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Old January 13, 2013, 11:38 AM   #1
valleyforge.1777
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Winchester is reintroducing the Model 1873 Lever Rifle !

From time to time I browse through the Winchester web site, so if something is posted on there, like a new rifle they are selling, I might not see it for a while. So, I apologize if others are well aware of this...but...

I was looking at the site today and I saw that they listed under "New Products" that Winchester is now making a model 1873 "short rifle", 20 inch barrel in 357 Magnum caliber. It is nicely blued and looks absolutely beautiful! Can not wait to get my hands on one. The rifle that won the West! And now, once again it can be had as a GENUINE Winchester, too!

http://www.winchesterguns.com/produc...00&family=027C
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Old January 13, 2013, 11:43 AM   #2
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One wonders if it's just an Italian gun with Winchester's name on it, or if they are actually going to have it made to the original (non-metric) specs in Japan.
It will be interesting to see how this unfolds.
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Old January 13, 2013, 12:08 PM   #3
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It'll be a lawyered-up re-design, and I can't see them re-branding a Uberti.
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Old January 13, 2013, 01:39 PM   #4
valleyforge.1777
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I don't know if it has the rebounding hammer, or not, but I don't see a safety in the pictures at all.

Anyway, my life is too short to worry about what a manufacturer has to do to deal with liability, real or imagined, in the modern age. I don't regret that they are re-introducing this rifle and I don't care about "lawyered up" and what not. It is a genuine Winchester, not a copy of a copy, and THAT is what I do care about. Some folks can belly ache about how the manufacturers put safety devices on the rifles, or rebounding hammers or whatever. Feel free to bemoan the modern world, but my suggestion is that if you want to change things, do your complaining at the ballot box. And, just in case you did not know this, the "modern" system of torts and legal liability comes from English Common Law which dates to the 1200's. So, get used to it. It's been around longer than you have, and it will be here longer than you will be.

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Old January 13, 2013, 02:09 PM   #5
DPris
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It'll have some sort of "safety" added somewhere, trust me.
And being made in Japan by Miroku doesn't make it a "genuine" Winchester just because they stamp it that way.
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Old January 13, 2013, 02:56 PM   #6
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That's true, Denis. But... being made by Miroku should result in a rifle that is of higher quality, with better fit and finish, than the last decade or more of half-baked rifles Wincheapster put out before dying.
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Old January 13, 2013, 03:01 PM   #7
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Nice.
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Old January 13, 2013, 03:03 PM   #8
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Absolutely & I wasn't advising against buying it.
It'll be high quality, well made, and modified.
It won't use parts from anything that came previously.
Just saying don't expect a line for line replica of the original Winchester 73.
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Old January 13, 2013, 03:06 PM   #9
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I have a feeling they will sell out quickly and not come down much in price.......and yes , I want one !
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Old January 13, 2013, 03:25 PM   #10
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I'd rather have an original looking Uberti than a lawyered up Winchester remake.
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Old January 13, 2013, 04:18 PM   #11
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Quote:
One wonders if it's just an Italian gun with Winchester's name on it, or if they are actually going to have it made to the original (non-metric) specs in Japan.
If I remember correctly, from an article I recently read, these don't have any additional safety, and they're made in Japan. They are also supposed to be of supreme quality.

Despite that, I simply can't buy a Winchester with "Made in Japan" stamped on the barrel. I know... that will leave more for the rest of you. So be it. I'm not against firearms made in other countries (Beretta, Glock, etc.). But, not a Winchester. Just can't do that. I'm hoping that someday they start making them in South Carolina, like the Model 70s.
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Old January 13, 2013, 04:25 PM   #12
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You don't tend to see the complete internal design changes listed in many articles on the Miroku Winchesters.
Few know about the changes to the 92 actions, for instance.
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Old January 13, 2013, 08:40 PM   #13
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From the pictures, the firing pin-cocking rod are not the Uberti design, so I'd say these aren't Uberti guns.
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Old January 13, 2013, 10:42 PM   #14
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It is and will be made in Miroku , Japan ( it is stamped right on the barrel near the receiver on one of the close up pictures on the Winchester website ) and it looks like the tang safety will not be included on this model !
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Old January 13, 2013, 11:02 PM   #15
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If the tang's drilled & tapped for a sight, there wouldn't be a sliding safety there.
It'll have some safety "updates", trust me.
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Old January 14, 2013, 12:19 AM   #16
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I guess I just really don't have any interest in a Miroku Winchester when I already have a Uberti Winchester.
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Old January 14, 2013, 01:09 AM   #17
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It has a "firing pin/striker block" and it looks like it has a rebounding hammer. Basically, it comes down to weather you want an Italian (Uberti) copy of an 1873, or a Japanese ("winchester") copy. I have three "miroku-chesters" (1886 short rifle, and two 1895s) and they are fantastic. I love them. But they are just Japanese copies of the original Winchesters. For my money, I will stick with my more historically accurate Uberti 1873. If you just want one that has "WINCHESTER" stamped on the barrel, buy one. It will likely be a well made rifle and you will probably love it, but I wouldn't say it's a "real" Winchester. The barrel will also be stamped "Made in Japan by Miroku".
http://www.winchesterguns.com/librar...ail.asp?id=459

Last edited by MJN77; January 14, 2013 at 01:35 AM.
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Old January 14, 2013, 09:45 AM   #18
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And it'll also have BACO stamped on it, too.
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Old January 14, 2013, 11:46 AM   #19
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Goofy pictures . . .

You would think the folks at Winchester/Browning/FN (a firearms company) would at least get some gun guys to look over thier photos before they turn them over to the web geeks.

Sheesh!

Operating a lever action with 4 fingers in the loop? The bolt is opening, but the bolt is not touching the hammer, which is at half-cock? Who took those pics?

And "oil finish"? It is most likely a sprayed-on poly finish.
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Old January 14, 2013, 04:05 PM   #20
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John Wayne would turn over in his grave, at least the USRAC 94's were made in the USA.
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Old January 14, 2013, 06:43 PM   #21
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Hummmmmmmmm seems to me that Weatherby uses the Japanese to make standard cartridge rifles for them. Not very many complaints about those.

Is it a Mark V? No, its a Vanguard. But Weatherby still backs them up.
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Old January 14, 2013, 07:09 PM   #22
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Quote:
Hummmmmmmmm seems to me that Weatherby uses the Japanese to make standard cartridge rifles for them. Not very many complaints about those.

Is it a Mark V? No, its a Vanguard. But Weatherby still backs them up.
Can you point out where anyone is complaining about Japanese rifles? It has been stated by myself and others that the "miroku-chesters" are great rifles. What is being discussed is the fact that the new "winchesters" are simply a less "authentic" copy of the famous american made "old west" rifle than the Italian made ones. Maybe actually reading the posts?
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Old January 14, 2013, 07:49 PM   #23
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Mark V is also made in Japan.
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Old January 14, 2013, 10:24 PM   #24
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Quote:
Can you point out where anyone is complaining about Japanese rifles? It has been stated by myself and others that the "miroku-chesters" are great rifles. What is being discussed is the fact that the new "winchesters" are simply a less "authentic" copy of the famous american made "old west" rifle than the Italian made ones. Maybe actually reading the posts?
This! I agree that the Japanese made rifles are excellent quality. My Browning 1886 SRC is one such example of wonderful fit and finish. It's also an example of a modern rifle that hasn't changed at all since the original design. My Cimmaron Uberti 1873 rifle is also a well fit, finished and crafted rifle that leaves me with no complaints nor a reason to get a Japanese rifle of what I see comparing my 2 examples of nearly identical or slightly better craftsmanship with modern lawyer features NOT original to the design.
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Old January 15, 2013, 10:13 AM   #25
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Looks nice, depending on the actual price I'd like to get one. $1,300 is not really in my range though.
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