So I was disassembling my new Win/Miroku '66...

[OD#3]

I've been doing some filming this evening, adding to the tens of hours (perhaps 100) of video not yet edited into something interesting for Youtube.  Incidentally, for anyone subscribed to my channel there, sorry it has been so long since I uploaded anything.  Soon...I promise!

Anyway, I've a weakness for Miroku leverguns, and I finally succumbed to my curiosity about their 1866 versions.  I fault the Miroku '66 owners who've been stingy with information for that, and I hope to save fellow Cascity members the $1,070 it took me to satisfy that curiosity.  I WILL have a video about this soon, but I just couldn't wait to give my initial impressions here.

So I took delivery of one of these short rifles today in .44-40.  Yes, .44-40.  Evidently  Winchester has no intention to make these in .45 Colt anytime soon, so I'm gonna have to start reloading for another caliber.  Good thing I didn't sell my PRS Big Lube Mav Dutchman mold or my dies when I traded off my Uberti '66 in .44-40 that eventually made its way to Cholla Hill Tirador.  BTY, how's it going, man?  You still have that '66?

First, I filmed a "rest of the story" about my re-soldering the gusset onto my Uberti '66's loading ladle (the one that had failed in my "gunsmithing fail" video). And in the process, I sliced my thumb open on one of the sideplates (this never happens when you're just tinkering, only when you're filming).  After I quit bleeding on everything and slapped some band-aids on, I intended to make a quick "first impressions" video about the Miroku '66.  But I couldn't resist cracking it open and seeing what was inside, and I thought some of you might find this information interesting.  I certainly have found NOTHING online about the innards of a Miroku '66 except that they copied Uberti's "improved" loading ladle by using the flimsy bent tab instead of a soldered rib.

One would have expected Miroku to use as many components from their 1873 rifles as possible in their 1866 version.  And I suppose that barrels, screws, bolts and some other small parts may very well be identical to their 1873 counterparts on the Miroku line.  However, I was very much suprised by how much Miroku's '66 rifle differs from their '73 model in areas one wouldn't expect.  

So here's my written review:

Fit and finish were very nice externally--about on par with Uberti's imported by Cimmaron, except that the wood, being an oil finish instead of a polyurethane finish was more appealing to me.  The action was smoother than an out-of-the-box Uberti, but not as smooth as my Miroku '73 had been out-of-the-box.  Sideplate removal was a P.I.T.A.  Neither side would budge, even when I inserted the sideplate retention screw backwards on the right sideplate and pulled with all my might.  I actually had to stop and consult the manual eventually, which proved futile, as the manual has NO instruction for disassembly.  Ultimately, pounding on the bottom of one sideplate with a plastic hammer, as if I was removing a dovetailed 1860 sideplate coaxed it off.  I don't know exactly what that says about build quality other than that tolerances are tight?  

I removed the toggles and was immediately struck by how little they resemble Miroku '73 toggles.  In fact, they look identical to original Winchester toggles (no gaps between the two pieces).  This was very encouraging.  Furthermore, the toggles were a true lapped-in fit to the bolt and receiver, as evidenced by their very tight fit in their respective mortices and the high polish and absence of any blueing on each end of the toggles.  I have no idea why Miroku changed their toggle design for the 1866 version, but it is a welcome change, indeed.  

Miroku has endeavored to simplify the screw situation by making the lever screw, sideplate retention screw, and hammer screw completely identical.  This makes good sense from an engineering standpoint, but it is unauthentic.  And, since most screws are unique to each part on Uberti replicas, I wasn't being too careful initally about remembering which screw went where, until I noticed that many of the screws appeared to be identical.  So I doubt each screw will be where it was originally installed whenever I reassemble this rifle.  

The funky multiple-piece safety firing pin extension first utilized on Miroku '73 rifles is also present on the '66 rifle.  I replaced my F.P.E on my '73 with one from Pioneer Gun works, and I'd planned to do the same with this rifle.  However, for reasons unknown, Miroku has re-designed their firing pin extensions.  Previously, on their '73 rifles, they utilized the abbreviated key that Uberti had also switched to as a firing pin extension retention.  Oddly, Miroku has now adopted a pinned retention for their '66, exactly like the way Uberti USED to retain their firing pin extensions, which sometimes resulted in broken retention pins.  So, no Pioneer Gun works replacement extensions unless/until they make a special run for the Miroku '66's.  YOU CAN IGNORE THIS ENTIRE PARAGRAPH; I WAS MIS-REMEMBERING WHAT THE F.P.E. LOOKED LIKE ON MY MIROKU '73; IT WAS HRA IN THEIR 1850 HENRY REPLICA THAT COPIED UBERTI'S CURRENT F.P.E. RETENTION METHOD.  THE MIROKU '66 F.P.E. IS IDENTICAL TO THEIR '73 F.P.E.

On Miroku '73's they add an extra stud and screw on the top rear of the receiver to communicate with the safety nub on their funky firing pin extension.  I was curious about their '66's, because I could see no such screw on the top of the receivers of factory photos I'd seen.  On their '66 version, Miroku presses a steel ring into the firing pin extension hole on the back of the receiver, and secures this with two screws hidden under the sideplate.  This steel ring communicates with the safety stud on the firing pin extension.  And, this actually promises to make the Miroku '66 more durable, as there is now a steel "bushing" for the firing pin extension to travel in.  

The loading ladle, as reported by others, is as flimsy as the newer Uberti ladles, utilizing the simple bent tab.  The JB Weld is curing on mine as I type this (I just don't feel like doing the whole "make a gusset and silver-solder it in place" routine this time).

Like on their 1873 rifles, Miroku abandoned the stirrup on the hammer for a simple roller bearing, just like the hammer/mainspring relationship on a SAA.  However, Miroku added a strain screw to the hammer spring, which I was very happy to see.  Initially, I thought the hammer tension, while much lighter than an out-of-the-box Uberti, would need a little improving by narrowing the hammer spring. Then I discovered that strain screw, and I was very happy, indeed.  Just back that out a little, and the hammer spring weight is very, very nice.

The trigger spring needs no attention whatsoever; it is already lighter than I've been able to accomplish by hourglassing Uberti trigger springs.

This short rifle comes with a ladder sight that is arguably the best reproduction ladder sight I've ever seen on a replica.  It is smooth and light to manipulate, but it is also very positive and stable.  

All this rifle needs is a slight narrowing of the action springs to lighten them a little and some polishing here and there where innards touch each other, and it will have a very fine action, indeed.

I think its lever stoke length is identical to Miroku's 1873 rifle (I haven't actually compared the two yet in that regard, and the '66 is still disassembled on my workbench), so that probably disqualifies this from NCOWS.  Too bad....

Uberti still gets the "authentically-constructed" nod.  But Miroku definitely gets the build quality and out-of-the-box feel nod from me.  My Uberti '66 is still my favorite right now, just because the action work I performed on it happened to turn out better than any toggle action I've ever worked on.  Just lucky on that one.  

Sorry there aren't any pictures.  I WILL upload a video soon about this rifle, and I hope to have some range time in there as well.  I saved up my vacation time at work and have taken off a big chunk over the holidays.  So I'm hoping to finally edit and upload some footage for my Youtube channel.   If I've any subscribers here, sorry it has taken so long for me to post any new material

[Coal Creek Griff]

Excellent review/report.   I'm looking forward to the video!

CC Griff

[OD#3]

Correction, I evidently was confusing my Miroku FPE with the one on my HRA '60 FPE.  For some reason, I'd remembered that my Miroku '73 FPE utilized the latest Uberti-style abbreviated key retention system instead of a simple pin.  But I was going through my spare parts bin, and I found my original FPE from my Miroku '73 that I'd replaced with the Pioneer Gun Works version.   It is identical to the one from my '66, so you can disregard everything I wrote about the '66 FPE version being different from the Miroku '66 version; I was confusing that with the one from my HRA '60 Henry.  For the Miroku '73 and '66 FPE's, they are the same.  Good news for me, as I can now order a replacement from PGW for $40.

[nativeshootist]

OD#3 any new updates?

[Bibbyman]

Can you (or someone else) provide a link to your YouTube channel ?

[Coal Creek Griff]

Here you go.

  https://www.youtube.com/user/atlanticproducts

CC Griff

[Bibbyman]

Thanks,   I subscribed.   

I have a couple of YouTube channels.  One is for the Cowboy Action Shooting club we are involved with.  In addition to putting up videos of our monthly matches,  I've started putting up videos on goofy things I do with guns and reloading.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTSBnxH04BU1aNmQH727UMA

[OD#3]

Sorry no video up yet.  I was waiting until I had some 44-40 loaded up and could finish the video off with some shooting.  But I can tell you that I have finished working on the rifle---for now....

The action work didn't turn out as well as I'd wanted.  It is smoother and easier to lever, but just not quite as nice as I'd like.  The Miroku '73 is slightly better, the Uberti '66 better still, and the Henry Repeating Arms 1860 Henry unbelievably slick and light.  Each levergun I work on seems to come out different, so I don't see myself ever hanging out my shingle and doing this for money; I couldn't guarantee any results beyond that it would be better than before I worked on it.

The rifle has, however, smoothed up even more since I worked on it, just by working the lever a lot and letting some things smooth out on their own.  This Miroku overcams a little, and the lever initially encountered slight resistance at the end of its closing travel.  I could actually close it to within 1/4 inch of the wrist, and it would stay there, the lever action spring unable to close it all the way by itself (and I hadn't even lightened that spring--just polished the bearing tip).  As I mentioned before, the toggle links are made differently on this '66 than on Miroku's '73.  They are a very close fit at the knee joint (just like originals), and they are a lapped fit at each end.  I don't know if this is just a gradual product improvement process that Miroku is employing on all their toggle links, or if it was just out of concern for the brass frame vs. a steel frame.  Regardless, the toggle fit is very snug, and resists closing all the way.  Working the action repeatedly since then has seated everything in better and is well on the way to eliminating this overcamming, so I'm not going to even attempt a fix there.

I've also noticed enough departures from the original design and from Uberti '66 copies, that I'm going to go back and showcase what some of these are on film as well.  So I'll have some more filming and editing to do, but I also have time to do it (managed to take vacation time for the rest of this month).  I want the final video to be a good overall review of the Miroku '66, so I'd been planning to include shooting it as well.  But perhaps I should just make the table top review first and shoot it later.  What do you think?

[Coal Creek Griff]

I'd be willing to have the shooting portion on a separate video because I'm anxious to see inside your gun, but I'm also willing to wait (but not patiently). I appreciate your videos.  I always learn something.

CC Griff

[OD#3]

You win, Coal Creek Griff, and thanks for the compliments.  I'll finish some tabletop comparisons tomorrow and edit everything very soon after.  Should be uploaded before Christmas.

[Coal Creek Griff]

Perfect.   Thanks!

CC Griff

[OD#3]

Well, I finished editing and rendering the video today.  I'll begin the upload when I go to bed, and I'll publish it as soon as I get up tomorrow.  If you manage to sit through the whole thing, you'll learn about as much as I know about the Miroku '66--ad nauseam.   Perhaps you can make a game out of it.  Try and count how many times I say things like "the first thing that stood out to me".  It is difficult to edit something that was filmed out of sequence over a period of several sessions, and I tried to cut out some of my signature long pauses in an effort to speed it up a bit.  It still managed to be over 40 minutes long, and I apologize in advance if I get carried away with some minute detail at times.  Believe it or not, a lot of footage was left out of the final cut.  And inexplicably, I've lost any footage covering the Miroku's use of a roller on the hammer vs. the traditional stirrup, so that isn't really covered much.  But I think I got the rest of it detailed pretty closely.  I'll make a new post on this 1860 Henry subforum whenever it is view-able. 

[Coal Creek Griff]

Thank you.  I'm looking forward to it.

CC Griff

[Bibbyman]

Well, I finished editing and rendering the video today.  I'll begin the upload when I go to bed, and I'll publish it as soon as I get up tomorrow.  If you manage to sit through the whole thing, you'll learn about as much as I know about the Miroku '66--ad nauseam.   Perhaps you can make a game out of it.  Try and count how many times I say things like "the first thing that stood out to me".  It is difficult to edit something that was filmed out of sequence over a period of several sessions, and I tried to cut out some of my signature long pauses in an effort to speed it up a bit.  It still managed to be over 40 minutes long, and I apologize in advance if I get carried away with some minute detail at times.  Believe it or not, a lot of footage was left out of the final cut.  And inexplicably, I've lost any footage covering the Miroku's use of a roller on the hammer vs. the traditional stirrup, so that isn't really covered much.  But I think I got the rest of it detailed pretty closely.  I'll make a new post on this 1860 Henry subforum whenever it is view-able. 

I do videos of our monthly matches.  Unlike others that put up 30-60 second videos of one shooter,  I edit a one video of everyone on the posse of 12-18 shooters.  The videos run some 15 minutes long - plus or minus.  The speed of our old internet service was 5mb down and 1mb up. Without using any other internet,  it would typically take an hour of time to upload 1 minute of video.  I've had some take almost 24 hours. But we recently had a company install fiber optic cable in our area and offer 1gb speed up and down.  It makes me smile to see a video upload in a couple of minutes vs long hours. And we have the most basic service package.

Rendering time is just as slow but that's a function of the PC and software.   I had my PC upgraded with yet more memory and that helped go from ridiculously slow to just slow.

I've subscribed to your channel so I'll see it when it gets up.

[OD#3]

I really envy your high-speed upload capability.  We have pretty good cable internet service here, but upload speeds are maybe 10% of download speeds, and a 45 minute video is something I have to start the upload on before I go to bed, hoping it will be done when I get up.  I went to bed after midnight last night, and I woke up around 0800 to see it just then completing the processing of the video and selecting which thumbnail to use.