Hunt with a 92 trapper TD (Mikuro)??

[Swede71]

Hi all,
Im new here, first post, and thanks for a good and very interesting forum

I have fallen in love with this beautiful Winchester 1892 Trapper (Mikuro) in 44. Mag. 16"
http://www.winchesterguns.com/products/ ... mid=534167

I know its not a real Winchester, but I have the opportunity to buy one NIB, it is so special and quality plus finish is top league.
But I would like to use it for bush hunting wild boar and deer, max. 50 yards, and not only shooting on the range, look beautiful in the gun cabinet ect.

Here where I come from in the northern part of Europe, its not normal to hunt with a levergun, and certainly not a 16 inch rifel.
So my main question to you dear forum, you would go hunting with this rifle, or should I maybe go for a Marlin in larger caliber and longer barrel??

Thank you and take care out there
JkMa

[Pete44ru]

Welcome !

FWIW, I've been hunting with Trapper-type, 16" bbl'd rifles for the past 10 years - a Winchester Model 94 in .30-30, and two Model 92's ( a .38/.357 & a .45 Colt) - so the only reason no to do so would be if you hunting/shooting involves long distances, as many larger farm fields offer.

All of mine are equipped with receiver peep sights - one Model 92 needed to be D/T'd for it's peep sight, the other Model 92 has a bolt peep I installed, utilizing a Skinner LoPro. ( http://www.skinnersights.com )

IMHO, the fit/finish on Miroku's are second to none.

.

[pwl44m]

Welcome to the Forum, pull up a stump and sit a spell. Ur going to fit right in with that 92. Do U have other Guns or is that Your start ?
Perry

[Old Savage]

It will certainly work of what you want and if you want to use it for that go ahead - is it supposed to be a gun or a savings account?

[Malamute]

Sounds like a fine hunting gun, so long as ranges aren't too far, like over 150 meters or so. It will be a great carrying gun, very short and handy. I agree also about just plain enjoying looking at them, the Miroku guns are like functional artwork.

[Mescalero]

Where in Europe?

[Swede71]

Welcome !

FWIW, I've been hunting with Trapper-type, 16" bbl'd rifles for the past 10 years - a Winchester Model 94 in .30-30, and two Model 92's ( a .38/.357 & a .45 Colt) - so the only reason no to do so would be if you hunting/shooting involves long distances, as many larger farm fields offer.

All of mine are equipped with receiver peep sights - one Model 92 needed to be D/T'd for it's peep sight, the other Model 92 has a bolt peep I installed, utilizing a Skinner LoPro. ( http://www.skinnersights.com )

IMHO, the fit/finish on Miroku's are second to none.

.

Thanks for your reply Pete, it looks like I have come a step further with my dreams about this 1892
and it is also my plan to mount peep sight, and skinnersights could be my solution too.

What do you think of good ammo for hunting?, I dont load myself, maybe in the future, but not at the moment. So I was thinking of using the 44 Mag 225 gr FTX® LEVERevolution®, or should I choose a warmer load??
Thanks again and take care
Best regards

[Griff]

and Welcome to the Forum from Texas!

Sure, why not? Unless there are legal issues, I see no reason not to.

[Swede71]

Welcome to the Forum, pull up a stump and sit a spell. Ur going to fit right in with that 92. Do U have other Guns or is that Your start ?
Perry

Hi Perry, and thanks
This will be my first rifle for a long time, I normally go hunting with shotguns.
I have two Remingtons, a 870 magnum, a 1100 auto and a Geb. Merkel side by side mod. 47E from 1974.
I was very close to buying a 1895 Marlin GG in 450 Marlin. But somehow I dont know whether it is a good choice from the lack of factory ammo, and the price of 450 Marlin ammo.
Best regards

[Swede71]

and Welcome to the Forum from Texas!

Sure, why not? Unless there are legal issues, I see no reason not to.

Thank you Griff
Nop, no legal issues at all.
Only odd looks from the other hunters who use bolt action rifles in 30-06 here in my hunting area
Best regards JkMa

[Swede71]

It will certainly work of what you want and if you want to use it for that go ahead - is it supposed to be a gun or a savings account?

Hi OS,
First and foremost, it supposed to be a gun, but I will take good care of it, so who knows
Best regards

[Swede71]

Where in Europe?

I plan to hunt in Poland, Germany, perhaps Hungary.

[jd45]

Welcome to the forum, JkMa. If I were you, I'd snap that Miroku up in a heartbeat! This offering has two aspects I'd like to have, namely a pistol-grip stock, (it's very rare on '92s) AND it's a take-down model. BTW, the Mirokus are EXCELLENT quality. I used to have a Browning B-92 in .44, which I had trimmed to trapper length.....good for 125yds if I did my part. You won't be sorry if you get this rifle. Plenty of power, too, with the .44MAG cartridge. Good luck, jd45

[Nath]

Hi, yep I can get funny looks but it does seem to be getting better!

I would not hesitate with my 357 even!

N.

[Tycer]

Perfect gun for what you desire. Enjoy!

[MrMurphy]

Most Eurohunting is from stands from all i've seen, and the 16" barrel does give up a bit of velocity compared to a 20", but in a .44 Magnum, realistically with irons it's maybe a 125m rifle, 150m topped out. I had a 1977 1894 Marlin in .44 Magnum and aside from one coyote, never got much with it due to lack of time and game, but from field shooting positions 100-125m was easy enough with XS sights on it (or any similar aperature). 4 inches less sight radius will affect that a bit, but in typical European heavy forests.....not by much.

If the forests you're hunting in are anything like the ones i sneaked and peeked through in Bavaria with an M-4, the short barrel will be handy.

I used 240 grain JSPs myself.

[North Country Gal]

I have a Skinner barrel mount peep on my newly acquired Winchester 92 with 20" octagonal barrel and it works great. I use it without the aperture and go ghost ring and it does a fine job. Oh, yes, the Miroku guns are finished to perfection. Love this gun, though, okay, I could do without the rebounding hammer and tang safety.

[Swede71]

Welcome to the forum, JkMa. If I were you, I'd snap that Miroku up in a heartbeat! This offering has two aspects I'd like to have, namely a pistol-grip stock, (it's very rare on '92s) AND it's a take-down model. BTW, the Mirokus are EXCELLENT quality. I used to have a Browning B-92 in .44, which I had trimmed to trapper length.....good for 125yds if I did my part. You won't be sorry if you get this rifle. Plenty of power, too, with the .44MAG cartridge. Good luck, jd45

Thanks jd45,
Im really looking forward to get my hands on that 92 now, and I just applied for a my gun-license today
After reading all your answers I have no doubt about hunting with this rifle anymore.
Best regards JkMa

[Swede71]

I have a Skinner barrel mount peep on my newly acquired Winchester 92 with 20" octagonal barrel and it works great. I use it without the aperture and go ghost ring and it does a fine job. Oh, yes, the Miroku guns are finished to perfection. Love this gun, though, okay, I could do without the rebounding hammer and tang safety.

I really like the pic. of your 20" Winchester with the Skinner peep, it's definitely something I should investigate further, because I want to hunt with iron sight on my 92.
Thank you for sharing your photo

[gak]

Another +1 go for it and enjoy the heck out of! I've had .44 Mag 92s for years - great cartridge/rifle combo. Just know your limitations. I agree with the 125/150 comments. Why .44 over the .30-30? - round count (non hunting)/self defense, and IMO, less sturm und drang as a daily brush popper. (Between the two, for "serious" deer past the above ranges, it's the .30-30. The .44's pushing a lot of air--in effect--much past 150) Though recoil charts show the .44 heavier by a pound or so, in real "field" experience I feel I can shoot the .44 "all day long" by comparison--though I still probably wouldn't want to with either!. (.30-30 especially "oomphy" and flamey out of the 16" trapper barrel). That said, if yours has the sharper "rifle" (vs more gently curved carbine or flat shotgun) butt, you might look into a butt cuff/pad. Armpit/shoulder placement especially crucial with those "antique" type butts with stout loads.

[gamekeeper]

Welcome to the fire jkMa and North Country Girl....

[jd45]

Since you're giving up 4" of sight radius right off the bat, (that's an American slang baseball expression, BTW), as opposed to a regular carbine-length barrel, (20"), on that trapper, I think you'd gain it back by going to a Williams Fool-Proof receiver sight mounted at the rear. The increased accuracy would pay off, especially if you have a longer shot to take, (within the reasonable limits of your rifle, of course). Just my 2 cents, jd45
P.S>...In fact I think you might gain around an 8" increase in sight radius....best of both worlds, IMO.

[Swede71]

Since you're giving up 4" of sight radius right off the bat, (that's an American slang baseball expression, BTW), as opposed to a regular carbine-length barrel, (20"), on that trapper, I think you'd gain it back by going to a Williams Fool-Proof receiver sight mounted at the rear. The increased accuracy would pay off, especially if you have a longer shot to take, (within the reasonable limits of your rifle, of course). Just my 2 cents, jd45
P.S>...In fact I think you might gain around an 8" increase in sight radius....best of both worlds, IMO.

Hi jd45
Your opinion about Williams rear sight makes sense, but they require some work from a gunsmith before they can be installed dont they?
From what I could read about the 92 model, most receiver mounted sights can not be mounted without some drilling and more??

[Swede71]

Welcome to the fire jkMa and North Country Girl....

Thank you game keeper

[Grizz]

That receiver might already be drilled and tapped on the right hand side for a side mount sight.

As far as hunting, my son and I made tons of venison with a Marlin 44 mag. A longer barrel but not a great deal of difference on the business end. We used plain factory 240gr jfp loads and never lost an animal. Great for head shots out to your comfortable range and heart / lung shots as far as you can connect reliably. Often held on the hair over the spine to get into the boiler room as we say around here.

Do you know what the twist rate is? This will determine the heaviest load / longest bullet that the gun can stabilize. You do not need high speed bullets for deer, hogs, whatever. Every game animal on the planet has been killed with 44 mag from hand guns. I think of my carbines as extended range hand guns anyway and don't get surprised by trajectory issues.

It may take a while to get used to a round going a thousand feet per second slower than what you are used to. About one or two shots and you will be all tuned up.

Wait, scratch that. You said you hunt with shotguns. You're there already.

Regards,
Grizz

[jd45]

JkMa, you're right about the need for drilling & tapping to mount the receiver sight, unless it was already done before it left the factory, which I doubt. Do you know of a reputable gunsmith in your area who you can trust to do the work, if need be? I think it'll pay off handsomely for ya.
P.S.....it may require a different height front sight. The gunsmith will know. jd45