GUN FALL 2015
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 10/5/2015
EXTREMELY RARE HALF NICKEL SEMI-DELUXE SMOOTHBORE WINCHESTER MODEL 92 LEVER ACTION CARBINE.WINCHESTER92100230944 WCF (44-40)MODERN; C&RCal. 44 WCF (44-40). Extraordinarily rare Winchester with 20” rnd bbl, full magazine, ramp front sight with hood and semi-buckhorn rear sight, without stud & ring in left side of receiver. Left side of bbl has standard late markings with the addition of "SMOOTH BORE" forward of regular marking. It has nickeled receiver & buttplate with blued screws. Left side of top tang, under the wood is stamped with assembly number “100” which number is also found on buttstock, under the buttplate and inside toe of buttplate. Mounted with nicely figured, straight grain, uncheckered American walnut with long forearm & capped pistol grip stock with crescent buttplate. Extremely few Model 92 firearms with smoothbore bbls are known today. This carbine was produced in about 1934 and given the fancy nature of its configuration, the most likely scenario is that it was made for a trick-shot artist or showman of some sort. There is also the possibility that it may have been ordered by an ornithologist, taxidermist or someone collecting specimens. It was not unusual for an individual going on a major hunting safari to have a standard rifle and a smoothbore rifle for small game for the camp pot. Regardless of its intended purpose, this is an extraordinarily rare Model 92, unlikely to ever been encountered again. CONDITION: Extremely fine, all matching. Bbl & magazine tube retain 98-99% strong orig blue. Receiver & buttplate retain most of their orig factory nickel, turned a little milky. Lever & hammer retain most of their orig blue. Stock has a tiny chip at receiver, otherwise wood is sound and retains virtually all of a bright, orig varnish. Mechanics are crisp, strong bright bore with a few scattered spots of pitting. 49450-20 JR (15,000-25,000)