Am so tickled with my recently received 1886 LW .33 Win. I've sold my BLR '81 ,358...which took only 1 day. For me the .33 Win will do anything the .358 would have done, and I find it much more ergonomic to carry & shoot.

Which brings me to a confession...

Over the years I have never been a big fan of the "Browning" lines of rifles.

Before I am publicly lynched, let me say I love the same rifles as the Browning Safari bolt actions which were sold in Europe & Canada as "FN"s. But with the whole line of "Browning"s I have always been turned off by high gloss steel and even higher gloss wood. The FNs weren't finished that way, but with a good quality blue and dense, oiled walnut.

I never liked Browning finished either except for their lever actions, of which I have owned 95s, 92s, 71s, and I even had a 65 once, briefly.

Well I will say that an 1886, in 33 Win, especialy the LW is certainly a classic.

I always wanted a Mod 71 in 348, and almost bought one many many times.

When the 1886 was reintroduced in 45/70, again I was severely tempted..

No doubt in my mind that the 1886/71 is the best "tubular" fed leveraction on the planet.

My favorite lever action is the 1895 takedown, especially in 405 WCF.
The first time I shot one, on a prairie dog hunt no less, I knew I had to have one...

When you hit a prairie dog with a 300 gr bullet from a 405 WCF, both you and the prairie dog know it right away...

So did the 4 deer, and 2 turkeys I have shot with it as well...

AC,
I agree. That thick varnish stuff they put on their firearms is a turn off for me. My brother has a Safari that had that finish and a razor sharp edge on the cheek piece. He dinged the sharp edge and asked me to smooth it out and refinish the stock. After a little judicious sanding and several coats of fine furniture oil the stock looked 10 times better.

I have never really minded the shine because they shot so darned well. I have a Highwall in 30-06, a Micro-Medallion in 308 and a BLR in 308 and they all shoot an inch or less at 100 yards, so I don't mess with them. I do wish the triggers were better from the factory. I know I can buy springs but they should come better in the box.

quote:

Originally posted by larrys:
I have never really minded the shine because they shot so darned well. I have a Highwall in 30-06, a Micro-Medallion in 308 and a BLR in 308 and they all shoot an inch or less at 100 yards, so I don't mess with them. I do wish the triggers were better from the factory. I know I can buy springs but they should come better in the box.

I agree that they ALL seem to shoot very well. But I suspect they'd shoot just as well with a real "blue" bluing instead of a high gloss black, and with an oil finish on the stock...or atr least a low gloss matte stock finish.

All I have is year
1896 model 1886 in 40-82. No shine at all;?)

I've stayed away from Browning for the same reasons, but I'd be tempted with an X-bolt in synthetic.

I have a few Brownings and am very pleased with them.

Got a A-bolt 22 Medallion first and it shot wonderfully, killed a many squirrel with that rifle. Pretty much all head shots as I don't like shot up squirrel much.

Then I got a Buckmark pistol with a 5" slabside barrel. It shot plenty good enough but I got a deal on a fluted 7" barrel that I can shoot a little better probably just because of the sight radius. This pistol stays in the truck at all times so it gets used a bunch.

Last I got a A-bolt Hunter in 204 and it is a real shooter. 5 shots in 5/16 of an inch is normal and around 1 1/8" groups at 300 yds. It kills anything its pointed at very well. Liked it so much my dad and son each have one just like mine. Though I haven't worked up loads for either one just yet.

Didn't do anything to any of the rifles but change the springs and tweek the triggers a little. High gloss is fine with me if it shoots good. I want working guns. Not to say that I wouldn't like them as good or better with an oil finish. The absolute worst thing about the rifles is that you can not unload without taking the safety off. That really bugs me. That is the only fault I have with the A-bolts.

God Bless, Louis

I love my 358 BLR. The mechanics of the action I am particularly fond of. But I must confess, I would prefer that they had more of a traditional lever rifle look.

It wouldnt be too hard to remove the uber high gloss finish and re do it. But I cant bring myself to do it. I do wonder if anyone else has though and how their results are?