Lever Action Shotgun???

Status
Not open for further replies.
loose noose

loose noose

Member
Joined
Feb 22, 2012
Messages
3,456
Location
Southern Nevada
Has anybody on this forum experienced the use of CIA SG1667-N PW87 Lever action shotgun. It is supposed to be a replica of the old Winchester Model 87 designed by Browning. I do understand it is made in China, and the innards are pretty rough, but I do have the tools and know how to smooth them out. My question is at slightly over $300.00 is it even worth the energy to undertake such a project?
 
I like mine, though after a few boxes of shells one of the Carrier screws fell out. Century Arms sent me a few new ones under warranty. I don’t think Winchester parts will fit, so I don’t know what I’ll do if something breaks now that the warranty is over.
 
I thank ya there Rudolph31, How is the extraction, and feeding, as well as the ejection? Is it smooth out of the box, or does it require a lot of polishing?
 
]I’m sure it could use some polishing, but I plan to wear mine in. Loading is kind of a pain, at least in mine. The shells tend to get past the Shell Stop, so I usually give up on a full magazine. And it definitely helps to wear gloves.

Here I am killing a Clorox bottle with buckshot. As you can see, it’s easy to short-stroke. You’ve got to work the lever like you’re trying to break it.
 
Last edited:
Parts could be VERY hard to get. Between that and the roughness and overall feeding issues I've read about them over the years, I'd avoid one unless you just have to have one.
 
Panzerschwein said:
Parts could be VERY hard to get. Between that and the roughness and overall feeding issues I've read about them over the years, I'd avoid one unless you just have to have one.
Click to expand...

You’re right. On the other hand, they’re ridiculously cheap, and provide an opportunity to experience a firearm you’d probably never otherwise have. I’d never trust it for home defense, and it’s not practical for clay games. But as a range toy, it’s worth every penny.
 
The Winchester 1886 lever action shotgun (original or replica) is one of the shotguns allowed in cowboy action shooting. I have seen a few originals used in matches (most of the original Winchesters are 10 gauge), but most of the guns used in competition are modern replicas. There were some early Chinese replicas that were pretty good but they are out of production. Chiappa in Italy makes them but they are expensive. The word in cowboy shooting circles is that the gun now coming from China is not well made.

Under SASS rules the shotgun is staged empty and loaded and fired on the clock. No more than two shells can be loaded into the gun (levels the playing field for people shooting side-by-sides). Shooters will typically open the Action and push two shells down. The top shell goes into the chamber and the other sits on the lifter. It takes a lot of practice to do it quickly.

If you'd care to see a good shooter run an '87 go to YouTube and search for "Sue Render".
 
Rudolph31, that time the video came thru, noticed you managed to shoot 6 shells thru it too, with only one hang up, seemed to work ok for you, and like you said it is ridiculously cheap.
 
Last edited:
It’ll put a grin on your face, and with your gunsmithing skills it will rival the originals. Just be sure to use a little Locktite on the screws and check them every time you take it out.

By the way, it’s not really a copy of the Winchester Model 1887 but the M1901. Except the 1901 was 10 gauge only and this is a 12. Slight differences.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winchester_Model_1887/1901
 
Thanks again Rudolph31 for that Wikipedia version of the that shotgun. Incidentally I ordered one from Texas just this morning. Hopefully it will be here by Friday, I'll lay out some photos of it also.
 
The only lever action shotgun I remember was my brothers single shot 410. This was in the 70's and I think it was a Marlin. Need to see if that gun is still in the family. It saw a lot of action.
 
I do remember that shotgun, it looked really neat just like the old Winchester 94, never owned one but did see them around my neck of the woods growing up in N/E Wisconsin. They were mostly used for squirrel hunting.
 
Well I finally ordered one from Texas, it should be here by Tuesday. I did a lot of research on it, and even checked out a bunch of You Tube videos on the take down and polishing of the eternal parts. I'm kind of excited for what is to come. I've seen quite a bit of quality differences in the same shotgun, especially the wood to metal fit. The Chinese place that manufactured it appears to have been pretty proud of there product as they put there name all over the left side plate, which I intend to eliminate once received. After shooting about 100 rounds thru it in order to find where the polishing needs to be, I'll undertake that little bit of work.

Just found out that UPS workers are going on strike, so that is why the delay.
 
Last edited:
Rudolph31, I can generally make the part if need be. I've got a Remington Model 11, built on the Browning patent, that belonged to my Dad, that is still running on most of the original parts, however, I've been able to make a few parts for it that finally broke down.
 
That was just my little joke as Spell Check changed your “internal” to “eternal” parts. I had to edit my post as I saw that “cake” had replaced my intended “make”.

But you can make parts? Good to know, I may be in touch!
 
Well I took possession of that lever action shotgun Tuesday morning, cleaned all the heavy grease off of it and put it all back together, the only problem was getting the hammer spring back in the receiver. By the time I got that done the temperature outside was already up to 100+ degrees, and just having recovered from congestive heart failure, I didn't feel much like going out there. Anyway bright an early this morning I went out to my range and shot a box of low base reloaded #8 shot shells. It fired all 25 rounds without a problem. The problem I had was loading those rounds, as my fingers are pretty well arthritic to say the least, and I kept at it even though the shell stop kept moving on me and allowing the rounds in the magazine tube to come out and jam the shotgun. Well I did succeed in loading 6 rounds in that shotgun towards the end and had all of the rounds eject without a problem.

The wind was blowing at about 20mph so I only shot at 5 clay targets, in which I hit 3/5 after patterning the beast at 25 yards. Using my target holder with a clean cardboard backing. (note the owners manual states it has a modified choke) I had probably 90% within a 30" circle, with at least 25% at point of aim point impact 10" circle had a 3" orange sticker in the center.

Incidentally when I had the shotgun tore down I did polish some of the parts that showed a little bit of wear from operating the lever, after buying the shotgun, and I did notice quite a few burrs that filed off really easily. The only really negatives I've got so far is it is a bear to load, and the Chinese that built the gun had to plaster "MADE IN CHINA" and the place in China, on the left side plate. Needless to say this is being polished off to be re-blued however the serial number is there along with the model number, which will remain. Other than that the bluing is fairly decent, and after I removed the hand guard, and replaced it the wood to metal fit wasn't that bad at all for a $300.00 shotgun.





















4
 
Don't know how I missed this thread!

I absolutely like my PW87. It's a fun range toy, and while I have hunted with it, it's not a good hunting gun I think. The hammer is hard to manipulate. Stories abound about the original 1887's and 1901's sinking duck boats because of this!

Mine was pretty rough running when I got it. I just packed the internals with toothpaste and cycled the action a bit. You will be surprised how much that smooths up an action.

The PW87 is notorious for not ejecting. Personally I never had much trouble with mine, except the last shell would hardly ever ejuct without a next one going into the tube tinput some pressure on the spent shell. This was with 2 3/4" shells. It functioned fine with 2 1/2" shells. Finally, I bought a mess of 2 1/2" brass shells. I load these up using black powder and reclaimed shot. Use the RCBS 12 gauge cowboy dies to size, deprime and put a slight crimp on the shells. Everything else is done by hand. Love shooting skeet with it!
 
I've actually had my eye on the same CIA model for a little while, $300 is a great price point, but the made in China aspect has kept me cautious. I can handle any out of the box maintenance, buy don't know about their long term durabiity, as I like to go shooting a lot.
I have quite a few lever action rifles, but no lever shotguns. I have a bolt action and it's a lot of fun, thought I'd add a lever to the mix.
Thanks for your reviews.
I might just take a chance and order it, will see how it goes.
 
loose noose said:
The problem I had was loading those rounds, as my fingers are pretty well arthritic to say the least, and I kept at it even though the shell stop kept moving on me and allowing the rounds in the magazine tube to come out and jam the shotgun.
Click to expand...

Same here. I’m thinking of jamming an eraser or something in there that will push the Shell Stop out, holding the shells in the mag.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

F
  • Locked
Lever Action Shotguns
Replies
5
Views
547
Gunfighter123
G
C
  • Locked
Winchester Model 1887 Lever Action
Replies
7
Views
756
dh1633pm
dh1633pm
B
  • Locked
Modern Lever-Action Shotguns?
Replies
6
Views
2K
Nicodemus38
N
adcoch1
  • Locked
Lever action shotgun, anybody play with one of these?
2
Replies
29
Views
2K
Janos Dracwlya
Janos Dracwlya
S
  • Locked
Longer barrel for a Norinco 87 Lever?
Replies
6
Views
685
HisDivineShadow
H
Back
Top