GUN FALL 2015
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 10/5/2015
WINCHESTER MODEL 1866 LEVER ACTION RIFLE.WINCHESTER186615250244 RF HENRYCal. 44 RF Henry. Standard grade rifle with 24-1/4" oct bbl, full magazine, altered half nickel front sight & semi-buckhorn rear sight. Mounted with uncheckered straight grain American walnut with straight stock & crescent buttplate with trap. This is a late model ''66 with steel forend cap & buttplate. Left side of lower tang, under the wood is marked with assembly number "117" & another number "1605". Assembly number "117" is also found in top tang channel of buttstock & inside toe of buttplate. Wood screw in buttplate toe is a replacement. This rifle was produced in about 1880 by which time center fire cartridges for Winchester Models 1873 & 1876 had captured most of the market and the popularity of rimfire cartridge was seriously waning. A large proportion of these late ''66s were sold into Mexico, Central & South America where the rimfire cartridge was still popular. Those rifles that have been repatriated back to the U.S. usually show very hard service with little orig finish. PROVENANCE: The William Smith Collection. Cody Firearms Museum letter. CONDITION: Very good. Bbl retains a plummy-brown patina with fine pitting. Magazine tube is a cleaned silver-gray patina with fine pitting & damage around plug retainer screw. Receiver shows moderate to heavy wear with a few light scratches & nicks. Lever & hammer are a dark brown patina. Buttplate and forend cap are cleaned metal patina with pitting on buttplate heel. Wood is sound with a few light nicks and scratches and retains a hand-worn patina. Mechanics are fine. Strong bore with sharp rifling, dark & frosty in grooves. 49312-68 JR (8,000-10,000)