Winchester Model 73 Repro

[ligonierbill]

What is your opinion, or better, experience with reproduction Model 73s? Since they're made be a third party now, I consider Winchester branded rifles reproductions, albeit with the magic name. Anything to avoid? Anyone especially good?

I'm looking at 44-40.

 

[MJFlores]

From what I understand, and have seen is that they are excellent riles and quite accurate. If you think you'll get one, I would try to do now before they go putting a tang safety on it which is sure to happen like they did to the 94 and 92. I suspect they'd sell an awful lot of 92's if they dumped that dumb safety.

 

[mikejonestkd]

The modern winchester 1873 levers are excellent rifles.
I have an Uberti, and its a great rifle, but two friends have winchesters and they are slicker, better finished and beautiful to shoot.

 

[JWT]

I assume you mean the Winchesters made by Miroku in Japan. I have one with the octagon barrel and case hardened receiver n 38/357. It get lots of attention at the range. A very nice looking rifle, well made, well finished, nice wood, and a great shooter. It is very accurate and has an extremely smooth action. A bit pricey, but well worth the cost as far as I'm concerned. By far the best reproduction I've found.

 

[jackmoser65]

Everything Miroku makes is top shelf. I have several, both Brownings and Winchesters. In this case, however, they do not have a significant advantage over the competition. The Uberti rifles are also very well made guns.

Although the Winchesters are also available from Navy Arms with upgraded Turnbull finishes.

...I would try to do now before they go putting a tang safety on it which is sure to happen like they did to the 94 and 92.

Completely unfounded. If they were going to put a tang safety in the 1873, which is the latest Winchester levergun offering, they would've done it from the start.

 

[MJFlores]

Oh no, it's him again...now with a crystal ball to tell exactly what Winchester will do in the future.

I dont know that they will put a safety on them, and you certainly don't know that they wont. And the 94's out sell the 73's greatly...and has a tang safety. I doubt any reasonable person would be a bit surprised to see the 73's from Miroku start shipping with safeties. Hopefully they dont but the other models have them now.

You love to argue. You've got to be one unhappy dude. People can write things on message forums that you don't necessarily agree with, and it's still OK. Watch I'll prove it....after you write your crazy response, which I'm sure I wont agree with...I wont even reply. Ok, here goes

 

[Deja vu]

I am an American gun guy but truth be told the only American business making lever actions any more is Marlin and while there where great in the past there more recent history is pretty spotty since they where bought up by the same company that owns Remington.

The Japanese Winchesters are truly great guns. The down side is that they know it and charge a premium for them. Many of the Italian guns are very good as well. They are still pretty and great guns but the Winchester is still the king of the lever actions.

As far as the 73s I am sorry I have not handled a Winchester nor do I know much about the Winchester 73.

 

[mehavey]

My Uberti (Comanchero'd/Action Slicked by Taylors) runs literally like water.
(I've got two: 357Mag & 44-40 -- both are 1¼ MOA @100 -- and that's w/ home cast)

I recommend a Taylor's/Comanchero w/o reservation.

 

[ligonierbill]

Well, you pays your money and you takes your chances. I sent payment for a Navy Arms 1873 today. This is the Uberti version, not the Turnbull finished high end rifle currently being offered by Navy Arms. The battery mate of this rifle is also by Uberti, a Cimarron Model P. I like that one a lot.

So, I will be shooting the same cartridge in both, same bullet, same charge of powder, just like the old days. Except I'm loading Unique at something less than 9 grains, rather than 40 grains of black. Couldn't fit that much in a modern case anyway.

I have been shooting one of the other pistol/rifle rounds that was somewhat popular in those days, 32-20. But this is from 1920s vintage firearms, and the rifle and pistol diverge here. Mild lead loads in the old Colt, and somewhat hotter JHP in the Savage 23. The 44s will be a new experience.

 

[COSteve]

I've got 2 Uberti clones in 45 Colt; a 19" 1866 Yellowboy Carbine and a 24" 1873 Special Sporting Rifle as well as an Uberti Cattleman SAA, also in 45 Colt. Both rifles are slick and function well with my 255grn handloads. I added a spring kit to my SAA, and it's also slick as snot.

I've got thousands of rds through both rifle and both have held up well as well as being a ton of fun to shoot. The SAA is great as well and what else can I say, it's a 45 Colt SA!!

As I shoot mostly standard pressure (under 14,000psi) loads using 9.1grns of Unique (9.5grns is max) in deference to the toggle link action design of the rifles and the basic design of the pistol. That means that the carbine actually produces higher muzzle velocities than the 24" rifle. (This is opposite to my 2 Rossi 357mag levers shooting full power 357mag loads with H110 powder where the 24" rifle produces higher velocities than the 20" carbine.

The Yelloboy's carbine's cool folding rear sight it's actually pretty well on for 100 (folded down), 200 (notch in aperture), 300 (center of aperture), and 400yds (top notch) when shooting my 255grn lead and a full load (9.5grns).

 

[michaeldarnold]

I am an American gun guy but truth be told the only American business making lever actions any more is Marlin...

You forgot Henry Repeating Arms... Some really great offerings from them. So many on my want list.

 

[COSteve]

You forgot Henry Repeating Arms... Some really great offerings from them. So many on my want list.

They have some fine, well built offerings. That said for many, myself included, their decision to not include a receiver loading gate on any of their centerfire models and the fact that their rifles are pounds heavier than other manufacturers has relegated them in my eyes to 'nice to look at but not to buy' status. I've got 8 leverguns and the only Henry I own is one of their 22lr models.