WB
Finally got around to testing my 1873 Winny
Saturday, May 16, 2026, 19:45

I loaded up some modern 200 gr. FN bullets by reverse engineering some Taffin light loads with Bullseye (4.5 gr.) But I forgot a rookie rule. OAL, just seated to the crimp groove and called it good. Too long, the carrier couldn’t lift, locked up on the OAL at the bottom extractor hook. You CAN unload a 1873 through the loading gate! I did, poked the round back in the tube, lifted the elevator and held the loading gate open, that coaxed out. So I loaded the 140 yr. old levergun single shot. I had not fired it but took a leap of faith, 106 yards feed sack.

That’s exactly what 106 yds. looks like behind my spectacles.

The only problem I had was my eyes. I can’t see the sights and the target too. I nicked the sack with one of three but I knew it was me. In a moment of inspiration I raised the elevator way up and shot at the ground in front of the sack, which I could see a little better. I got four on and called it good with my horrific eyesight. A period peep sight may be in my future so I can ignore the rear sight. That might work. The load was slow, 925 fps avg., so I can seat that 200 deeper and go up half a grain to hit 1000+. That’s about right, 1100 gps would be max in this old iron.

Shoot, I know better.

Finally I I moved to 25 yds., still can’t see, but it’s me not the gun. My optometrist was right, the solution he offered; optics - on EVERYTHING. But that’s not always fun.

Truly I think the 170-175 SWC is the top dawg for this old platform. It can safely push that north of 1200 fps, just like it did in 1888. But I sure had fun. Love, love the snickity-snick-ting of the toggle link 1873.

I need to research to see if this old gun was tapped for some old tang sights? Those two small plug screws? If so maybe I could find a period one.