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Outstanding Deluxe Winchester Model 1886 Lever Action Rifle with Factory Letter

Currency:USD Category:Antiques / Firearms & Armory Start Price:8,000.00 USD Estimated At:16,000.00 - 22,500.00 USD
Outstanding Deluxe Winchester Model 1886 Lever Action Rifle with Factory Letter
This is a very fine example of a Deluxe Winchester Model 1886 Fancy Sporting Lever Action Rifle that was manufactured in 1888. The rifle is accompanied by a Cody Firearms Museum letter that verifies the rifle configuration, caliber as "45/70", the barrel as octagon, with a set trigger, checkered pistol grip stock, sporting rear and Rocky Mountain front sights, rubber buttplate and that the rifle was shipped from the Winchester Warehouse on August 7, 1888. The rifle has a blued barrel and magazine with niter blue bolt and loading gate. The forearm cap, hammer, loading lever and receiver have a casehardened finish. The forearm and pistol grip stocks are deluxe, highly figured, walnut with fine checkering with a polished oil finish. The pistol grip has an ebony inlay and the shotgun butt is fitted with a black, hard rubber, checkered buttplate with the round Winchester logo in the center. The barrel is fitted with a "Rocky Mountain", dovetailed front sight with large, nickel-silver blade and a sporting style rear sight. The rifle has a special order, adjustable, single-set trigger. 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.-" in two unequal lines. The caliber designation, "45-70" is stamped on the top barrel flat between the rear sight and the receiver. The upper receiver tang is roll-stamped with the designation: "- MODEL 1886 -". The lower tang is stamped with the 1884 and 1885 patent dates behind the trigger and the serial number, "20517" between the tang screws.
BBL: 26 inch octagonal
Stock: walnut checkered
Gauge: 45/70 Govt.
Finish: blue/casehardened
Grips:
Serial Number: 20517


Very fine. The rifle retains 90% plus of the original blue and 40% casehardened finish. The edges of the barrel have some handling wear and the finish on the magazine tube is thin near the forearm cap. The case-colors on the bottom and forward portion of the receiver and the bottom of the loading lever show some handling wear with a sliver patina on contact points: vivid case colors remain on more protected sections of the receiver and lever. The forearm cap and hammer have nearly all of the casehardened finish. The bolt has nearly all of the bright blue finish. The niter blue on the loading gate shows wear on contact points. The stock and forearm retains nearly all of the deluxe, high polish, finish and the checkered panels are sharp. There are some minor handling marks on the forearm and four shallow dents in the right side of the stock. All of the barrel and receiver markings are crisp. This is an outstanding example of a Special Order, Deluxe Model 1886 Fancy Sporting Rifle with exceptional, burl walnut stock and single-set trigger.