March 1-2, 2018 Firearms, Militaria & Sporting
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 3/1/2018
Manufactured 1893. This rare musket is part of a group of an entire collection of Winchester muskets dating from 1866 to 1895 that took the consigner nearly 50 years to complete. This is the second rarest of all Winchester muskets behind the trial Model 1894. In a Winchester letter dated 1976, Serial No. 82373 musket in caliber .45-70 was shipped on September 15th, 1893 with ten other muskets; barrel lengths not listed. It is two numbers off the one pictured in "The Winchester Book" by Madis. According to a hand-written letter about private research done within the records, 372 total muskets were ever made, all noted with 32" barrels, although Serial No. 82373 (this gun) and 82375 both have 30" barrels. It must be assumed that the 11 muskets shipped together were the majority of the 30" barrels sent. Gun features single barrel band with swivel, forend tip, post front sight, military rear sight, carbine buttplate with trapdoor, rear swivel in stock, blued bolt and loading gate, and case colored frame, lever, hammer and buttplate with full length walnut forend and buttstock. 85% original factory blue on barrel. Fire blue on screws and base of sight. Sharp legends. 95% blue on bolt. Traces of color on frame and lever. Generous color on hammer. Buttplate is grey. Stock is excellent with minor impressions. Strong, clean, near mint bore. The bottom of the frame is hand stamped "CERION" (origin unknown). The serial numbers of the 11 muskets is listed on the factory letter; all were shipped on September 15th, 1893. Again, this is one of the great rarities of Winchester collecting and one could look a lifetime for another example. Comes with an original socket bayonet in the white.