Winchester 86 in 38-70

jlchucker · Post by **jlchucker** » Thu Mar 27, 2008 8:13 am

Does anybody have one of these, or have any experience with that particular cartridge? I don't own one, but remember seeing one when I was a kid.

88 man · Post by **88 man** » Thu Mar 27, 2008 8:17 am

There's one on gunbroker now.Don't know much about the cal.
88

cowboykell · Post by **cowboykell** » Thu Mar 27, 2008 8:49 am

A 45-90 necked down to a .38 cal. A souped up 38-56.

Kansas Ed · Post by **Kansas Ed** » Thu Mar 27, 2008 5:08 pm

It's another one of those hard to find '86 Calibers. Wish I had one...

Ed

KirkD · Post by **KirkD** » Thu Mar 27, 2008 6:04 pm

I'd love to have an '86 in that caliber. The original 38-70 fired a 255 grain bullet at 1,449 fps, according to the 1896 Winchester catalogue. Clyde 'Snooky' Williamson has a chapter on the '86 38-70 cartridge in his book The Winchester Lever Legacy. The 38-70 used the same bullet as the 38-55 and the ballistics of the 38-70 can easily be duplicated by a 38-55 in a Model 1894.

jlchucker · Post by **jlchucker** » Thu Mar 27, 2008 6:17 pm

Thanks for the info. Back around 1960, when I was halfway thru high school, there was one in better shape than the one on Gunbroker today, in an estate auction in my home town. I wanted a deer rifle but didn't bid on it because that caliber I knew was something that the old general store down the street didn't have. I didn't bid. The rifle went to somebody for the princely sum of twenty bucks. It was the only time I ever encountered that caliber. I don't think I will bid on the one on Gunbroker.

KirkD · Post by **KirkD** » Thu Mar 27, 2008 8:13 pm

Twenty bucks! I think if I saw an '86 38-70 for sale today for $20. I'd reach so fast for my wallet that there would be a sonic boom.

jlchucker · Post by **jlchucker** » Fri Mar 28, 2008 9:22 am

Yeah, KirkD. Back then there were no collectors around in these little towns except maybe antiquers looking for antique furniture, etc. If I remember right the older locals gave some stuff to the guy who bought it for spending that much money on a gun for which he could get no "shells". Times sure have changed--. But I still remember that rifle, in the upstairs bedroom closet of a house that hadn't been opened since 1924, and was being auctioned off in its entirety. There couldn't have been but a few 38-70's ever made--how that one ever managed to get to that little Vermont town is one of those interesting stories that nobody left alive can tell. I wonder if that very rifle ever came up on Gunbroker.

20cows · Post by **20cows** » Fri Mar 28, 2008 9:28 pm

My cousin has one he inherited from his father. It is a nickel-plated full rifle in excellent mechanical condition and some nickel left.

He has dies to reload for it, but hasn't last I talked to him.

Mich Hunter · Post by **Mich Hunter** » Sat Mar 29, 2008 1:53 am

Guy I had worked with had is great grand dads 86 in 38-70. I never heard of that caliber before that