In my cabinet stands a 1886 Extra Light Rifle in .33WCF - I am considering to buy it, but still hesitate. Ammo is and bullets are crucial. And am I willing to sacrifice my dear Mod 88 or 870 to get a place in the cabinet? (We he have stupid limit of six guns here.)

Does the barrel twist stabilize Hornady 250 grs RN bullets? Are there other suitable bullets? Hawks 250 grs FN? I prefer heavy bullets, as the main non-paper target will be moose.

Thankful for your advice!

Pete

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...don't count out lever guns such as the Winchester Model 88. This rig, chambered to .308 Win, will handle nearly any deer situation.

As long as your eyes can still make the unscoped M1886 work at the proper ranges, I'd go for it in a second! The ROT in that rifle should be 1:12 and I believe that will stabilize a 250gr bullet to ranges you'd likely shoot without a scope. Though I've never fired one, my late father-in-law owned one and discouraged my desire to buy it, saying ammo was way hard to find. By the time he passed, that rifle was long gone and I've always wished I'd been smart enough to simply insist on a price long ago and bought it. The 1886 is a great rifle and if I can ever afford it, I'd like to have one in .33 or 45-70 or it's slightly modified son, the M71 in .348.

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A veteran is someone who, at one point in his life, wrote
a blank check made payable to "The United States of
America" for an amount of 'up to and including my life.
That is honor, and there are way too many people in this
country who no longer understand it.

The Rem M870's gotta go!

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"Firearms only have two enemies - rust and politicans" author unknown

I'm glad Texas doesn't have a six gun limit. I would surely have to move. The 1886 would be my pick, But I don't know if I could give up either.

My cabinet:
Merkel 200E o/u 12g shotgun
Remington 870 12g pumpgun
Raetzel drilling 16/8x57IR
Brno .22Hornet
Brno M21 8mm Mauser
Winchester M88 .308W

It is a hard choice to take one of these away.

Pete

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...don't count out lever guns such as the Winchester Model 88. This rig, chambered to .308 Win, will handle nearly any deer situation.

I owned an '86 in 33 WCF for a number of years and found it to be a fine rifle and cartridge combo. I don't recall that brass or bullets were hard to find as I shot it frequently. I believe at that time, 20+ years ago, Hornady made a 200 gr. bullet for the 33. The rare times I fired jacketed bullets that's what I used. Mostly it saw cast bullets. I'd jump on it.

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In general the art of government consists in taking as much money as possible from one class of citizens and giving it to another class of citizens. Voltaire

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NRA Benefactor, 2008

+1 ! Absolutely. After all, you still have that very fine Merkel O/U too.

__________________
A veteran is someone who, at one point in his life, wrote
a blank check made payable to "The United States of
America" for an amount of 'up to and including my life.
That is honor, and there are way too many people in this
country who no longer understand it.

Hawk Precision Bullets makes proper bullets for the .33 Winchester. If you want to hunt with an antique it would be a good choice. You can also get cast bullet equipment to make your own bullets. Cases can be made from 45/70. I had a .33 many years ago and wish I had it back.

The OP lives in Scandinavia and probably will have export/import problems with US material or equipment for firearms or reloading.

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"Firearms only have two enemies - rust and politicans" author unknown

Not necessarily. It depends on whether the dealer in the US has a exportation permit or not. I have ordered stocks and other gun parts from Brownells without problems,and many friends buy dies directlly from Lee.

Pete

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...don't count out lever guns such as the Winchester Model 88. This rig, chambered to .308 Win, will handle nearly any deer situation.

I have my own line of Dutch Oven Lifters, I sell them in Australia, Germany, Canada, and other places, I have no problem shipping, and so far no one has had any problem receiving, I can't imagine it would be much different for bullets, not loaded amo.
Terry

You'd think that, but the U.S. export laws got funny in the last ten years regarding anything that might go on, around, through, or near a gun.

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MikeG

Today I made my decision: I will not buy the rifle. Instead I passed to a good friend. I don't need more rifles, and I like my Brno M21 and Winchester M88 better. The balance of both these is better, and the lever of the M88 is much smoother and slicker than the rather clunky M1886. I must admit, that the action of my previous M94 BigBore was gentler to handle.

Thanks for you comments - I'll share them with my friend.

Pete

P.S. I added some pictures today monday.

Attached Thumbnails

   

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...don't count out lever guns such as the Winchester Model 88. This rig, chambered to .308 Win, will handle nearly any deer situation.

Thanks for the pictures. Sorry to see you without an '86. Mine has done anything I asked of it. I have found ways to form the brass with dies from Lee starting with 40-65 Starline brass. Good luck with that 88. Bandito

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I inherited a Lightweight Takedown in .33 WCF last Fall that belonged to my wife's Great Grandfather. I was just resizing some .45-70 cases for it about half an hour ago. They were quite easy to resize. I would have snapped up that rifle in two seconds. It's worth about about 3 or 4 870s.



Hopefully I will get to shoot something with it this Fall. I have some Hornady bullets but they have also been discontinued. I will be bringing some 225 Grain spire points to my gunsmith so that he can machine the points off them to make them into flat nose bullets. They should be pretty close to 200 grain when I'm done.

A great looking gun there. Bandito

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Yep, that is a looker.

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44-40 WCF. Putting meat on the table since 1873.