GUN FALL 2015
The live portion of this session begins on Monday, October 5, 2015.
RARE WINCHESTER MODEL 1887 LEVER ACTION SHOTGUN. WINCHESTER 1887 378 12 GA Cal. 12 GA Very early standard grade shotgun with 30" steel bbl, half magazine & single brass bead. Receiver, lever & hammer are color case hardened with the intertwined "WRACo" trademark on left side of receiver. Mounted with nicely figured, uncheckered American walnut with plain forestock side panels and rnd knob stock with smooth steel buttplate that has been professionally stippled, ostensibly to reduce slippage during firing. Winchester produced nearly 65,000 of these shotguns in the period 1887-1901 in both 10 & 12 gauge and 2-bbl lengths. Public acceptance of this rather large lever action arm was limited and competition from the various slide action shotguns that came onto the market in the 1890's further reduced the customer base which limited production. These shotguns, however, were favored by coach guards and other security personnel as well as law enforcement with the majority of those found today having reduced bbl lengths. These shotguns almost universally were hard used and are rarely found today with much orig finish. CONDITION: Extremely fine+ (no disassembly was effected to check for matching numbers). Bbl & magazine tube retain about 98-99% crisp orig blue with a few minor nicks on the magazine tube. Receiver, breechblock & hammer retain virtually all of their brilliant, orig case colors. Top tang is lightly faded. Lever retains about all of its orig case colors, lightly to moderately faded on outer faces. Buttplate retains about 80-85% orig blue with the aforementioned stippling. Wood is sound with a very few, very light nicks & scratches and retains virtually all of its crisp, orig varnish. Mechanics are crisp. Bright shiny bore, may be unfired. 48568-2 JR (10,000-15,000)