September 20th 2015 Premier Firearms Sale
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 9/19/2015
.45-70 caliber with a 26" barrel. Manufactured 1879 to 1899. This is a scarce first model of which 6,419 were manufactured. It is the standard sporting rifle with the 26” full round barrel and the one piece stock with no checkering. The barrel is a smooth mix of blue and grey patina. Frame retains approximately 75% original factory blue. Bolt is in the white. Equipped with the Winchester sporting front and rear sight, and a smooth steel shotgun buttplate. Stock is in excellent condition, proud to metal, with no cracks or chips. The trigger guard is a blue-grey patina and rear trigger guard screw is burred. Has the ebony forend inset. Operation is flawless. Strong clean bore. This rare gun was Winchesters first foray into the bolt action sporting rifle marketplace and they chose a caliber to coincide with the government cartridge being used on the Western frontier at the U.S. outposts. These are rarely seen, especially in such fine overall condition and highly sought due to its being considered the genesis of all subsequent Winchester bolt action sporting rifles. Winchester factor research: shipped 6-28-1880 Rifle- round.