactured in Japan.

In the early 1890s, Winchester greatly simplified and scaled down the 1886 action design in order to suit pistol-sized cartridges. They then reintroduced it as the Model 1892 and that became their replacement for the well-liked 1873. The 1892 had the distinct advantage of the strong, Browning-designed doublelocking-bolt action over the weaker toggle-link action of the 1873. Other advantages of the Model 1892 from both a manufacturing and sales points of view were fewer, simpler parts and a more compact action.

As a result, Winchester was able to offer the public the same punch but in a much stronger, lighter, simpler, and smaller rifle. Disassembly Instructions The exploded diagram of the Winchester Model 1886 on page 21 comes from The Gun Digest Book of Exploded Firearms Drawings, 2nd edition, edite Murtz (DBI Books Inc.; Disassembly is strai llowing the steps Start by making sure the rifle is unloaded. Grasp the rifle around the barrel and forearm wood with your left hand.

Then, being careful to keep the muzzle pointed in a safe direction, open the action by pulling the finger lever (#57) all the way down with your right hand. Examine the opened action to be certain there is not a cartridge in the barrel’s chamber, and to make sure there is not one lying in the cartridge carrier (#61) within the action just below. If there is a cartridge in the carrier, when you close the lever, the rifle will be loaded.

A cartridge in the carrier also indicates there may be more cartridges remaining in the magazine. ¨

Only one screw retains both pieces. To safely unload a rifle with a loaded magazine, keep the muzzle pointed in a safe direction and keeping your finger away from the trigger, operate the lever to the fully open and closed positions several times to expel the cartridges in the magazine. Repeat this until no more cartridges come out. It’s a good idea to remove any live ammunition to a separate location. 2.

Remove the buttstock and the mainspring by unscrewing and removing the upper tang screw (#21) from the upper tang. This will be the rear-most of the screws located behind the hammer. Then unscrew and remove the lower tang screw (#22), which is a wood screw. The buttstock (#20) is now loose and is removed from the receiver (#19) by pulling it off to the rear. Unscrew and remove the springcover screw (#31) from the right side of the receiver, then lift the springcover assembly (#29 through 33) away from the receiver.

Place the hammer all the way forward. With the lever closed, in this position the rear tail of the main- The parts just below the upper tang are the carrier stop and its screw. These attach under the upper tang. (Notice the large pin punch.) The parts to the left of the lever are the carrier and carrier hook. spring (#39) can be driven out of its seat with the tang from left to right using a pin punch and hammer. Notice how the ears of the mainspring (#39) fit into the hammer stirrup.

The mainspring is now lifted out of the hammer stirrup (#36) and the spring can be removed from the frame. 3. Remove the hammer and the lower tang next. To disassemble the lower tang, close the lever and while you’re holding the trigger (#47) to the rear, unscrew and remove the receiver (hammer) screw (#34). The hammer (#35) is removed by pulling it up-

Winchester Model 1886 Lever-Action Rifle 1 Magazine Tube 2 Magazine Plug 3 Magazine Plug Screw 4 Magazine Spring 5 Magazine Follower 6 Magazine Ring Pin 7 Magazine Ring 8 Forearm Tip 9 Forearm Tip Screws (2) 10 Forend 11 Forend Tip Tenon 12 Front Sight Base 13 Front Sight 14 Rear Sight Elevator 15 Rear Sight Assembly 16 Elevation Leaf 17 Elevation Leaf Screw 18 Barrel 19 Receiver 20 Stock 21 Upper Tang Screw 22 Lower Tang Screw 23 Buttplate 24 Upper Buttplate Screw 25 Lower Buttplate Screw 26 Buttplate Slide 27 Buttplate Slide Spring 28 Buttplate Slide Screw 29 Spring Cover Base 30 Spring Cover Spring 31 Spring Cover Screw 32 Spring Cover Leaf 33 Spring Cover Leaf Pin 34 Receiver Screw 35 Hammer 36 Stirrup 37 Stirrup Pin 38 Lower Tang 39 Mainspring 40 Mainspring Tension Screw 41 Sear/Trigger Spring 42 Sear/Trigger Spring Screw 43 Sear Catch 44 Sear Catch Pin 45 Sear 46 Kick-off for Set Trigger 47 Trigger 48 Trigger, Sear & KO Pin 49 Carrier Stop Tension Screw 50 Carrier Stop 51 Carrier Stop Screw 52 Locking Bolt (right) 53 Locking Bolt (left) ward, to the rear, and out of the action.

Open the lever and pull back on the lower tang (#38). The tang will come off by pulling it straight out the rear of 54 Finger Lever Pin 55 Bushing & Pin Screw 56 Finger Lever Pin Bushing 57 Finger Lever 58 Friction Stud 59 Friction Stud Spring the receiver. The lower tang assembly contains the trigger and its spring.

Unscrew and remove the trigger/ searspring screw (#42) from inside the 60 Friction Stud Pin 61 Carrier 62 Carrier Hook 63 Breech Bolt 64 Lever & Breech Bolt Pin 65 Ejector 66 Ejector Collar 67 Ejector Spring 68 Firing Pin 69 Extractor 70 Extractor Pin 71 Cartridge Guide 72 Cartridge Guide Screw 73 Cartridge Stop 74 Cartridge Stop Screw lower tang, then lift out the trigger/ sear spring (#41). The trigger can be removed out the bottom of the lower tang by using a pin punch and ham-

mer to drift the trigger pin (#48) from either side of the lower tang. 4. To disassemble the action, unscrew and remove the carrier-stop screw (#51). The carrier stop (#50) can now be removed from behind the underside of the upper tang. Using a suitable pin punch and hammer, drive out (from left to right) the finger-lever bushing pin (#54), and remove the finger-lever bushing (#56). This pin looks like a slotted screw, but it is actually a split pin.

Remove the locking bolts (#52 right and #53 left) by pulling them down and then out of the receiver. Lower the finger lever and slide the breechbolt (#63) to the rear far enough so the lever and breech-block pin (#64) is exposed. Use a hammer and suitably sized pin punch to drift out the lever and breech-block pin (#64). This disconnects the finger lever from the breech bolt (#63.) The breech bolt assembly is now withdrawn out the rear of the receiver.

Take note that the ejector (#65) is loose at the front of the breech bolt. It can be pulled out the front of the breech bolt, along with the ejector spring (#67) and ejector collar (#66). Pay careful attention to how these parts fit together with the bolt for later assembly. The lever with the carrier (#61) and the carrier hook (#62) are removed by pulling them out through the bottom of the receiver. Take note of the relationships of these parts as you separate them for ease of assembly later.

Finally, unscrew and remove the cartridge-stop screw (#74) from the left side of the receiver. Now lift the cartridge stop (#73) out from inside of the receiver. 5. To begin disassembly of the lever and the breech bolt, use a pin punch of appropriate size and a small hammer to drive the friction-stud pin (#60) out of the finger lever (#57). This frees the friction stud (#58) and its spring (#59), which are pulled out of the hole in the finger lever.

The extractor (#69) is removed from the breech bolt by using an appropriately sized pin punch and hammer to drive out the extractor pin (#70), freeing the extractor so it can be removed by pulling it forward and up until it comes free of the breech bolt. The firing pin (#68) can now be removed by pulling it out to the rear of the breech bolt. 6.

On Model 1886 rifles, begin the disassembly of the magazine tube and forearm by unscrewing and removing the magazine-plug screw (#3) from the bottom-front of the magazine tube (#1). The magazine-tube cap (#2) is now loose (careful, it’s under spring tension) and can be turned one-quarter turn with a screwdriver and then pulled out the front of the magazine tube, along with the magazine spring (#4) and the magazine follower (#5).

Unscrew and remove the two forend tip (cap) screws (#9), located on each side of the forearm cap (#8), and slide the forearm cap forward slightly. Use a cup-tipped pin punch and hammer to drift out the magazine-ring pin (#6) from the magazine ring (#7). Next, pull the magazine tube out toward the front. Once the tube has cleared the forearm wood, the forearm can be tilted down and pulled forward off the rifle.

The magazine tube is then turned toward either side of the rifle one-quarter turn perpendicular to the barrel to free the magazine ring from its dovetail seat in the bottom of the barrel. On Model 1886 carbines, unscrew and remove the magazine-plug screw (#3) from the very bottom-front of the magazine tube (#1). The magazinetube cap (#2) is now loose and can be pulled out the front of the magazine tube, along with the magazine spring (#4) and the magazine follower (#5).

Note that the plug will be under spring tension. Also, be sure to take notice of the direction the screws entered the bands before removing the bands so they can be reassembled correctly. Unscrew and remove the front and rear band screws from the front and rear magazine bands. The magazine tube can now be pulled out to the front and off the weapon. Slide the rear magazine band forward off the forearm wood, and then tilt the forearm down and pull it off to the front.

The forward magazine band can now be rotated one-half turn and will slide off over the sight base, as can the rear magazine band. That’s all there is to the disassembly. Reassembly is in the reverse order of the steps above. I