Titanium lever actions? Lighter, less upkeep and perhaps stronger? Was thinking an 1886 in titanium would be a dream to carry. Thoughts?

Sounds a bit steam-punk. What would it cost to make one?

It would be cost prohibitive and would have to be a pet project for a machinist... that said, I am wondering about merits. What actions would make sense to reproduce in titanium? Which ones would offer the greatest weight advantage? My first thoughts were Marlin 1895 in a guide gun set up and a Winchester 1895 carbine.

probably the ones that stretch from pressures over 45-K would be a good place to start.

you could do something silly like build a savage 99 in the 300WSM.

Though it would be cost prohibitive, it would lighten my 1886 with 26 inch full octagon barrel.
Of course that would increase recoil. so,,,

Browning BLRs and Henry Long Rangers have aluminum receivers in large calibers.No need for titanium.I have owned two rifles with titanium receivers and in both the bolt galled.Useless as actually no stronger than steel,just lighter.

You install steel inserts for the locking bolts to abut.
But, way too expensive to actually do because no one would buy them.

Taking the 1886 as an example, there is already a lot of weight you can play with by slimming down the barrel and using shorter mag tubes. There’s probably a 3-4lbs difference between a 26” octagonal full mag to a 20” light profile barrel half mag. You can get an 1886 down to around 7lbs and you wouldn’t want one any lighter for a large caliber.

However it would be nice to see more options in SS.

My first thought is: Why? Triple the price to drop a pound or so of an already light gun? Winchester 1895's and 1886's arent heavy for the rounds they fire.
Not really saving any upkeep as it doesnt take anything special to wipe the outside of the action now and then. The internals wouldn't be my different so...

I guess the idea is the all weather lever gun that is a joy to carry often and shoot only a few times because it bites and barks. Think of it as a bear defense gun that you carry for defense but is a %#$&@ to shoot. How light could you get a Marlin clone guide gun in 45-70?

With a 16" barrel and synthetic furnature you could get the 1895 Marlin down to standard 16" 92 Trapper weight. A sub 6 pound trapper isnt at all hard to carry and a hot .45 Colt is a formidable round.
And now were down to paying for nothing more than ounces. You could easily get a current manufactured 1894 in .450 Marlin and cut it back to 16" and arrive at or near the same weight. Or spend even more for synthetics fur nature that would lighten it up even more. All while spending much less than a custom Ti action.
I guess if a guy had the money to burn it would be a good conversation piece but it seems like there are easier ways to drop a pound or so of weight.

if cost wasn't a factor how far could you take it.
titanium stocks.
barrel sleeve.
receiver.
mag tube.
bolt housing.
you'd need steel inserts and many steel internal parts but right down to the trigger and trigger guard and the lever itself.

if the round were kept to say something like a 257 or 6.5 caliber it's still be potent enough to hunt with and have plenty of range without recoil becoming an issue.
you could even go titanium on the scope itself.

I am betting there are a damn sight more folks wanting to pontificate on the idea than there would be willing to pay for one.

raises his hand..

Maybe start with an aluminum or titanium lever loop?

A titanium 1886 never occurred to me, but an aluminum alloy 1866 has. It's a somewhat heavy rifle for such a light recoiling round. Henry's (1860) are really heavy for what it puts out, and a lined aluminum extrusion for the barrel/magazine would be interesting (along with that aluminum frame).

I wouldn't buy an 86 in titanium, would generate lots of snappy recoil in gun that was never designed to calm recoil in the first place..86 lovers like blue and wood for the most part, nostalgia is part of the 8s DNA, but to each his own..

I like my 1886 .45-90 the way it is!


I do need to take a new picture to show the folding barrel sight.

This reminds me of an old analogy...

If a job took 2 Chinese 2 hours to complete a task, it would take:

The English 2 hours and 20 minutes because they would demand a tea break.

The Germans wouldn't even consider the task without a full set of blueprints

And the Americans would spend 3 months trying to figure out how to perform the task in 10 minutes with power equipment...

quote:

Originally posted by Lamar:
probably the ones that stretch from pressures over 45-K would be a good place to start.

you could do something silly like build a savage 99 in the 300WSM.

I believe you need to read up on that new Weatherby 6.5 and their new action for it. One is made of titanium and there are draw backs. They said it stretches.

How about a Ti 99 savage clone. Do it up tech with a carbon barrel, carbon stocks and integral picatinny rail. Make it a take down switch barrel 358 Win. 6.5 creedmoor.

Now you are in to something. Those would be two great chamberings. The 99 is too heavy for some of those smaller chamberings. Timan... Since you are the king of titanium, what other actions an you see that would benefit from a titanium diet? Have you made a micro mauser like the CZ527?

Boom,
I've never done the micro, but that too would be unique. I probably would go more towards a yugo mini than the 527.
I've done the small ring Kurtz in titanium along with the intermediate an standard length.
I've given some consideration to the Dakota 76 in both standard and short configuration, in titanium of course. The reason I say Dakota 76 is its basically a pre-64 with better execution and small yet beneficial changes in design.
Here's a nutty one for ya. Dakota M10 in titanium, carbon barrel, with an AR15 keymod picatinny forend, short 17" barrel threaded for one of the short T-Beast cans. AR15 keymod picatinny forend. AR 15 grip and collapsing butt stock, take down, caliber exchange, w/o or common tool. It would be kind of a millennial falling block rifle. Maybe lose the underleaver for a side leaver thats all skeletonized and bad ass looking.
Crazy right?