Browning 1886 upgrade project
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- twoguns
- Levergunner 1.0
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Browning 1886 upgrade project
I recently purchased one of those 1986 Miroku productions of the 1886 Winchester in 45-70 with the straight stock, full length magazine and full octagon barrel. I internet shopped for many months to find this particular version. When I received it, I was tickled to see that it was almost brand spanky new - I got lucky. The metal is beautiful but the stock is boring wood with an epoxy finish. I'm ready to fix 'er up. I want a PG stock, checkered fore and aft, selected metal parts color case hardened and some sight upgrades. Sounds like i need to send her to Turnbull? Nah, to many $$$$$$$$. I think I will do what I can my self and send parts out for the CCH. ( I have done this before with muzzleloaders and a 03-A3 - but this will be my first Lever action) It begins here...
More later.
More later.
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A man on a gallopin' horse in the middle of the night would never know the difference.
Re: Browning 1886 upgrade project
It is looking good, if I was that good with wood I would make mine with a shotgun but plate, and a different finish, I can't wait to see it finished.
Terry
Terry
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Re: Browning 1886 upgrade project
You have a very good start on your 1886 project and that is a beautiful 1885.
CRS, NRA Benefactor Member, TSRA, DRSS, DWWC, Whittington Center
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Re: Browning 1886 upgrade project
Way to go Twoguns!
Can't wait to see the progress. My original 86 is the same configuration as yours and came with a badly fitted set of new wood so I had to do a lot of work on it. Used treebone carvings instructions as posted on their website. Thinking about new wood and even bought the new shotgun buttplate for it already but I really don't need another project.
M. M.
Can't wait to see the progress. My original 86 is the same configuration as yours and came with a badly fitted set of new wood so I had to do a lot of work on it. Used treebone carvings instructions as posted on their website. Thinking about new wood and even bought the new shotgun buttplate for it already but I really don't need another project.
M. M.
M. M. Wright, Sheriff, Green county Arkansas (1860)
Currently living my eternal life.
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Currently living my eternal life.
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- kimwcook
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Re: Browning 1886 upgrade project
Looking really good so far, Twoguns. Keep us posted. Can't wait to see the finished project.
Old Law Dawg
- Borregos
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Re: Browning 1886 upgrade project
+1kimwcook wrote:Looking really good so far, Twoguns. Keep us posted. Can't wait to see the finished project.
Pete
Sometimes I wonder if it is worthwhile gnawing through the leather straps to get up in the morning..................
Sometimes I wonder if it is worthwhile gnawing through the leather straps to get up in the morning..................
Re: Browning 1886 upgrade project
Impressive ! - Keep up the good work !
.
.
Re: Browning 1886 upgrade project
That will be very nice, I have one of the pre safety SRC models and they do shoot super good. We all want to see more pic's when you get to it.
- Rube Burrows
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Re: Browning 1886 upgrade project
Awesome project. Cant wait to see how it progresses.
Re: Browning 1886 upgrade project
Keep the updates coming
Re: Browning 1886 upgrade project
Very nice! Wanna do mine? 1886.
- KirkD
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Re: Browning 1886 upgrade project
That rifle is going to be a beaut when you are done. Keep us posted with photos so we can enjoy the progress.
Kirk: An old geezer who loves the smell of freshly turned earth, old cedar rail fences, wood smoke, a crackling fireplace on a snowy evening, pristine wilderness lakes, the scent of
cedars and a magnificent Whitetail buck framed in the semi-buckhorn sights of a 120-year old Winchester.
Blog: https://www.kirkdurston.com/
cedars and a magnificent Whitetail buck framed in the semi-buckhorn sights of a 120-year old Winchester.
Blog: https://www.kirkdurston.com/
- Griff
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Re: Browning 1886 upgrade project
+1!KirkD wrote:That rifle is going to be a beaut when you are done. Keep us posted with photos so we can enjoy the progress.
EVERY time I talk about a project like that, my wife asks how much are the tools? If they can't fit in the budget, I don't do the project.
Griff,
SASS/CMSA #93
NRA Patron
GUSA #93
There is a fine line between hobby & obsession!
AND... I'm over it!!
No I ain't ready, but let's do it anyway!
SASS/CMSA #93
NRA Patron
GUSA #93
There is a fine line between hobby & obsession!
AND... I'm over it!!
No I ain't ready, but let's do it anyway!
- twoguns
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Re: Browning 1886 upgrade project
Griff, my wife told me I better keep doing woodwork because I bought all the tools
A man on a gallopin' horse in the middle of the night would never know the difference.
- Griff
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Re: Browning 1886 upgrade project
That's the way mine is with our cars... "YOU BETTER fix my car, mister..." but, she smiles sweetly and sez "thank you" so nicely when I spend $100 in tools to replace a $20 part, but woulda meant 2 days at the dealer and a $250 bill!twoguns wrote:Griff, my wife told me I better keep doing woodwork because I bought all the tools
Griff,
SASS/CMSA #93
NRA Patron
GUSA #93
There is a fine line between hobby & obsession!
AND... I'm over it!!
No I ain't ready, but let's do it anyway!
SASS/CMSA #93
NRA Patron
GUSA #93
There is a fine line between hobby & obsession!
AND... I'm over it!!
No I ain't ready, but let's do it anyway!
- KirkD
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Re: Browning 1886 upgrade project
I'd sure like to find a dealer who would work on my car for two days and only charge me $250.Griff wrote: ... I spend $100 in tools to replace a $20 part, but woulda meant 2 days at the dealer and a $250 bill!
Kirk: An old geezer who loves the smell of freshly turned earth, old cedar rail fences, wood smoke, a crackling fireplace on a snowy evening, pristine wilderness lakes, the scent of
cedars and a magnificent Whitetail buck framed in the semi-buckhorn sights of a 120-year old Winchester.
Blog: https://www.kirkdurston.com/
cedars and a magnificent Whitetail buck framed in the semi-buckhorn sights of a 120-year old Winchester.
Blog: https://www.kirkdurston.com/
- twoguns
- Levergunner 1.0
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Re: Browning 1886 upgrade project
After our Cowboy Fast Draw club match, I got a some more stock work done on my 1886 project.
Starting to shape the buttstock. I have inletted and acra-glassed the upper and lower tangs. rough shaping here. See the rasper marks. Must be careful. Flute Other flute Wood is higher than the butt plate. Now it is flush and even. Gotta get ready for work tomorrow but I want to see the wood grain. So I take a rag soaked in laquer thinner and rub the butt stock...looks like it will be a beauty!
Starting to shape the buttstock. I have inletted and acra-glassed the upper and lower tangs. rough shaping here. See the rasper marks. Must be careful. Flute Other flute Wood is higher than the butt plate. Now it is flush and even. Gotta get ready for work tomorrow but I want to see the wood grain. So I take a rag soaked in laquer thinner and rub the butt stock...looks like it will be a beauty!
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A man on a gallopin' horse in the middle of the night would never know the difference.
Re: Browning 1886 upgrade project
That's going to be beautiful! Thanks for the pictures!
Have you hugged your rifle today?
- kimwcook
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Re: Browning 1886 upgrade project
A pretty peak at what's going to be a beautiful stock.
Old Law Dawg
- twoguns
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Re: Browning 1886 upgrade project
Still working on the wood but took time off to convert the straight grip lever to a pistol grip lever. Got the torch out and heated the lever in several critical spots to make it fit. I was surprised at how "not so easy" it was. This was a try and fit operation - not for the faint of heart. I researched buying one to fit the PG configuration but it was $200+ so I decided to do it my self. Geeze, I keep breaking personal boundaries doing this kind of stuff - but I draw on my past to make sure its right. Now there is a bunch of filing and sanding to get those factory smooth surfaces back before sending it outr for CCH.
A man on a gallopin' horse in the middle of the night would never know the difference.
- twoguns
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Re: Browning 1886 upgrade project
I worked on the wood today after taking a couple days off work with some kind of upper respiratory cold thingy. I sanded and wiskered this open pored Claro Walnut stock al the way up to 1200 grit. It shined like a bone except for the pores. So, I'm looking for a way to get close to that old Winchester red. Googling, I found many options, but as usual I wanted to find my own solution. I used Solar-Lux Reducer mixed with Behlens Blood Red in decreasing strength from full to 16:1 on a slice of the wood from my rifle stock blank. The full strength was way too red. After a lot of trail and error I decided to use the 16:1 stain, figuring I could restain if needed. This is the result of one coat of the 16:1. It's just a subtle red hue added to the natural color of the walnut. I'm going with it as is. Now I want a oil finish that will not darken the wood. Let's here from you guys. Tru oil adds an amber color and I have used it on a bunch of my guns. What else?
A man on a gallopin' horse in the middle of the night would never know the difference.
Re: Browning 1886 upgrade project
It's hard to tell color because every monitor is different, but dang that is some nice wood!
Terry
Terry
- Rube Burrows
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Re: Browning 1886 upgrade project
Man, I wish I had half of your wood working skills and maybe my Winchester buttstock would be fitted to my rifle already.
- Griff
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Re: Browning 1886 upgrade project
I used Forester's Tung oil on this one. It didn't shift the color.
Griff,
SASS/CMSA #93
NRA Patron
GUSA #93
There is a fine line between hobby & obsession!
AND... I'm over it!!
No I ain't ready, but let's do it anyway!
SASS/CMSA #93
NRA Patron
GUSA #93
There is a fine line between hobby & obsession!
AND... I'm over it!!
No I ain't ready, but let's do it anyway!
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Re: Browning 1886 upgrade project
That is truely a beautiful piece of wood there , Two Guns. You certainly have an eye for making the best from the blank you had.
Did you reheat and quench the handle when you were done? Don't really know if that would be needed there but...wonder what they did at the factory the first time.
Did you reheat and quench the handle when you were done? Don't really know if that would be needed there but...wonder what they did at the factory the first time.
(discloser) Not a gunsmith, just a tinkerer at heart, it gets me into trouble, When I take it apart...
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Re: Browning 1886 upgrade project
twoguns,
That's really looking good man! You're doing an awesome job. Thanks for keeping us posted on the progress.
That's really looking good man! You're doing an awesome job. Thanks for keeping us posted on the progress.
M. M. Wright, Sheriff, Green county Arkansas (1860)
Currently living my eternal life.
NRA Life
SASS
ITSASS
Currently living my eternal life.
NRA Life
SASS
ITSASS
Re: Browning 1886 upgrade project
Very nice work twoguns. I plan on changing my but stock out on my new 92. But nothing as fancey as your wood. I just want a shotgun style but instead of the creasent. How does the figured walnut work? Is it about like curly maple. Show more photo's when finnished and back on the rifle.
- twoguns
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Re: Browning 1886 upgrade project
I got home from Los Alamos yesterday, excited to make more progress on my 1886. I filed and sanded the heated and reformed lever and then removed the receiver from the barrel so I could send off the parts to Mike Hunter for color case hardening treatment. Meanwhile filling pores with multiple coats of 50-50 truoil -mineral spirits.
Straight lever transformed to pistol grip lever...
Parts sent to Mike for CCH.
Straight lever transformed to pistol grip lever...
Parts sent to Mike for CCH.
A man on a gallopin' horse in the middle of the night would never know the difference.
Re: Browning 1886 upgrade project
Beautiful!
Really something to watch the progress.
Thanks for taking the time to share.
Really something to watch the progress.
Thanks for taking the time to share.
- twoguns
- Levergunner 1.0
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Re: Browning 1886 upgrade project
Hey, removing the barrel wasw a Lary Potterfield thing. I watched and copied. Thanks Larry!
A man on a gallopin' horse in the middle of the night would never know the difference.
Re: Browning 1886 upgrade project
Awesome, i`m more than impressed.
Because I Can, and Have
-------------------------------------------------------------
USAF-72-76
God Bless America.
Disclaimer, not responsible for anyone copying or building anything i make.
Always consult an expert first.
-------------------------------------------------------------
USAF-72-76
God Bless America.
Disclaimer, not responsible for anyone copying or building anything i make.
Always consult an expert first.
Re: Browning 1886 upgrade project
twoguns, hows this awesome project coming along?
up-date--up-date
up-date--up-date
Because I Can, and Have
-------------------------------------------------------------
USAF-72-76
God Bless America.
Disclaimer, not responsible for anyone copying or building anything i make.
Always consult an expert first.
-------------------------------------------------------------
USAF-72-76
God Bless America.
Disclaimer, not responsible for anyone copying or building anything i make.
Always consult an expert first.
- kimwcook
- Advanced Levergunner
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Re: Browning 1886 upgrade project
It's not even my gun and I'm getting anxious.Pitchy wrote:twoguns, hows this awesome project coming along?
up-date--up-date
Old Law Dawg
- twoguns
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Re: Browning 1886 upgrade project
You guys crack me up as you are as anxious as I am. I work at the Los Alamos National Lab during the work week (2 hours from home) and so I don't have access to the gun stuff in my garage until the weekend. I'm in the process of putting on multiple coats of 50-50 tru oil and Mineral spirits to fill the pores. I have put these on with PEC pad and wooled back about 8 coats using a heat cabinet to allow me a few more coats each weekend. (This from an article in the American Gunsmith rag.) I am getting close to filling them. Meanwhile, last week end, I UPS'd the receiver, lever, hammer, and nosecap and misc parts to Mike Hunter for CCH treatment. I have no idea about his turn-around time but it's not important because after the oil finish and rubdown is complete I have some grip and forearm checkering to do. As much as I like working on wood - I am not looking forward to handling those Dem-Bart tools for so long a time with magnifying hood on my head.
A man on a gallopin' horse in the middle of the night would never know the difference.
Re: Browning 1886 upgrade project
Thanks for the up-date
It`s going to be one fine gun.
It`s going to be one fine gun.
Because I Can, and Have
-------------------------------------------------------------
USAF-72-76
God Bless America.
Disclaimer, not responsible for anyone copying or building anything i make.
Always consult an expert first.
-------------------------------------------------------------
USAF-72-76
God Bless America.
Disclaimer, not responsible for anyone copying or building anything i make.
Always consult an expert first.
Re: Browning 1886 upgrade project
A true craftsman!!
Steve
Retired and Living the Good Life
No Matter Where You Go, There You Are
Retired and Living the Good Life
No Matter Where You Go, There You Are
- twoguns
- Levergunner 1.0
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Re: Browning 1886 upgrade project
Thanks Steve! I used to be on the same base of the Rocky Mountains as you but now I'm on the other one
A man on a gallopin' horse in the middle of the night would never know the difference.
Re: Browning 1886 upgrade project
Don't know how I didn't see this before. Wow that is gonna look awesome can't wait to see the end result.
Jeremy
GySgt USMC Ret
To err is human, To forgive is devine, Neither of which is Marine Corps policy
Semper Fidelis
GySgt USMC Ret
To err is human, To forgive is devine, Neither of which is Marine Corps policy
Semper Fidelis
- Ysabel Kid
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Re: Browning 1886 upgrade project
i cant find adequate words for your talent, your taste and your gun!!! you have outstripped my 1886 browning project by a wide margin! fantastic!
here is mine:
but you should also put some cool trick sights on it when you are done, like mine:
way to go.... i love to see this kind of thing!
here is mine:
but you should also put some cool trick sights on it when you are done, like mine:
way to go.... i love to see this kind of thing!
cable
- KirkD
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Re: Browning 1886 upgrade project
Cable, that is one gorgeous gun!!
Kirk: An old geezer who loves the smell of freshly turned earth, old cedar rail fences, wood smoke, a crackling fireplace on a snowy evening, pristine wilderness lakes, the scent of
cedars and a magnificent Whitetail buck framed in the semi-buckhorn sights of a 120-year old Winchester.
Blog: https://www.kirkdurston.com/
cedars and a magnificent Whitetail buck framed in the semi-buckhorn sights of a 120-year old Winchester.
Blog: https://www.kirkdurston.com/
-
- Advanced Levergunner
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Re: Browning 1886 upgrade project
thank you, it is my favorite rifle- hands down. his is going to be even nicer!KirkD wrote:Cable, that is one gorgeous gun!!
cable
Re: Browning 1886 upgrade project
I think they both are/will be nice, different from each other but nice, personliy I like the shotgun but stock, but I also like the pistol grip.hfcable wrote:thank you, it is my favorite rifle- hands down. his is going to be even nicer!KirkD wrote:Cable, that is one gorgeous gun!!
Terry
Re: Browning 1886 upgrade project
unreal to look at that kind of craftsmanship.... thanks for sharing.
- twoguns
- Levergunner 1.0
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Re: Browning 1886 upgrade project
hfCable,
That is a fine looking '86. What is the story with your front sight. does it twist off? I ordered a MVA Combination front sight after I did not win a Gunbroker auction for an old Lyman Beech.
That is a fine looking '86. What is the story with your front sight. does it twist off? I ordered a MVA Combination front sight after I did not win a Gunbroker auction for an old Lyman Beech.
A man on a gallopin' horse in the middle of the night would never know the difference.
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Re: Browning 1886 upgrade project
thanks; that sight is a vintage marbles reversible front sight. it has two different beads- a larger ivory one for 'low light ' conditions and a smaller brass bead. you just pull up and rotate 180 degrees. there were different sizes of beads and different heights available for a rang of guns and conditions. i dont think anyone makes them now, but they show up on ebay,etc. i do find it useful, at least in theory : )twoguns wrote:hfCable,
That is a fine looking '86. What is the story with your front sight. does it twist off? I ordered a MVA Combination front sight after I did not win a Gunbroker auction for an old Lyman Beech.
the MVA serves the same purpose in a way, perhaps even a little better. i have some of that style as well on various guns.
cable
- Griff
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Re: Browning 1886 upgrade project
Love the polishing on the metal... that'll really make that CCH stand out! Hand-checkering... gluton for punishment ain't ya? But, it's all the little things that add up to make a true beauty.
Griff,
SASS/CMSA #93
NRA Patron
GUSA #93
There is a fine line between hobby & obsession!
AND... I'm over it!!
No I ain't ready, but let's do it anyway!
SASS/CMSA #93
NRA Patron
GUSA #93
There is a fine line between hobby & obsession!
AND... I'm over it!!
No I ain't ready, but let's do it anyway!
-
- Levergunner 2.0
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Re: Browning 1886 upgrade project
Every time I think I could do without a 1886 you guys posts things like this I started with modern Marlins ,I have a couple of custom 1895's, that I figured was enough. Those dang safety's and rebounding hammers keep me away. Beautiful rifle!!!
- kimwcook
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Re: Browning 1886 upgrade project
Hfcable always seems to have really nice firearms and those last pictures prove it. Nice rifle.
Still waiting with short breath for the original project to be completed.
Still waiting with short breath for the original project to be completed.
Old Law Dawg