A question for you lever action aficionados.

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SunnySlopes

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I want to add a reproduction "1873" Winchester to my modest collection of lever action rifles. Winchester, not Uberti, etc.

I want color case hardened and an octagonal barrel and my market is Gunbroker offerings.

There are some Winchesters that meet the criteria and are in 45 Colt cartridge. I own no firearms in that caliber but have the dies, primers and powder necessary to make my own ammo. Except, I have no brass. Don't know where to get brass except paying gouger's prices on GB.

On the other hand, there are some 1873 Winchesters that are CCH in 357 caliber but with a round barrel. I don't want a round barrel but am leaning toward the notion that, since I have plenty of reloading components in that caliber, maybe round isn't so bad.

What would you do? Get what you want but have to wait indefinitely to shoot it? Or "settle" and head to the range?

(However, if I were to get the 45 Colt I'd likely bite the bullet and pay five times MSRP for brass off GB.)
 
IMHO, the 1873's are too heavy in anything smaller than .38-40. So for a .357 levergun, they would not be my first, second or third choice.

Get the one you want, the brass will come. This is all temporary. Buy a box of ammo or 50rds of brass and make do until it becomes more available.

Prices fluctuate with supply and demand. "Price gouging" is a liberal invention designed to elicit an emotional response from people who know very little about basic economics. Here's 100rds for $69.

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/895284130
 
45 Colt brass hasn't been as hard as some other calibers to get recently, in my experience. I was able to acquire 500 pieces of Starline brass a few weeks ago, I think from Midway. Currently this site has Hornady brass for a decent price (for Hornady anyway, which is good brass but in my opinion overpriced in general) at $38/100, and that was just a quick Google search. You might be able to find better deals even right this minute, but if not, the brass will come around before long. 45 Colt is an excellent cartridge, easily my favorite in the handgun calibers, and in my opinion it's both more versatile than a .357 as well as slightly more historical, at least in the respect that Winchester surely would have produced rifles in that caliber had Colt allowed them to and can be made to perform more like a .44-40 if you really wanted to. If brass is the only thing keeping you on the fence, then I'd say you have very little to worry about!
 
My .45 Colt Rossi 16” is my favorite plinking and all around fun gun... it’s easy to load for and doesn’t require anything fancy to get started.

Even though the .45 Colt isn’t a cartridge that the 1873 originally came chambered in (like .44-40,.38-40,.32-20 .22 Short and .22 Long) the big old .45 Colt round just kind of feels right when fired in these slick lever guns.

Stay safe.
 
Riomouse911 said:
My .45 Colt Rossi 16” is my favorite plinking and all around fun gun... it’s easy to load for and doesn’t require anything fancy to get started.

Even though the .45 Colt isn’t a cartridge that the 1873 originally came chambered in (like .44-40,.38-40,.32-20 .22 Short and .22 Long) the big old .45 Colt round just kind of feels right when fired in these slick lever guns.

Stay safe.
Click to expand...

My thoughts exactly! It's really a shame how long it took for the 45 Colt to make its appearance in a lever action. It just feels so natural. I have no doubt that they would have sold like hotcakes back in the day, if not for the design limitations of the time and various patent issues.
 
I see 45 Colt regular enough to not be concerned about it. Between here and a couple other places I feel certain I could get some headed my way in less than a week for around 30 cents per piece. It’s far more readily available than other stuff.

And ALWAYS get what you want. Don’t fool with the nagging thought of coulda/shoulda/woulda.
 
First, the Uberti 1873 in .357 is the top choice of cowboy action shooters. Any lever action rifle in .357 is good shooter. You can load .38 Specials that have very little recoil in the rifle and the longer barrel (with no barrel/cylinder gap) will give higher velocity than a revolver with .357 Magnum ammo.

The Miroku-made 1873s are nicer out of the box than a Uberti. Not many aftermarket performance parts, though.

I decided that my “big bore” 1873 should be in .44-40, partly because I shoot black powder cartridges pretty regularly and the .44-40’s slightly bottlenecked thin walled case is much better than a .45 Colt for that purpose.

I also decided to go with the Miroku Winchester for my second ‘73. I, too, would have preferred the higher grade model but they were pretty hard to find. A local store had one of the base models with the round barrel and plain blue finish, so I picked it up.

The Miroku uses a combination lever safety/trigger return spring. The stock spring is very stiff. I ordered an aftermarket spring from Slixprings and had a local guy give the insides a little polish while he was installing it. I’m pretty pleased with the results.
 
Thanks for all the suggestions.

Based upon the consensus/advice, I decided to stick with my preference and go with the 45 Colt. As I said, I've already got the dies, powder and primers. I just needed the brass and bullets.

And I just found a supplier that (says they have) Winchester 45 Colt brass in stock. I ordered 500 for starters.

Now I just have to decide if I want a 16 inch short barreled 1873 or a more traditional longer barreled gun. It will be strictly punching paper and ringing gongs at the range.
 
16" is plenty for a 45C. Too long and you might lose velocity.

My original '73 is a 32-20 with a 30" octagon barrel and a magazine long enough for 17 rounds. Its quite long and front heavy.
 
Like the others have said ^ ^ ^
Please Please Please don't pay
gouger price for things.
It'll get back to normal soon
(already starting to) and you
won't be enabling and making
the problem worse.
 
I have a Miroku 1873 in .45 Colt, 26" octagonal barrel, color case hardened receiver, half-length magazine, pistol grip, and checkering. I love it. I've said before here, I'll say it again; I am very leery of repro toggle-link Winchesters (Uberti or Miroku) in magnum calibers. Both make great rifles; I just think if one is paying out big $$$$ I wouldn't like a rifle getting stretched by a lot of use. I've heard of one getting a cracked receiver from firing magnums. And I know they can fire 38/44 special.

But .45 Colt, while not truly authentic, is just more ..... appropriate. Get a 1873 Colt in the same caliber .... or a Remington 1875, or 1890. Then you have your rifle/pistol combo and there's a happy cowboy!!
 
Last edited:
Tommygunn said:
I have a Miroku 1873 in .45 Colt, 26" octagonal barrel.....
Click to expand...

You don't lose velocity with a 26 inch barrel? I don't shoot lead bullets. Plated or jacketed. I wonder how that would work in a 24 inch barrel?

What is your load?
 
SunnySlopes said:
You don't lose velocity with a 26 inch barrel? I don't shoot lead bullets. Plated or jacketed. I wonder how that would work in a 24 inch barrel?

What is your load?
Click to expand...

I use standard .45 Colt lead bullets. Usually cowboy loads. I don't think I'm losing any velocity, but I think 26" is probably the max one can go without losing some.
I won't use any hyped up +P loads as I understand there are no SAAMI standards for .45 Colt.

I haven't used jacketed rounds in the Miroku, but I have a Uberti 1873 saddle ring carbine in .44-40 and have shot both jacketed and lead in it with good results. I'd be o.k. with shooting jacketed in the Miroku but it's new and what with covid19 and the ammo shortage I have only been able to obtain lead .45 Colt.
 
Add my approval to the above... I love my .357 1894, but your gun ought to be the Colt... I want one in .44-40... I don’t mind reproductions if I saw one...my next purchase will be a .357 revolver though...

Good luck and post that pic so the fine gentleman above will come through on his promise too...

Greg
 
Frulk said:
If all that’s holding you up from buying the .45 Colt is the brass I’ll send you 200 brand new Starline Cases. Free...

But before I do you’ll have to post a pic of the rifle in this thread.
Click to expand...
Will do.
 
Tommygunn said:
I use standard .45 Colt lead bullets. Usually cowboy loads. I don't think I'm losing any velocity, but I think 26" is probably the max one can go without losing some.
I won't use any hyped up +P loads as I understand there are no SAAMI standards for .45 Colt.

I haven't used jacketed rounds in the Miroku, but I have a Uberti 1873 saddle ring carbine in .44-40 and have shot both jacketed and lead in it with good results. I'd be o.k. with shooting jacketed in the Miroku but it's new and what with covid19 and the ammo shortage I have only been able to obtain lead .45 Colt.
Click to expand...

How would the above fare punching paper at the range?
 
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