GUN FALL 2016
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 10/4/2016
EXTREMELY RARE WINCHESTER FIRST MODEL FLAT SIDE 1866 RIFLE WITH SADDLE RING AND HIGHLY FIGURED STOCKS. WINCHESTER 1866 RIFLE 13245 44 RF Cal. 44RF. 24-1/2" bbl. with integral magazine. Gun metal receiver. Highly figured crotch grain American walnut stocks with crescent butt. Forend is of the first type held in place by a transverse screw with no forend cap. Bbl shows 2-line Henry's Patent "King's Patent" bbl mark. Front-sight is a German silver blade. Rear-sight is graduated to 1,000 yards with a slide. Magazine hanger is pinned and held in place by 2 screws on either side. Receiver is of the late Henry type with a round-top at forward end and a sharp downward turn at rear. Receiver has a flat side profile without stock bolsters at forward end. Loading gate is of the flat type with a hold-open catch. Hammer and lever are of the late Henry design. Saddle ring is attached to left side. SN is stamped on lower tang on left side under stock. Assembly no. "1080" is also stamped in very small numerals on lower tang. Assembly no. is also stamped on inside of sideplates. Receiver is otherwise unmarked. SN is stamped on upper tang mortise of stock and on inside of toe of buttplate. CONDITION: Very good to fine, for this model. Bbl and magazine tube show a smooth gray-brown patina overall, with very little roughness. Bbl mark is very sharp. Sights are fine. Bore is frosty with strong rifling. Receiver is a deep mustard-brown patina with dark stains overall and appears uncleaned. Receiver shows scratches and dents. Sideplates fit very well. All markings are sharp and clean. Loading gate hold-open catch functions, which is not normally the case. Loading gate is dark with slight traces of blue finish. Receiver screws are very good. Saddle ring is also very good with some pitting. Hammer shows generous traces of case color especially on left side. Lever is a gray-brown patina, with very little roughness. Stocks are very good to fine. Buttstock and forearm show highly figured crotch grain American walnut on both sides. On a later Winchester this would be classified as XXX wood. Stocks have minor scratches and dents overall and retain a considerable amount of their orig amount of oil finish. Buttplate is a dark mustard-brown patina with a slight rub-mark on either side of tang. Forearm shows a few dents and scratches and a considerable amount of orig finish. These First Model 1866 Flat Side rifles were made in the serial range of 12,476 to about 15,500, with most of the production being the carbine version. The rifle is rarely seen in orig un-touched condition, as is this example. An opportunity to obtain an extremely rare Winchester First Model 66 rifle with wonderfully figured stocks. 50506-33 TEP (15,000-20,000)