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Exceptional Special Order Deluxe Winchester Model 1886 Express Rifle with Factory Letter

Currency:USD Category:Firearms & Military / Long Guns - Rifles Start Price:17,000.00 USD Estimated At:35,000.00 - 47,500.00 USD
Exceptional Special Order Deluxe Winchester Model 1886 Express Rifle with Factory Letter
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Exceptional Special Order Deluxe Winchester Model 1886 Express Rifle with Factory Letter

Winchester Model 1886 rifle chambered for the .50-110 Winchester Express cartridge. The rifle is complete with a Cody Firearms Museum letter that describes the rifle as: "50 Express Caliber" with "Octagon barrel, Plain trigger, Checkered stock with pistol grip" and "Midrange and Lyman Combination front sights". The letter states that this rifle was shipped from Winchester on August 13, 1894. The barrel, full-length magazine, loading gate, trigger and bolt are blue. The forearm cap, receiver, hammer, lever and crescent buttplate have a casehardened finish. The stock and forearm are deluxe, fancy grain, highly figured walnut with a high polish piano finish. The forearm and pistol grip have Winchester Style H checkering and the pistol grip has an ebony insert. The barrel is fitted with a special order Lyman folding combination front sight and Winchester Express rear sight with three folding leaves graduated for 25, 100 and 200 yards and platinum sight lines. A folding Lyman Mid Range Vernier Peep Sight is mounted on the receiver tang. The top of the barrel is roll-stamped "-MANUFACTURED BY THE-/-WINCHESTER REPEATING ARMS CO. NEW HAVEN. CONN. U.S.A.-" in two lines ahead of the rear sight. The caliber designation: "50 EX" is stamped on the top barrel flat between the rear sight and the receiver. The 1884 and 1885 patent dates are stamped on the lower tang behind the trigger and the serial number "90295" is stamped in script numerals on the lower tang between the tang screws. Introduced c. 1893 for the Model 1886 Winchester rifle, the Winchester .50-110-300 Express was one of the most potent cartridges available. Deluxe Winchester Model 1886 rifles chambered for Express cartridges are rare and extremely desirable firearms.

Manufucture: Winchester
Model: 1886
BBL: 26 inch octagon
Stock: walnut checkered
Guage: 50 express
Finish: blue/casehardened
Grips:
Serial Number: 90295

Extremely fine. The rifle retains more than 95% of the strong original color casehardened finish. Nearly 95% of the blue finish is present on the barrel and magazine tube assembly showing some delicate and scattered pin prick pitting along high points down the length. The forearm cap, receiver, lever and hammer have almost 95% of the casehardened finish intact with vivid case colors. The case colors on the crescent buttplate have faded to a mottled silver-gray patina. The piano finished stock and forearm are both excellent with sharp checkering. The highly figured walnut stock and forearm show only minor scattered handling and storage marks. This is an example of one of the most desirable variations of the highly sought-after Winchester Model 1886 rifle.