Taylor 1866 Review: Better than the Winchester?
Story by: Jackson Landers
The original Model 1866 lever action was the very first rifle ever to bear the Winchester name, so it holds a special place in American history and mythology. We’ve seen reproductions in countless films and TV shows and it is only natural for many hobbyists and collectors to want to get their hands on one.
The problem is that originals are scarce and so valuable (sometimes more than $10,000) that few people dare to actually shoot them. Even if you do find one, good luck finding an affordable supply of the obsolete .44 rimfire cartridges for which all-original 1866s were chambered.
However, the Wild West aficionado still has another place to turn that’s easier on the wallet: the reproduction market. Taylor & Company makes a modern version of the 1866 that will scratch the itch that many people to have to shoot one.
Taylor’s 1866 isn’t exactly the same as the original, by design. They offer the rifle chambered for pistol cartridges that hadn’t even been invented when the original was being produced. Cartridges like .38 Special, .45 LC, even .32 H&R magnum and others are available. Personally, I would prefer any of these over the original chambering.
The .44 Henry cartridge’s ballistic performance is comparable to a .45 ACP round when fired from a handgun, so it really isn’t effective passed 100 yards, which is poor for a rifle.
Except for the cartridge, Taylor stays true to the original as they faithfully reproduce the 1866 with some of the design flaws of the original, such as a hammer that blocks the rear sight when positioned forward. And the receiver appears to be made of the same (or a very similar) yellow bronze that earned the gun the nickname, ‘Yellow Boy.’
Oddly enough, the most important comparison to Taylor’s 1866 is not necessarily the Winchester original (of which is it a rather good, accurate, and functional imitation). Several other companies are also reproducing this rifle whose patents have long since expired.
Uberti makes and sells an 1866 with a similar array of chambering. At a very similar price they offer a higher grade of walnut.
Cimarron sells 1866 models that run slightly more expensive than either those of Uberti or Taylor. They offer a variety of barrel lengths that include a 16-inch ‘Trapper’ variety, which I’m not sure was ever actually produced for the 1866 by Winchester. Not that it matters much, since these aren’t intended as museum pieces.
Now here’s the kicker: All of these reproductions with three different brands stamped on them (and there are others on the market as well) are all actually made by Uberti according to various agreements with importers for different levels of fit and finish. The metallurgy and mechanics are all identical, having come out of the same factory.
Taylor’s 1866 is nice, but if you like Cimarron’s short barrels or Uberti’s nicer walnut then get one of those instead. The differences are all cosmetic.
MSRP for a Taylor 1866 is around $1000, but can be found for $866. However, if you’re just interested in one for a wall mount they usually cost around $150 or so.
The problem is that originals are scarce and so valuable (sometimes more than $10,000) that few people dare to actually shoot them. Even if you do find one, good luck finding an affordable supply of the obsolete .44 rimfire cartridges for which all-original 1866s were chambered.
However, the Wild West aficionado still has another place to turn that’s easier on the wallet: the reproduction market. Taylor & Company makes a modern version of the 1866 that will scratch the itch that many people to have to shoot one.
Taylor’s 1866 isn’t exactly the same as the original, by design. They offer the rifle chambered for pistol cartridges that hadn’t even been invented when the original was being produced. Cartridges like .38 Special, .45 LC, even .32 H&R magnum and others are available. Personally, I would prefer any of these over the original chambering.
The .44 Henry cartridge’s ballistic performance is comparable to a .45 ACP round when fired from a handgun, so it really isn’t effective passed 100 yards, which is poor for a rifle.
Except for the cartridge, Taylor stays true to the original as they faithfully reproduce the 1866 with some of the design flaws of the original, such as a hammer that blocks the rear sight when positioned forward. And the receiver appears to be made of the same (or a very similar) yellow bronze that earned the gun the nickname, ‘Yellow Boy.’
Oddly enough, the most important comparison to Taylor’s 1866 is not necessarily the Winchester original (of which is it a rather good, accurate, and functional imitation). Several other companies are also reproducing this rifle whose patents have long since expired.
Uberti makes and sells an 1866 with a similar array of chambering. At a very similar price they offer a higher grade of walnut.
Cimarron sells 1866 models that run slightly more expensive than either those of Uberti or Taylor. They offer a variety of barrel lengths that include a 16-inch ‘Trapper’ variety, which I’m not sure was ever actually produced for the 1866 by Winchester. Not that it matters much, since these aren’t intended as museum pieces.
Now here’s the kicker: All of these reproductions with three different brands stamped on them (and there are others on the market as well) are all actually made by Uberti according to various agreements with importers for different levels of fit and finish. The metallurgy and mechanics are all identical, having come out of the same factory.
Taylor’s 1866 is nice, but if you like Cimarron’s short barrels or Uberti’s nicer walnut then get one of those instead. The differences are all cosmetic.
MSRP for a Taylor 1866 is around $1000, but can be found for $866. However, if you’re just interested in one for a wall mount they usually cost around $150 or so.
Tags:
Rifle, Winchester
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