I'm sure this has been beat to death but I've got to ask. Is it worth the money to go ahead and get the Winchester? If it's even really a US made Winchester? What are the real differences, quality, accuracy etc? What are y'all's thoughts?

The new 1873 Winchesters are Japanese made by Miroku, and sold via the Winchester name, which FN Herstal/Browning licenses from Olin/Winchester (the ammo company). The USRA/WRAC New Haven plant was closed in 2006. The one or two new model 1873s that I've handled were well fitted and smooth enough and felt basically like their Uberti competitors. They don't have the crappy visible safeties and rebounding hammer style that 1894s were cursed with in the 90s and 2000s at least (my 1894 soured me on USRA Winchesters and leverguns in general for many years). Prices online are usually slightly higher than comparable Uberti 1873s from the major Uberti importers, though you probably can get a nicer case finished Uberti for the price of whatever blued WRA 1873 you can find. It's likely going to be far more difficult finding a particular finish/caliber/combination in the Winchester than for a Uberti imported through Cimarron or Taylors. I suspect availability will really control your decision.

A uberti will / does make a fine rifle for the shooter over a collector.

Thanks! That was what is was looking for.

Japchester or Wopchester, take your pick.

I don't care for rebounding hammers so the Winchester is out for me.  I have an Uberti 73 and it is a fine rifle.

My brand new Winchester/Miroku 1873 doesn't have a rebounding hammer.

That's good to know.  Perhaps it's just the 92/94 guns.

Pardon my ignorance, what is a rebounding hammer?

Read about fixing them (and therefore what they are and what's wrong with them) HERE.



 

I have a friend who has for years used a Uberti 1873 in .357 for CAS. This dude takes this competition very, very seriously and he and his wife compete somewhere almost weekly. He bought a Winchester '73 a year or so ago and had it slicked up. I asked him point blank if it was any better in any way than his Uberti. His reply: "Not really.".