https://www.gunbroker.com/item/747896729

If I'm reading it right, Just under $950 shipped. <sigh> Have been desiring one of these since they first were issued a few years ago. Don't NEED one, but what's not to like about a heavy stomping cartridge with about the same trajectory as the '06. It'd make a dandy elk rifle. But then, my '06 did the elk up just dandy years ago. Still...

OK. Back to work.

ERSisk, you're a bad influence!

and ammo easier to find/load/make.

would love to find one in 35 Whelen or one set up like the 375 Safari but in 38-55 or 375 Winchester instead.

But the Ruger is an authentic #1 which goes bang every time, while the modern Winchester-branded is outsourced to Japan, mechanically redesigned for manufacture, redundant safetied to be imported into the USA, and which rebounding etc has caused no end of problems in the entire line, including light strikes and not firing.

Which can be fixed, but for that sort of money, one expects it to fire without home gunsmithing. That was why I ended up going the Ruger, simply because I had ZERO doubts of function out of the box, and as for accuracy, I can only dream of 300-400yd shots out where most bullets slow enough I may as well be shooting FMJ. And a very handy gun, just over 336/94 length and and equal weight, plenty of power and flat enough 200yds nearly point blank.

Yeah, I did look at rhe Winchester-brand, because they ARE lovely, but went more working class. Mine has also quite lovely wood more of high grade oiled Brit look rather than exihibition grade looks. But, I DID look, and more than once, at the modern high walls.

nt

...years back. The article appeared in American Rifleman and several other publications, if I recall correctly. Very interesting.

than .45-70 for many uses. If my Guide Gun were chambered in it, I would look no further, as far more amicable to loading from mild to wild, and talk about SD. Sorta the 6.5x55 of the BP cartridges.

It's a Browning Traditional Hunter (I also have the same rifle in 30-30 and 45-70). Exceptional workmanship, an even as a REALLY picky engineer, I have no complaints about any of my 1885's. I just shoot it with cast bullets, and it is a SUPERB cast bullet rifle. The Traditional Hunter has a Marbles windage adjustable tang sight that is easy for my eyes to use. The rifles have a trigger that is actually quite good. I load it with Starline long 38-55 brass (2.125" long as opposed to the short Winchester brass..), 265 grain Lyman or RCBS cast bullets sized to .379" diameter (bore slugs .3785") and Accurate 2495br powder for a velocity of 1,450 fps. It is a very accurate rifle capable of MOA 3 shot groups, and is very comfortable to shoot as it probably weighs a little over 8 pounds in this configuration. It's my all time favorite cast bullet rifle.... Light recoil, accurate, and just plain classy and fun to shoot...

I've never had a missfire or any problem with any of my 1885's. They are as reliable as can be. I've never tried to push the cartridge at all, but it is a REALLY strong action and you could probably load it up to have a fair amount of power if that's what one wanted....

Wonderful rifle chambered in a wonderful cartridge... What more could you want?

nt

Like I said, it's my favorite cast bullet rifle. Big enough that you feel like you're shooting a real rifle, but a lot less recoil than a similar weight 45-70. Plus each bullet uses half the amount of lead that my 45-70 bullets use, so I can shoot more!!!!!

and somehow knew you would not sell that one. It is a keeper, for sure.

I picked up a Big Bore 94 a few years ago and it is an excellent cast shooter. You can also load it to the gills. A pretty neat package too but I've fallen under the spell of the Savage 99 and my levers with exposed hammers are rarely used anymore.

even though one of the best post-64 Winchesters made, it was still a post-64 frame of casting, of a very specific time frame, parts supply, used pins rather than screws, and etc etc.

If it had been made in an earlier time, it would still be here. BUT, not one I would load to the gills simply because it was no fun for me.

When loads get up there, THEN i will take the .45-70, which is pretty much what I had to do, and end up with a Guide Gun for the BP level stuff, and the #1 Whelen for higher power.

Twisted, but, still some logic, somewhere.