Winchester Miroku Model 1886 Takedown RMEF .45-70 Gov’t Lever Rifle, 2000
SOLD FOR: $1902
LSB#: 210831RL05
Make: Winchester
Model: 1886 Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation
Serial Number: 01576MM343
Year of Manufacture: 2000
Caliber: .45-70 Government
Action Type: Tubular Magazine Fed Lever Action Takedown Rifle
Markings: The left shoulder of the barrel is marked “U.S. REPEATING ARMS CO., NEW HAVEN, CT. U.S.A. / MADE IN JAPAN/MIROKU”, “-WINCHESTER- / LICENSEE” and at the rear with an ovalled “WP” proof. The top-rear of the barrel is marked “CAL. .45-70 GOVT”. The top of the chamber ring is marked with ovalled “WP”, the top tang is marked “WINCHESTER / MODEL 1886”. The bottom front of the receiver is marked “01576 / MM343 / RMEF 076”. The sides of the receiver and lever have decorative scrolls. The right side of the receiver is marked “RMEF / 2001 / BANQUET / EDITION” and shows elk grazing. The left side of the receiver is marked “ROCKY MOUNTAIN ELK FOUNDATION / EDITION OF 550” with an elk between.
Barrel Length: 26?, Octagonal
Sights / Optics: The front sight is a brass beaded blade dovetailed to the front of the barrel. The rear sight is a U-notch semi-buckhorn leaf and elevator sight dovetailed to the rear of the barrel.
Stock Configuration & Condition: The stocks are two-piece smooth walnut with capped forend, capped pistol grip, straight comb and blued steel crescent buttplate. There is a light rub spot on the left side of the buttstock, likely from rubbing against the box in storage. There are a few tiny nicks on the comb. The checkering is nice and sharp. There are no chips or cracks. The LOP measures 13 3/8? from the front of the trigger to the back of the buttplate. The plate shows no notable wear. Overall, the stocks are in Fine-Excellent condition.
Type of Finish: Blue w/ Gold Toned Decorations
Finish Originality: Original
Bore Condition: The bore is bright with sharp rifling. There is no erosion.
Overall Condition: This rifle retains about 97% of its metal finish. There is some light oxidation on the front left side of the magazine tube. There are some light handling marks. There is light operational wear. The screwheads are sharp. The markings are clear. Overall, this rifle is in about Fine-Excellent condition.
Mechanics: The action functions correctly. The hammer has a rebounding hammer and there is a tang-mounted safety. The lever lock-up is tight and the trigger is crisp. We did not fire this rifle. As with all used firearms, a thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance standards.
Box, Paperwork & Accessories: Included is a serial matching box and paperwork including a manual.
Our Assessment: The 1886 followed up the 1876, providing a much stronger action that was able to withstand larger and more powerful cartridges such as the .45-70, the issued rifle cartridge of the U.S. Army at the time. The design would later be shrunk for the model 1892. This is an RMEF Edition Winchester Takedown Model 1886 made in 2000. Since its humble beginnings in the mid-1980s, the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation now has more than 231,000 members whose support helped complete more than 13,000 conservation and hunting heritage outreach projects that protected or enhanced more than 8.2 million acres of wildlife habitat and opened or improved public access to more than 1.3 million acres, much of which was completely off-limits to the public. This modern reintroduction has the same action with a tang-mounted safety. This one appears to have seen little if any. It retains 97% of its metal finish with a great bore, strong mechanics, and would make a great addition to a collection. With its 26? octagonal barrel and .45-70 chambering, this would make a nice hunting rifle that could take just about any game in North America, though it’s a bit heavy for taking it on a long stalk. If you’re looking for a .45-70 lever gun, you can’t do much better than this. Please see our photos and good luck!