Just bought a Browning 1885 and I have some questions

[shotgunner]

I wanted a Traditional Hunter but found a good deal on an standard 1885, in 45-70, without the upper tang. it has a Marbles tang sight, which is made to screw into the wood stock, it has a spirit level front sight. I think that it has the shallow rifling that was used before the Traditional Hunters and BPCR models were made. If so, how will it shoot with cast bullets? I will shoot it some this morning, but I thought some of you might have been through it already. Will the sight hold up? Thanks for the help, Shotgunner

[Graybeard]

I doubt I'd have bought it with the sight screwed down into the wood personally. Will it hold up? Maybe but for how long I dunno. If it doesn't you have ugly holes in your nice wood stock.

I did own one like it some years back and shot ONLY cast bullets thru it and it worked just fine with them. It shot as accurately as I was able to see the factory iron sights. I only took it out hunting once but I shot a five point buck on that trip with it. It was just too heavy for me to enjoy hunting with. I eventually traded it off for something else as I so often do.

[Lurker]

If you rifle doesn't have an upper tang, are you sure it is a 1885 Browning?

Your rifle may be the B78, a look alike to the 1885, but without a top tang on the action of the rifle.

Bill

[shotgunner]

Yea, I am sure it is an 1885. I had a 78 in 6mm once, couldn't get it to shoot and the trigger was poor. Shotgunner

[Graybeard]

In the 1885s only the Traditional Hunter and BPCR have upper tangs. The rest do not whether HW or LW.