2020 September Premier, Volume I

Exceptional Winchester Model 1886 Lever Action Rifle in Desirable 45-90
54
LOT 49
Exceptional Winchester Model 1886
Lever Action 45-90 Rifle with Desirable
Casehardened Receiver and Factory
Letter - Serial no. 104933, 45-90 WCF cal.,
26 inch bbl., blue/casehardened finish,
walnut stock. This is an excellent example
of a Winchester Model 1886 lever action
rifle that was manufactured in 1895. The
accompanying factory letter lists this rifle
with an octagon barrel in .45-90 caliber and
plain trigger when received in the warehouse
on July 26, 1895 and shipped on March 24,
1896. The rifle has the very desirable color
casehardened receiver, forearm cap, and
buttplate. Winchester used a casehardened
finish on these components until about 1901
when the case colors were replaced with a
blue finish. The hammer, lever and trigger
are also color casehardened. The 26-inch
octagon barrel and full length magazine have
a blue finish. The bolt and loading gate are
a fiery niter blue. The stock and forearm are
straight grain American walnut with a satin
oil finish. The barrel has the standard blued
steel sporting front sight with set screw
on the right side and a buckhorn, sporting
style, rear sight, with screw adjustable center
piece and serrated edges. The upper tang
is factory drilled and tapped. The top barrel
flat is roll-stamped with the two-line legend:
“- MANUFACTURED BY THE-/-WINCHESTER
REPEATING ARMS CO. NEW HAVEN. CONN.
U.S.A.-” ahead of the rear sight. The caliber
designation: “45-90 W.C.F.” is roll-stamped on
the top barrel flat between the rear sight and
the edge of the receiver. The upper receiver
tang is roll-stamped: “-MODEL 1886-”. The
1884 and 1885 patent dates are stamped on
the lower receiver tang behind the trigger.
The serial number is roll-stamped in script
numerals on the lower tang ahead of the rear
tang screw.
CONDITION: Excellent plus. The rifle is all
original and retains 98% plus of the original
blue and vivid color casehardened finish.
Wear on the barrel and magazine is limited
to several tiny spots of age discoloration
on the lower right edge of the barrel. The
bolt, extractor and loading gate have 98%
of the fire blue finish. The forearm cap,
receiver, hammer, trigger and lever retain
98% of the color casehardened finish. The
case colors on the buttplate have faded
slightly but remain at least 90% intact. The
barrel and receiver markings are perfect.
The stock and forearm are both in excellent
plus condition and retain nearly all of the
original oiled satin finish; wear is limited to
several very insignificant handling marks.
This is an exceptional example of an original
Winchester Model 1886 lever action rifle in
near mint condition that would be difficult to
improve upon.
Estimate: 22500 - 35000