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RARE WINCHESTER SECOND MODEL 1894 TAKEDOWN LEVER ACTION RIFLE, THE LOWEST SERIAL NUMBER OF ITS CALIB

Currency:USD Category:Firearms & Military Start Price:1,000.00 USD Estimated At:2,000.00 - 3,000.00 USD
RARE WINCHESTER SECOND MODEL 1894 TAKEDOWN LEVER ACTION RIFLE, THE LOWEST SERIAL NUMBER OF ITS CALIB
SN 3732. Cal. 25-35. First year production standard grade rifle with 26" rnd bbl, full magazine, takedown with half nickel front sight with screw and 3-leaf platinum line express rear sight. Mounted with nicely figured, uncheckered, straight grain American walnut with straight stock & crescent buttplate. Right side of upper tang, under the wood, is stamped in tiny numbers "186". The buttstock, which has no lightening hole, and buttplate are unnumbered. Accompanied by a Cody Firearms Museum letter which identifies this rifle, as found, with Winchester express sight, received in warehouse Sept. 3, 1895 and shipped same day to Order #19158. Also accompanied by a copy of an advertisement by Days Winchesters giving the details of this rifle and stating "This rifle is the lowest serial number of any model 1894 25-35 takedown rifle produced by Winchester." PROVENANCE: Wes Adams Estate Collection. CONDITION: Fine to very fine. Bbl retains 96-97% strong orig blue with only a few light scratches; magazine tube retains 93-95% with the only losses from turning of the magazine tube; takedown ring retains about 50% orig blue; receiver retains about 80-83% strong orig blue on the sides, showing sharp edge wear and thinning over top & bottom edges with a mostly blue/gray top tang; lever & hammer retain strong case colors, faded to silver on outer faces of lever; buttplate appears to have been cold-blued. Wood is sound with some dark oil staining around receiver & top tang, with light nicks & scratches and retains most of a professional refinish. Mechanics are fine, strong bore, dark in the grooves, may clean better. 4-44392 JR62