GUN SPRING 2017
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 4/11/2017
SCARCE SPECIAL ORDER WINCHESTER MODEL 1886 DELUXE LEVER ACTION RIFLE. WINCHESTER 1886 DELUXE 66675 40-82 Cal 40-82. Beautiful Deluxe '86 with special order 28" oct bbl, full magazine, bead sporting front sight & platinum line 3-leaf express rear sight. Receiver, lever, hammer, forend cap & buttplate are color case hardened. Mounted with beautiful 3X to 4X flame grain American walnut with "H" style checkered forearm and black insert, serpentine grip buttstock with crescent buttplate. Forearm is matching grain walnut. Left side of the lower tang, under the wood is marked with the assembly no. "114" and "XXX". Top tang channel of buttstock is marked with matching assembly no. and the buttplate with assembly no. "66" inside the toe. Accompanied by a Winchester Gun Museum letter which identifies this rifle in caliber 40-82 with 28" oct bbl, plain trigger, checkered stock with pistol grip, shipped April 30, 1892. No other information available. This rifle was produced at a time when hunting was a way of life. It seems likely that this rifle would have been someones prized hunting rifle. It was apparently well cared for and actually saw little outside exposure. Case colors when exposed to the ultraviolet rays of sunlight quickly fades. CONDITION: Very fine. Bbl retains about 75-80% thinning orig blue that has been lightly cleaned. Magazine tube retains matching finish. Receiver retains brilliant case colors on the sides with a few scattered spots of pin-prick surface etching. Top edges are lightly to moderately faded and the bottom lightly to moderately faded with the 2nd coat lacquer lines still strong and visible. Hammer retains strong case colors and the lever brilliant case colors in sheltered areas fading to silver on the outer faces. Top tang retains mostly smoky case colors, strong around the hammer slot. Bottom tang retains bright case colors. Forend cap retains bright case colors on right side, fading elsewhere with fine surface etching. Buttplate retains bright case colors around the tang screw hole with the balance a mottled silver/brown patina with fine pitting. Stock has a hairline on the right side of the toe and is missing a small chip by the left heel with some fine squiggly scratches on the left side, a couple of heavy scratches on the right side and a bruise in the checkering on the left wrist. Otherwise wood is sound and retains most of its orig piano varnish finish. Mechanics are fine, bright shiny bore. 51079-14 JRL (20,000-30,000)