Put A Lever On YOUR SHOTGUN

Guns Magazine, June, 2001 by Holt Bodinson

If you enjoy lever-action shotguns, 2001 seems to be your year. First, Winchester their Model 9410 shotgun in 410 and now Tristar Sporting Arms, Ltd. is importing a stunning replica of the Winchester Model 1887 from Australia.

An original John Browning design, the Model 1887 12 and 10 ga. lever-action shotgun is one of the rarest and most unusual shotguns ever built. Total production between 1887 and 1898 was only 64,855 guns, and then an improved Model 1901 in 10 ga. only was introduced.

A lesser-known, but fascinating fact is that Winchester actually chambered the M1887 for the 70-l50 Winchester rifle cartridge based on a necked-down brass, 12 ga. shotgun shell. The load was 150 grs. of powder with a bullet of 700 and 900 grs. Three such guns are known to exist.

The "New Model" 1887 was reverse-engineered from the improved Model 1901 and is now produced by the famous ADI Limited Lithgow Facility in Austrialia, that currently produces Steyr AUG and FN small arms for Australian and other defense forces.

Lithgow's Model 1887 is a finely fitted and finished 2 3/4" 12 ga. shotgun of historic significance. It sports an improved cylinder, 22" chrome-lined barrel, and American walnut stocks, and weighs 8.75 lbs. The magazine accepts five shells, and the rolling-block action is smooth as silk.

Suggested retail price is S1,195, and considering the complexity of the action, that's a reasonable price. This traditional Model 1887 will sell well with the cowboy action shooters, and those who simply enjoy owning and shooting something a bit different and tinged with nostalgia.