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PRESS REVIEW
manufacturer to replace the standard barrel
with a high nickel steel barrel.
The 1886’s mechanical action,
supple and precise, later gave birth to a
huge commercial success, which was the
model 1892. A concentration of basic
ideas and solutions, which was to carry
the American civil gun industry into a
new dimension. The Model 1886 was a
massive weapon, weighing between 9 and
10 pounds depending on the caliber and
configuration, but very well balanced with
a fast and smooth action.
The locking system, with two
massive steel locking skids sliding through
the receiver inside the left and right
indents, enabled the model 1886 to
chamber all of the nine high performance
black powder calibers of its time as well as
the 45-70. The 1886 was chambered in
.38-70, .38-56, .45-90, .40-70, .40-60,
.40-82, .50-100, and .50-110, plus the .33
Winchester, that was the second smokeless
powder cartridge after the .45-70.
During its long life, the Model
1886 was offered byWinchester in the full
magazine version (5 shots), half magazine
(3 shots), octagonal barrel, round barrel,
long-barreled rifle, short-barreled carbine
and other custom versions. It remained
in production for over 50 years until
1935, with variations of the action lasting
beyond that.
The r i s ing product ion costs ,
economic crisis and consequent need to
reduce the range of models, along with new
hunting trends in North America (bolt-
action weapons, telescopes and magnum
calibers), suggested toWinchester a further
generational development. The “evolution
of the species” was continued with the
model 1871, which was released in 1936,
just one year after the decommissioning
of 1886. In fact, the new model 1871
represented a further development of the
1886, not just businesswise but, with
technical advances as well.
In 1986 , i n c e l eb r a t i on o f
the Centennial of the Model 1886,
Browning Firearms Corporation,now
owning the Winchester brand - decided
to remanufacture a limited edition of these
two models entrusting their production to
the Japanese subsidiary Miroku.
These 100 year anniversary models
were produced in different editions and,
currently, production has been resumed in
the U.S. with two models, the Extra Light
and High Grade and only available in the
U.S. A few firearm manufacturers, mainly
Italian, given the significant amount of
requests from North American hunters,
have recently decided to embark in the
manufacturing of replicas of the Model
1886. These products have immediately
won the favor of the general public in the
U.S., mainly for their excellent mechanical
design and the quality of materials.
The reason why many American
hunters and hunting guides require an
1886 in. 45-70 is that there are many
cartridges of this caliber on the market
today that are capable to overcome the
biggest and most dangerous prey, but it
takes a very strong and reliable firearm
in order to manage the power and high
pressures generated by these cartridges. The
action of the 1886 is the ultimate choice.
Chiappa Firearms has accepted
this challenge creating three basic models
of the1886: The 1886 Carbine with a
22” round barrel, an 1886 Rifle with a
26”octagonal barrel, and a 18.5” barreled
Trapper model, all available in .45 – 70.
In addition to the “Traditional” styled
models, Chiappa has developed a modern
version of this classic known as the “1886
Kodiak” which features a 18.5” semi-
octagonal barrel in caliber .45-70 (U.S.
Only) and available in Italy exclusively
with a 22” barrel. As can be gathered
from this range of 1886 models produced
by Chiappa Firearms, the manufacturer
based in Azzano Mella wanted to extend
s igni f icant ly the “Concept 1886”,
creating historic replicas of the original
(though made with modern materials
and construction techniques), at the same
time models suited for specific needs and
hunting environments.
Actually the 1886 Kodiak model
used during my test for beat hunting wild
boar, was designed by Chiappa Firearms
specifically for use under the possibly
most adverse weather, temperature and
environmental conditions, as required by
the North Americanmarket, in particularly
that of Canada, Alaska and the Arctic