GUN FALL 2017
The live portion of this session begins on Tuesday, October 31, 2017.
SCARCE FIRST YEAR OF PRODUCTION WINCHESTER MODEL 1886 LEVER ACTION RIFLE WITH FACTORY LETTER. WINCHESTER 1886 1991 40-82 ESA Cal 40-82. Standard grade rifle with 26" rnd bbl, full magazine, ivory bead sporting front sight & sesmi-buckhorn rear sight that has been filed flat. Receiver is color case hardened. Mounted with uncheckered straight grain American walnut with straight stock & crescent buttplate. Accompanied by a Cody Firearms Museum letter which verifies this rifle in caliber 40-82, with round bbl and plain trigger, received in warehouse Dec. 6, 1886 and shipped Jan. 14, 1887 to order #14623. This rifle was produced in 1886 when Big Bore repeating rifles were in great demand on the American frontier, both as hunting arms & self defense weapons. They were very popular also with law enforcement & outlaws. These early guns usually saw very hard service and are rarely found today with high orig finish. CONDITION: Very good to fine. Bbl retains 85-88% orig blue turning a little dull & thin on the upper half with one area of fine surface etching. Magazine tube retains about 95% orig blue. Receiver retains about 70-75% orig case colors, strong & bright on the sides, faded to silver on top & bottom. Hammer retains strong case colors, turned brown on the spur. Lever retains traces of case colors, being mostly a mottled silver/brown patina. Buttplate & forend cap retain smoky case colors turning silver. Stock has a deep scratch on left side of comb with a series of small scratches & bruises on left side of wrist and other light nicks & scratches. Buttstock retains about 85-88% strong orig finish and the forearm about 25% showing wear over the carry point. Mechanics are crisp, bright shiny bore with some fine pitting in the grooves. 52498-1 JRL (7,000-9,000)