A Question about my Browning 1886

[Mossyoak1957]

Took my Browning 1886 "Rifle" out today for the first time since I got it months ago.
I was shooting Remington 405's out of it,dead on at 50 yards about 4 to 5 inches low at 100 yards.

I had also bought a box of the HSM Bear load but I didn't want to shoot them until I did a little more digging on what kind of ammo the Browning 1886 can handle safely.....well they got the best of me and I did shoot 1 round...they do sting a little with the crescent butt plate...lol

My question is ...What ammo can the Browning 1886 handle safely?

Thanks

[Terry Murbach]

ANY FACTORY AMMUNITION LOADED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

[Pete44ru]

A better question might be: "What kind of ammunition can my shoulder handle ? " . .

.

[3leggedturtle]

Thats beautiful. What length is the barrel and how much does it weigh? I am really thinking about buying an "EL" but have to sell off a few b4 i do.

[Mossyoak1957]

Thats beautiful. What length is the barrel and how much does it weigh? I am really thinking about buying an "EL" but have to sell off a few b4 i do.

3leg,
The barrel is a 26 inch octagon and it weights 9.6 lbs empty.
I don't know what kind of ejector Browning put in this but even when cycling the lever slow the empty case flys about 4 feet over your head.
The action is super smooth,this might sound strange to some people but I just love the sound of the action when working the next shell into the chamber it sounds like a well built oiled machine.

[Mossyoak1957]

ANY FACTORY AMMUNITION LOADED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

Thanks,
I think I'll just stick to the Remington 405's for Deer I really have no need to shoot high pressure ammo out of it here in PA but I do plan to take it out this year for Black Bear and will use the HSH ammo.

[veeman]

In all my readings, the 45-70 has 3 loading groups. Group 1 being the low pressure group. Group 2 the middle of the road type, which is what the Winchester and Browning 86's arealong with the marlin leverguns. Group 3 being the high presser guns like the Ruger No.1.
I use any loadings for the Marlin 45-70. I rarely find anything listed in reloading manuels stating anything for the Brownings, just Winchesters & Marlins.
I have a Browning 86 SRC, btw. Love it.

[Griff]

I have the same model and load some 325 & 350gr lead pills near to top of the "levergun" listing. I typically use 3 powders: IMR 3031, RL7 & AA5744. The last two most often. Yes, even a 9-½lbs, it will buck!

[TMair]

Every thing that I have read says that the Browning/morukos are much stronger then the originol Winchesters, and are even stronger then the Marlins, not sure they are as strong as the #1, but I have loaded up loads for it that I don't want to shoot!!
Terry

[purdy]

The 86's are almost as strong as the Marlins and Ackley has said they will lock up the action before they would let go. They are not as strong as thr Ruger # 1's and 3's. They have no problem with Keith's old load of 53 gr. IMR 3031 with either 350's or 400's.
At least my two '86's like that load. Varget and AA XMP 5744 make some interesting loads too.

[tman]

Always thought the winchesters were stronger than the Marlins

[Sixgun]

I did some experimental work with a Browning '86 SRC before I turned it over to my son. I ain't sayin' the loads, but............the ones I shot jumped out of my hands and beat my shoulder like it owed it money.

Hey, 42 grains of RL-7 (1800) with a 400 cast will kill anything easily out to 150 or so there's no reason to pump it up anymore------------Sixgun

[Lastmohecken]

Buy you a Marlin and load it up till you wreck it, and that should be a good stopping load for the Browning 86. JUST KIDDING.

I believe the Browning is stronger then the Marlin, but I see no reason to hot rod either one, all that much, but you can crank them up into a very respectable weapon, and still be inside safe limits. Get a good reloading manual and be careful when you start pushing the envelope.

[Pitchy]

I`ve been shootin 45 grains of 3031 with a 405 cast bullet since i bought the gun new in 86. Plenty of power and with that butt plate stiff enough for me

[KirkD]

ANY FACTORY AMMUNITION LOADED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

Terry is absolutely right. Shortly after those Browning 86's came out, I spoke with a fellow in the design department of Browning that worked on the 86's. Off the record, he told me what loads they could handle. I will not repeat what he said, but I will say that there is not a factory load that even comes close to the Browning 86's capability.

[dgslyr]

The curved steel buttplate will tell you that you like trapdoor loads.I put a pad on mine.Mine doesn't have enough throat for 500 gr.Hornady's seated to the cannelure but they will feed from the mag tube.The twist a little slow for them too.Lyman 457125 will feed and chamber,at least they do in mine.You can load them to the point where you will give up before the rifle does.I hunt with lee 405 F and IMR 4759 at 1400 fps or so.

[Mike D.]

The 86's are almost as strong as the Marlins and Ackley has said they will lock up the action before they would let go. They are not as strong as thr Ruger # 1's and 3's. They have no problem with Keith's old load of 53 gr. IMR 3031 with either 350's or 400's.
At least my two '86's like that load. Varget and AA XMP 5744 make some interesting loads too.

Sorry, but your assumption that the 336(1895) Marlin is stronger than the 1886 Winchester is incorrect. Actually it is the other way around. A modern 1886 copy, or even an original with nickel steel barrel, will easily handle loads that will bind a Marlin. I have no idea where that misconception originated but it surely needs to be put to rest. I have put so called "Ruger No1 Only"loads through my Browning carbine with hardly a bump, except the bruising on my right shoulder. These rifles can handle 50K loads, but 35 to 40K is more than enough to cause most NA big game to become instantly deceased. While the factory 405 grain jacketed loads are sufficient, a good handload using the Hornady 350 RN is a superior choice when the chips are down.

[earlmck]

These rifles can handle 50K loads

Yep. Consider that the 86 and 92 are the same design. Rossi chambers their little 92 copy for the 454 Casull at 60K+. Which the rifle handles just fine, I can assure you. But this shooter doesn't! Ouch!

I'd guess your pressure limitations with the 86 are going to come from the old-design brass cases rather than the old-design, new steel rifle. What we need here is some P.O. Ackley type to put the 86 against the Ruger #1 with increasingly "blue pill" loads until they let go. I might put my $ on the Ruger, but I wouldn't put big $ on it.