Winchester 1885 45/70 Trapper

[southarkrob]

I am looking at a Winchester 1885 with a 16.5 in barrel in 45/70... I am wanting an older type rifle to hunt with (I know this is a new gun but I can't afford an original) Does anybody have one of these??? Did they make any 1885 with a 16" barrel??? Would the Win be as good as a Uberti or Pedersoli??? Thanks for the help Robbie

[Rangr44]

This is a repro, "made for collecting", or "collectible" - priced @ $1150 on GA & $1500 from CF.  That's a LOT of $$ for a saddle ring, IMHO.
For the same $$$$, you could buy TWO .45-70 Ruger #1 rifles, and have enought left over for ammo for life.
Italian 1885 repros, if that's what you must have (an 1885, i.e.), run around $1K. or less.

[Did they make any 1885 with a 16" barrel?] -
I've never seen a gennie 1885 with a short barrel, unless it was lopped off for expediency. Certainly not from the factory.
Although special orders weren't unknown, in it's original days a .45-70 needed all the barrel it could get, to make power with the BP loads then used.

[Would the Win be as good as a Uberti or Pedersoli?] - Sure.

[Lurker]

Browning had Miroku, make up a bunch of these short barreled rifles. While I have eight Browning/Winchester/Miroku rifles of this type, with original length barrels, in various calibers, that short barrel leaves me a little cold. That is just my personal taste , in Highwalls.

It is an original 1885 design, however, they are not made in the early days of the 1885 rifles. These are modern production rifles, and they should be a good rifle to hunt and shoot with. If you like it, buy it, and enjoy it...! What would you care about what somebody else says? It will be your rifle.

The Uberti, and the Pedersoli rifles, are good rifles. Are they as good as the Browning/Winchesrer/Miroku? That is something, that is of individual conjecture, because of peoples different likes, and dislikes.

I have two Cimarron/Uberti replicas of the 1873 Winchester, one in .38-40 (38 WCF) and on in .44-40 (44 WCF). While these are not cheap, they are high quality rifles. Cowboy action shooters, shoot the beejabbers out of them, and they just keep right on working. That must say something about the Uberti quality.

If you get the hankering to shoot Black Powder Silhouettes, with your High Wall, the exposed hammer willl make it legal to compete with.

You won't find two, Ruger Number One 45-70 rifles for that price, as mentioned. A used Ruger Number one, in good condition, in 45-70, will sell for a $1000.00 by it'self.

Enough money left over to have 45-70 ammunition for life...? I don't think so...!

Let us know what you decide to do...

Bill

[Rangr44]

[A used Ruger Number one, in good condition, in 45-70, will sell for a $1000.00 by it'self.
]

It's a good thing, for me, Lurker, that I didn't shop for my .45-70 #1 last month where you did - by over $400.  I wouldn't be able to afford as many guns.  

BTW - The .45-70 #1, I got for my $$$, is 2nd from the bottom, on the right side, below:



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