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Rare Documented Special Order Westley Richards Marked Winchester Model 1886 Rifle with Casehardened

Currency:USD Category:Antiques / Firearms & Armory Start Price:8,000.00 USD Estimated At:16,000.00 - 25,000.00 USD
Rare Documented Special Order Westley Richards Marked Winchester Model 1886 Rifle with Casehardened
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This is an excellent example of a truly unique Winchester Model 1886 Sporting Rifle manufactured in 1888. The rifle is complete with a Cody Firearms Museum letter that describes it as "Rifle, 45-90 caliber" with round barrel, plain trigger and shotgun butt. The top of the rifle bolt is lightly inscribed: "WESTLEY RICHARDS & CO./LONDON & BIRMINGHAM" in two lines on either side of the extractor. The left side of the barrel is stamped with the London "Crown/CP" proof mark followed by the bore diameter ".450", the "Crown/V" London view mark and the London proof house mark. A London view mark is stamped on the top of the bolt. The 26-inch round barrel is fitted with an English Express style front sight with ivory bead and raised ears and a unique English Express rear sight. The rear sight features a fixed 100 yard leaf and two folding leaves marked 200 and 300 yards; each leaf has a platinum sighting line. An adjustable folding leaf sight with graduations from 400-900 yards is mounted in front of the 300 yard leaf; the leaf has a sliding elevator bar with a platinum sighting line. The straight grip stock is fitted with a special order steel shotgun buttplate. The rifle has a casehardened receiver, hammer, loading lever and forearm cap. The barrel, magazine, bolt, loading gate and buttplate are blued. The straight grain walnut stock and forearm have a varnish finish. The top of the barrel is roll-stamped with the two-line legend "- MANUFACTURED BY THE -/- WINCHESTER REPEATING ARMS CO. NEW HAVEN CONN. U.S.A.-" with arrows at either end of each line. The caliber; "45-90 W.C.F." is roll-stamped on the top of the barrel just ahead of the receiver. "-MODEL 1886-" is roll-stamped on the upper receiver tang and the two-line, "1884/1885", patent dates are roll-stamped on the lower receiver tang behind the trigger. The script serial number, "12806" is stamped between the lower tang screws.
BBL: 26 inch round
Stock: walnut
Gauge: 45-90 WCF
Finish: casehardened/blue
Grips:
Serial Number: 12806
Condition: Excellent. The barrel and magazine retain 95% of the original blue finish. The blue on the forward portion of the barrel has a slightly brown patina in strong light. Wear is limited to four very small areas of light pitting on the right side of the barrel and magazine. The receiver retains 90% of the original casehardened finish. The case colors on the sides of the receiver are vivid. The case colors on the bridge and the underside of the receiver show light handling but have not silvered. The case colors on the forearm cap and lever have faded from handling but are more than 90% intact. The hammer retains about 95% of the casehardened finish. The bolt and loading gate retain most of the high polish blue. 80% of the bright blue finish is present on the buttplate. The varnished walnut stock and forearm are both in very fine condition. The stock has a number of light scratches and dents with the heaviest wear concentrated on the comb near the buttplate. The forearm has several very light scratches and handling marks. This is an excellent example of a Winchester Model 1886 Sporting Rifle with case hardened receiver, very rare Westley Richards & Co markings and special English Express front and rear sights. This is a unique and very rare British Winchester Model 1886 rifle sighted by Westley Richards for African or Indian big game during the height of the British Empire.