I believe you are correct that the 86's are made in Japan. Last I knew, you could get at least two 1895 Marlins for the price of one 1886 Winchester. I don't believe the Winchesters are twice Years ago, I was into S&W revolvers, especially nickel plated ones. About the time I was ready to get a model 57 41Mag(1980), the price skyrocketed. I could get two Ruger Blackhawks for the price of one S&W. Been shooting Blackhawks ever since. Think I'd go for the Marlin.

Jeff
NRA Life

 

57's in Nickel ( or blue) today are high money. If you thought they were high then.... not.

Shoulda bought one.

 

I believe the 1886 is a stronger action than a marlin 1895. That being said, the 1895 marlin is plenty strong! Also you can mount a scope on the marlin easy'r than the win.

Now what I would like to do is get a mag tube hanger frm the 86 and mount it on the marlin 1895 with a full length mag tube....... I think that would look great.

 

The new Winchester 86 also has the tang safety and rebounding hammer just more BS to break and go wrong a friend of mine bought one and I was really not impressed with it compared to the marlin. If your going to spend the money on a import Winchester 86 might as well shop around and find an original 1886. Around hear I see original 86 for about the same price of the new Japan made 86.

 

I think that it depends a little bit on what you're gonna use it for. The marlin is one heck of a gun because it's strong and smallish. The 1886 is one heck of a gun because it's a little stronger and biggish. I at one time had a Browning Mod 71 in .348 win. It was a awesome gun but not one I'd want to carry around very much. For what it's worth they say they didn't quit making 71s in .348, they quit making men that would shoot em.
So more to your question, I think it's a size and looks thing.

 

So the Winnie is stronger in terms of how much pressure it will handle. Anyone know exactly how much stronger in PSI or CUP? Will the winnie handle the pressure that a Ruger #1 or a Siamese Mauser will? If no dtthen I'd rather have the Marlin and put all that extra cash into ammo, sights, etc than "strength" that I can't really use.

T-o-m

 

For what it's worth, I have an 1886 and three 1895 Marlin's. My '86 is a fine rifle but not twice as good as an 1895.
Things I dislike about the new '86 are: the tang safety, the weight, the crescent buttplate, and most of all the rebounding hammer. The '86 does a lot more sitting in the safe than the Marlin's ever did.
For some reason the rifle I like the best is still the plane Jane ol' 1895SS that I've had since the 1980's. It just fits me well and shoots every load I ever put through it pretty good. It's the least finicky rifle I ever reloaded for (of any action).
One other thing I have to say is that when the chips are down in grizzly country I like my Marlins. They have been absolutely reliable. My '86 has had a few misfires with what looked like light primer strikes as the culprit. Not what I wanted in my hands when I'm in a bind.

 

So the Winnie is stronger in terms of how much pressure it will handle. Anyone know exactly how much stronger in PSI or CUP? Will the winnie handle the pressure that a Ruger #1 or a Siamese Mauser will? If no dtthen I'd rather have the Marlin and put all that extra cash into ammo, sights, etc than "strength" that I can't really use.

T-o-m

Here is a Paco article I found that talks about the "4 levels" of strength in leverguns. He talks about Marlin 1895 in level 3 loaded max 40kpsi and the 86 Win he puts in level 4 at 50kpsi. For what its worth, here is the article link..
http://www.leverguns.com/articles/paco/4570_leverguns.htm

 

All good replies and difficult to disagree with very much - so I'll refrain. 8)

I've never even fired an 1895 Marlin of any vintage, but I have handled one. Nifty was a good word for it at the time.

I do own an origiinal 86 Winchester circa 1887 40-82WCF and I guess I wish I could drive it to the pressure of the 1895Marlin. Paco's 50Kpsi on the '86 Win is for the "smokeless era" 86's of which mine is not. Somewhere out there it is written that the '86 Win was used to proof the 30WCF cartridge, so they took most likely a black powder era rifle, chambered it for 30wcf and proceeded to pour in the powder until the 86Win blew up. Wish I could remember where I read this. It was some kind of load, and very interesting article. Maybe it's in the Paco writings. I may have to review those, again. Anyone really know anything about this?

I do know the Marlin is way handier than my 86 and my 86 has a 20" barrel, but it's about like swinging a broom. That full octagon and full mag tube are heavy, even at 20"! I haven't had a Marlin yet that didn't swing like a fine shotgun, but then mine are all straight stocked and short barreled. The best of the best.....

Jeff
NRA Life

 

I have a Browning 1886 saddle ring carbine. Straight grip. 22 barrel. No rebounding hammer or safety. Pretty faithful to the origionals. This thing is a beast. I would not want to carry it all day. I also have a Marlin guide gun that I do hunt with and have carried all day. Much nicer then the 86, Better sight options also. It may not be as strong but I havn't approached the top loads in my Marlin so I don't think I'd ever approach the top in the 86.
Karl

 

You might also look at the new Chiappa 1886's. From the pics I've seen, they're very finely finished.

 

So the Winnie is stronger in terms of how much pressure it will handle. Anyone know exactly how much stronger in PSI or CUP? Will the winnie handle the pressure that a Ruger #1 or a Siamese Mauser will? If no dtthen I'd rather have the Marlin and put all that extra cash into ammo, sights, etc than "strength" that I can't really use.

T-o-m
I can not tell you how strong the winchester is I am sure it is not as strrong as a Ruger #1 look at most loading mannuals the #1 has its own loads. With a 45-70 GG you can make loads you will not want to shoot. :-X Don't ask me how I know. ]

 

I prefer the 1886 for personal reasons.

More caliber options without major re-engineering if you want to re-barrel (.45-70, .45-90, .33WCF, etc).

The 1895 is not the same as the original 1895 action. It's a 336 action. The 1886 is the same action as it was in 1886. (I did say these were personal reasons...)

1886 is available with a straight stock and round barrel right fron the factory.

I don't mind a little extra weight, especially when shooting the stouter loads.

Mario

 

So, setting aside the fact that the Winchester 1886 reproduction is probably made in Japan, how does the Winchester 1886 stack up against the Marlin 1895 45/70 ?

In addition to what's been said, it's almost a job for a gunsmith to disassemble/reassemble an 1886 for trigger work, smoothing the action, or just deep cleaning. After you take an '86 apart and put it back together, you'll wish you'd bought a Marlin.

 

There is a certain amount of truth in that. Marlins are easier to take apart. My grandfather (who wouldn't have a Marlin in the house) said that was because the Marlins had to be taken apart so often. I took apart his 94Win 32WSPL circa 1927, thinking I was doing the right thing with a thorough cleaning job. The screws looked pristine. I had a very difficult job getting it back together and found nothing significant in the cleaning. Dad said he didn't remember that rifle ever being apart and gramp had passed on a few years earlier so I couldn't ask him. This rifle was no safe queen. It lived on Gramp's rack in the living room, but went with him and his lunch pail when he was working on the road crew on that stretch of Rte9 through Clifton, Amherst, and Aurora in Hancock County, Maine and shot a lot of deer from 1927 to up into the early 40's, feeding the family, then as a Deer Season shooter until 1952, when he replaced it with a Remington 722 in 257Roberts, which I also have.

There are a bunch of shooter class 86's popping up, but still close to $1000 and up. Mine was less than that about 8 years ago, but like gasoline, they've gone up considerable since then. Unless I fall into another 86 for the project, I'll probably take an 1895 Marlin to work with my 40-65Imp project.

Jeff
NRA Life

 

I have both a Japanese 86 and a Marlin 95cb. Both rifles shoot the same cartridge, have barrels the same length, but have
two very distinct characters. The cb is light, easy to work on, and has the feel of a modern firearm. The 86 has a certain massivity
and weight that for me actually aides in shooting. The cresent buttplate on the 86 has not cause me any problems, in fact with its
greater weight I find it much more comfortable to shoot with stout loads than the 95cb. The 86 feels just like the old time rifles. Don't tell
me that it is too heavy. Check out the weight of the old Hawken Rifles and Kentuckys. Those were 9-11 pound rifles. I have carried
my 86 all day with no problem. Soldiers toted the old M1 Garand through all kinds of stuff and still did a good job killing the enemy.
While the 95cb is easy to dissasemble and work on, I have to say that the 86 has always functioned perfectly. The 95, not so much.
It is smooth and slick now, but that is because I worked on the action. Don't get me wrong, the 95 is a wonderful rifle, but my 86,
that is the finest rifle I have ever owned.

 

EKTucker, how heavy is that '86? I've heard before that the '86 is significantly heavier. The spec. for the '95 is 8 lb.

 

IIRC, the ELW version of the 1886 is less than 8lbs (perhaps 7.5lbs).

Mario

 

Actually 7.25Lbs.

http://www.winchesterguns.com/products/catalog/detail.asp?family=024C&mid=534053

So much for the big, bulky rifle argument...

Mario

 

Actually 7.25Lbs.

http://www.winchesterguns.com/products/catalog/detail.asp?family=024C&mid=534053

So much for the big, bulky rifle argument...

Mario

Blasphemy! ;D

 

While I love guns with levers in general, I will always choose those made in USA first. As Marlin continues to self destruct under the 3 headed dog banner (Cerberus) I may not have much else to choose from, unless Henry starts producing 45-70's..

 

mario, the Winchester you reference is a 22" barrel model with a short mag. To compare apples to apples, we need to know the weight of a like equipped '86 - full mag and 26" barrel.

 

mario, the Winchester you reference is a 22" barrel model with a short mag. To compare apples to apples, we need to know the weight of a like equipped '86 - full mag and 26" barrel.

My reading in the thread shows that the question was mainly directed at modern made 1886s (primarily the Japanese-made models) and modern made 1895s. The basic 1895 has a 22" barrel and a half mag, the Guide gun same mag and shorter barrel.

Winchester 1886 ELW- 7.25lbs

Marlin 1895- About 7lbs

Marlin 1895G-About 6.75lbs

It's an exact apples to apples comparison.

Mario

 

mario, you are correct and I stand corrected. Unfortunately, I was in Cowboy mode and was thinking about the 1895CB.

 

mario, you are correct and I stand corrected. Unfortunately, I was in Cowboy mode and was thinking about the 1895CB.

No problem.

In that case, your looking at a full 2 lb difference, or more. That's why Winchester developed the LW and ELW versions.

Mario

 

I have both a Japanese 86 and a Marlin 95cb. Both rifles shoot the same cartridge, have barrels the same length, but have
two very distinct characters. The cb is light, easy to work on, and has the feel of a modern firearm. The 86 has a certain massivity
and weight that for me actually aides in shooting. The cresent buttplate on the 86 has not cause me any problems, in fact with its
greater weight I find it much more comfortable to shoot with stout loads than the 95cb. The 86 feels just like the old time rifles. Don't tell
me that it is too heavy. Check out the weight of the old Hawken Rifles and Kentuckys. Those were 9-11 pound rifles. I have carried
my 86 all day with no problem. Soldiers toted the old M1 Garand through all kinds of stuff and still did a good job killing the enemy.
While the 95cb is easy to dissasemble and work on, I have to say that the 86 has always functioned perfectly. The 95, not so much.
It is smooth and slick now, but that is because I worked on the action. Don't get me wrong, the 95 is a wonderful rifle, but my 86,
that is the finest rifle I have ever owned.
I have to agree with you on the 86, i have both the marlin cb 26 inch barrel and a browning 1886 no tang safety or rebounding hammer. I love em both by the way. the 86 has one strong action and smooth, the cb is strong too but theirs something about the 1886, ive weighed the cowboy on a digital scale and it weighs 7.9 lbs, havent weighed the 86 but it is heavier no doubt about it but not too heavy to carry in the field. i dont have any doubts about the 1886 handeling 45-50cup although i dont go that high but it'ss handel it.Both are very fine rifles and i shoot them both equally.