Winchester 1886 Lever Actions Rifle Instructions Manual

							As is true with  other firearms,  when the safety  mech- 
anisms  on this  rifle  are engaged,  they are designed  to 
prevent accidental  discharge. However, 
these mecha- 
nisms  may not necessarily  prevent the accidental  dis- 
charge 
of this  firearm as a result  of jarring or  abuse 
such 
as occurs  when a  firearm is dropped. 
ALWAYS  ASSUME  THAT  YOUR  GUN  CAN 
BE  FIRED  AT  ANY  TIME,  EVEN  WITH  ALL 
SAFETY  MECHANISMS  ENGAGED. 
WHENEVER  YOU  ARE  NOT  ACTUALLY 
FIRING  YOUR  RIFLE  ALWAYS  BE  CERTAIN  THAT  YOUR  RIFLE  IS  POINTED  IN  A  SAFE 
DIRECTION. 
Continually  be aware  of the  position  of the  safety 
(manual  hammer  stop) on your  rifle.  Check  it both 
manually  and visually  to avoid 
any chance  of acci- 
dental  discharge.  Always keep the safety  in the  “on” 
position  unless you are actually  firing the rifle.  It is a 
good  idea to keep  the action open (with the  finger 
lever  down)  at all  times  other  than when  you are in 
the  field  and shooting  is imminent. 
ED THAT THE ACTION  BE KEPT  OPEN AT 
ALL  TIMES  WHEN  YOUR  RIFLE 
IS LAYING 
ING  RANGE 
OR OTHER  FACILITY. 
ALWAYS  KEEP THE  MUZZLE OF YOUR 
RIFLE  POINTED  IN 
A SAFE DIRECTION. 
FAILURE TO  FOLLOW  THE  ABOVE 
INSTRUCTIONS  COULD RESULT  IN INJURY 
OR DEATH TO  YOURSELF OR OTHERS. 
IMPORTANT: 
IT 
IS ALWAYS RECOMMEND- 
ON ANY  BENCH OR TABLE  AT A SHOOT-  
						

							Your Model 1886 comes  fully assembled  in the  box. 
No assembly  is required. No disassembly  is required 
for normal maintenance. 
If your  Model 1886 requires  disassembly for  any rea- 
son (such  as requiring  extra cleaning  after being 
dropped  in water)  it should be performed  by one 
of 
the U.S. Repeating Arms Authorized Repair  Centers 
(ARC
S).  See“Service or Repair”  later in this  manual 
for details  on how  to obtain  service  for your 
Winchester  rifle. 
ALWAYS KEEP  THE MUZZLE  POINTED IN A 
SAFE  DIRECTION. 
Prior to using  live ammunition,  it is essential  that you 
familiarize  yourself thoroughly  with these operating 
instructions.  Get accustomed  to the  feel  of your  new 
gun. 
• Know  the forces  required  to operate  the action 
• Know  what forces  are required  to pull  the trigger 
• ABOVE ALL,  KNOW HOW  TO  PLACE  THE 
HAMMER  INTO  THE  REBOUND  POSITION 
AND  THE  SAFETY  (MANUAL  HAMMER 
STOP)  INTO  THE  “ON”  POSITION. 
Throughout this  manual the “action”  refers to the 
mechanism  of a firearm which  loads 
and secures  the 
cartridge  in the chamber. 
If the action  resists closing, 
do  not  force it.  Small pieces 
of grit or  other obstruc- 
tions can  make it difficult  to close  the action.  Make 
sure all  surfaces  are clean  if any unusual resistance  is  
						

							felt.  However, remember that this is a finely  fitted 
action  purposely made  with tight  tolerances.  This 
assures  your gun of good  part
-to-part fit  for many 
years  to come  and is the  sign  of a finely crafted 
firearm. 
USE THE  CORRECT  AMMUNITION  AS 
INDICATED  BY  THE INSCRIPTION ON  THE 
BARREL.  AS EXPLAINED  PREVIOUSLY, 
BEFORE  LOADING  YOUR RIFLE MAKE 
SURE  ALL GREASE AND  OIL HAS  BEEN 
REMOVED  FROM THE  BARREL AND 
CHAMBER,  AND THERE  ARE NO 
OBSTRUCTIONS  IN THE  BARREL  OR 
ACTION  AREAS. 
LOADING  THE CHAMBER - 
The chamber  may be loaded two ways.  Before 
attempting  any loading procedure: 
MAKE SURE THE BARREL IS POINTED  IN 
TY  (MANUAL  HAMMER STOP) 
IS IN THE 
“ON”  (SAFE)  POSITION AND THE HAMMER 
IS IN THE  REBOUND  POSITION. 
• Load  the chamber  by placing  a cartridge directly 
into  the chamber through  the opened action.  This is 
for single  shot loading 
only with  the magazine empty. 
to do  this, open  the action  by operating  the finger 
lever fully  down and forward. Insert  a round into the 
chamber  then close  the action. 
•  Load  the chamber  by transferring  a cartridge  that 
was  previously loaded  into the magazine  to the cham
- 
ber by operating  the finger lever. To cycle  the lever, 
A SAFE  DIRECTION  AND THAT THE SAFE-  
						

							pull it downward  and fully forward  with the fingers  of 
your  hand  inserted  in the  finger  loop (see Figure 
10). 
Then  return  it upward  to its  original  position  (see 
Figure 
11). Keep  you fingers clear of the trigger  at all 
times  when  working  the lever. 
IN EITHER CASE,  ALWAYS FIRST PLACE 
THE  SAFETY  (MANUAL  HAMMER STOP) IN 
THE 
ON POSITION,  AND THEN  PLACE 
THE HAMMER  INTO THE REBOUND, 
POSITION UPON CLOSING THE  ACTION.  
						

							LOADING THE MAGAZINE — 
The magazine is loaded  through  the port  on the  right 
side 
of the  receiver. 
1. With  the action  closed and the safety  (manual 
hammer stop)  in the  “on” position  and the hammer 
in  the  rebound  position,  press the spring  cover inward 
with  the tip 
of the first  cartridge  until all but  the rim 
has  entered  the loading  port (See  Figure 
12A & B). 
2. Then, insert the next  cartridge  in the  same 
manner,  pushing the preceding  cartridge into the 
magazine. 
3. Repeat  this procedure  with each  cartridge, but 
push 
the last  cartridge past  the end  of the  spring  
						

							cover, allowing  the cover  to snap  closed (see 
Figure 
13). Do not  exceed  the recommended  capacity 
of  the  magazine. 
BEFORE LOADING,  ALWAYS MAKE 
SURE  TO ALWAYS PLACE  THE SAFETY 
(MANUAL  HAMMER STOP) IN THE 
ON 
POSITION, AND  THE  HAMMER IN THE 
REBOUND POSITION. 
CAUTION: ALWAYS MAKE  SURE THE CAR
- 
TRIDGES ARE OF THE PROPER  CALIBER 
FOR  YOUR  RIFLE. CHECK  THE  AMMUNI
- 
TION DESIGNATION  ON THE  BARREL. 
FAILURE  TO FOLLOW  THIS INSTRUCTION 
CAN  RESULT  IN SEVERE  DAMAGE  TO 
YOUR  GUN AND  POSSIBLE  SERIOUS 
INJURY  TO YOURSELF 
OR OTHERS. 
Fully  unloading  your rifle when storing  your rifle or  in 
other  appropriate situations 
is essential  to safe  gun 
handling. 
BEFORE  UNLOADING, CHECK TO  ASSURE 
THAT  THE MANUAL  HAMMER STOP 
IS IN 
THE 
ON POSITION  (SAFE) BY PULLING  
						

							IT FULLY TO THE  REAR  UNTIL  THE “S” 
JUST FORWARD  OF THE  SAFETY IS 
VISIBLE.  KEEP YOUR FINGER  AWAY 
FROM  THE  TRIGGER WHEN CYCLING 
THE  ACTION. 
IMPORTANT: 
1. WITH  THE GUN  POINTED  IN A SAFE 
DIRECTION AND  YOUR FINGER  OFF THE 
TRIGGER, SWING THE FINGER LEVER 
DOWNWARD  FULLY.  THIS WILL EXTRACT 
ANY  CARTRIDGE  FROM  THE CHAMBER 
AND  EJECT IT. 
Capture  (or pick  up) the cartridge  and return  the fin- 
ger lever fully upward. 
2. Proceed  to operate  the finger lever  in the  same 
manner  transferring  all the  remaining  cartridges from 
the  magazine 
to the chamber  and then  eject  them 
out. It  is possible,  with practice, 
to carefully  work the 
lever  and capture  the loaded  ejected  cartridges  with 
your  other  hand. 
THROUGHOUT  THE UNLOADING 
PROCESS  MAKE SURE THAT THE SAFETY 
(MANUAL  HAMMER STOP) STAYS  IN THE 
“ON”  POSITION  (WITH THE 
“S” SHOWING) 
AND  THAT  YOU KEEP  YOUR FINGER 
AWAY  FROM  THE  TRIGGER AT ALL TIMES. 
When  cartridges  no longer  eject when  you cycle  the 
action,  further assure that no cartridges  remain by 
opening  the action  and visually  checking  the cham
- 
ber and  feed/magazine  mechanism to be sure no car- 
tridges  remain. 
IMPORTANT: ALWAYS  VISUALLY  NOTE, 
BY  LOOKING  THROUGH THE TOP 
OF THE 
OPEN RECEIVER,  THAT THE MAGAZINE 
CARTRIDGE BASE.  FOLLOWER 
IS SHOWING-AND  NOT A  
						

							ALWAYS DOUBLE CHECK THAT  NO CAR- 
TRIDGES  REMAIN. 
After the last live  round is moved  out of the  magazine 
and  ejected,  immediately  lower  the hammer  to the 
rebound  position as explained  previously. 
IMPORTANT:  WHEN  YOU  ARE  PREPARING 
TO  SHOOT,  IT  IS  ALWAYS  ESSENTIAL 
THAT  YOU  BE  TOTALLY  SURE  OF  YOUR 
TARGET.  ALWAYS  BE  AWARE  OF  ALL 
OBJECTS  BEHIND  YOUR  TARGET.  KNOW 
THE  EXACT  LOCATION  OF  PERSONS  WITH  YOU  AND  ANY  OTHERS  IN  YOUR  VICINITY. 
FULLY. 
With  a loaded cartridge  in the chamber, THE 
SAFETY  (MANUAL  HAMMER  STOP)  IN  THE  “ON”  POSITION,  THE  HAMMER  IN  THE 
REBOUND  POSITION  AND  YOUR  FINGER  OFF  THE  TRIGGER:  PICK  YOUR  TARGET  WISELY  AND  CARE
- 
1. Firmly  position  your thumb on the hammer  and 
draw  the hammer  back to the  full
-cock  position  (see 
Figure 
14).  
						

							2. Place the safety in the “off’ position  by pushing  it 
fully forward,  covering the 
“S”. 
CAUTION:  YOUR RIFLE  IS NOW  READY  TO 
FIRE.  REMEMBER,  THE  RECOIL FROM A 
LARGE  CALIBER  CENTERFIRE  RIFLE WILL 
BE  SOMEWHAT  HEAVY, 
SO FIRMLY 
SHOULDER  YOUR GUN, TAKE  AIM, AND 
— 
WHEN ON  TARGET — SQUEEZE  THE 
TRIGGER. 
3. Firmly  shoulder  your gun, take aim and when on 
target  squeeze  the trigger  smoothly, without  jerking. 
After  firing,  let the  trigger  return to the  fully forward 
position. 
TO CONTINUE  THE LOADING  PROCESS AND CHAM- 
BER ANOTHER  ROUND FOR THE  NEXT  SHOT: 
1. Swing the finger lever fully  down extracting and 
ejecting  the fired  cartridge  case from  the chamber. 
2. Close  the action by returning  the finger lever 
upward.  The closing  of the  action  will transfer a new 
cartridge  from the magazine  to the  chamber,  leaving 
the  hammer  in a cocked  “ready  to fire” position.  Start 
again  at step 
#3 above or go immediately  to step #6 
below. 
3. WHEN  THROUGH  FIRING ALWAYS 
IMMEDIATELY PLACE  THE SAFETY  (MAN
- 
UAL HAMMER  STOP) IN THE “ON POSI- 
TION  AND THE HAMMER  IN THE REBOUND 
POSITION. 
4. To later  fire additional  cartridges from  the maga- 
zine -with  an empty casing  still in the  chamber — 
simply work  the finger lever downward fully  ejecting 
the  empty  cartridge  and then  return  the lever 
to the 
original  upward position.  Repeat the firing sequence 
again.  
						

							5. WHEN FIRING  IS COMPLETED OR WHEN 
SHOOTING  IS NO  LONGER  IMMINENT, 
IMMEDIATELY  RETURN  THE SAFETY 
(MANUAL  HAMMER STOP) TO THE  “ON” 
POSITION AND  RETURN  THE HAMMER  TO 
THE  REBOUND  POSITION. 
IMPORTANT:  UNDER NO CIRCUM
- 
STANCES  SHOULD YOU MOVE  ON OR 
CONTINUE  TO HUNT  WITH  YOUR HAMMER 
OR SAFETY  IN THE FIRE  POSITION. 
6. At this point  you will  need  to either  refill the mag- 
azine  with loaded  cartridges  (if shooting  is going  to 
continue),  or fully  unload  your  rifle  (if shooting  is 
completed).  Either way place  the safety  in the  “on 
safe”  position and  the hammer  in the  rebound  posi
- 
tion. 
IMPORTANT:  ALWAYS KEEP  YOUR MODEL 
1886 SHOULDERED  WHEN EJECTING AN 
EMPTY  CARTRIDGE CASE. 
Ejection  is up  and 
slightly  to the  right. 
If you  eject a  cartridge with  the 
rifle  lowered  and the action  directly  in front  of your 
face,  it is possible  that the ejected cartridge  could 
strike  the shooter in the  face. Caution  should be 
taken 
by the shooter and  bystanders behind the 
shooter.  When an empty cartridge  is correctly ejected 
it  will  fall to the  ground  in an area behind  and to the 
right  of the  shooter.