Winchester Miroku 1886 LTD 1/500 .45-70 Gov’t 26″ Lever Action Rifle, 2001

SOLD FOR: $1,401.99

LSB#: LSB260224HE175

Make: Winchester

Model: 1886 Limited 1 of 500

Serial Number: 00051MZ860

Year of Manufacture: 2001 (MZ Date Code)

Caliber: .45-70 Government

Action Type: Tubular Magazine Fed Lever Action 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-“, “WINCHESTER TRADEMARKS LICENSED FROM OLIN CORPORATION”, and at the rear with an ovalled “WP” proof. The top-rear of the barrel is marked “CAL. .45-70 GOVT”. The right shoulder of the barrel is marked “1886TD-LTD 1 OF 500”. 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 “00051 / MZ860”. 

Barrel Length: 26″, Octagonal

Sights / Optics: The front sight is a beech sight dovetailed to the barrel. The rear sight is a U-notch buckhorn leaf and elevator sight dovetailed to the rear of the barrel. There is a non-factory tapped hole in the upper tang. 

Stock Configuration & Condition: The stocks are two-piece smooth walnut with capped forend, straight grip, straight comb and steel crescent buttplate. There are a scattered handling marks on the stocks. There are no chips or cracks. There are scattered nicks and scratches. There is oxidation on the forend cap.  The LOP measures 13 ¼” from the front of the trigger to the back of the buttplate. The plate shows some light oxidation on the top of the heel and few light marks on the face. Overall, the stocks are in Very Good condition.

Type of Finish: Matte Black

Finish Originality: Original

Bore Condition: The bore is bright with sharp rifling. There is no erosion. In this writer’s opinion the bore rates 9/10.

Overall Condition: This rifle retains about 97% of its metal finish. There are scattered handling marks and scratches on the metal. There are rust spots on the lever, buttplate, and forend cap. There is light operational wear. The screwheads are sharp. The markings are clear. Overall, this rifle is in Very Good condition.

Mechanics: The action functions correctly. 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: None. 

Our Assessment: The 1886 followed up the 1876, providing a much stronger action which 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 example is a limited 1/500 Model 1886 with a matte black finish. 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! – L.S.