GUN FALL 2017
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 10/31/2017
SPECIAL ORDER DELUXE WINCHESTER MODEL 1886 LIGHTWEIGHT TAKEDOWN LEVER ACTION RIFLE WITH FACTORY LETTER.WINCHESTER188612902333MODERN; C&R; ESACal 33 WCF. Fine lightweight rifle with 24″ tapered rnd bbl, half magazine, takedown, with pedestal mounted Lyman ivory bead hunting front sight with series 22 style rear sight and a Marbles spring loaded tang sight. Mounted with very beautiful, center crotch, flame grain, H-style checkered American walnut with straight stock & Winchester embossed hard rubber buttplate. Left side of lower tang, under the wood is marked with assembly number "222" and "XX" with an "RF". Matching assembly number is found in top tang channel of buttstock. Accompanied by a Cody Firearms Museum letter which identifies this rifle in caliber 33 with rnd bbl, plain trigger, half magazine, takedown, shotgun rubber buttplate received in warehouse Nov. 13, 1903 and not shipped until Jan. 13, 1904 to order #219326. This must have been one of the first 33 caliber rifles produced. Letter also indicates returned & repaired Feb. 1, 1908 and reiterates the identifying information with addition of "easy pull". It was reshipped Oct. 5, 1910 to order #230464. The shotgun butt is mentioned in both entries but straight stock is not mentioned at all, however there is little doubt that this is the orig wood. CONDITION: Very fine,all matching. Bbl retains 95-96% strong orig blue with a few minor scratches & a small spot or two of rust. Receiver retains 70-75% strong orig blue with edge wear & about half of bottom turned silver. Wood is sound with forearm showing moderate wear & retaining about 70% orig piano varnish finish. Buttstock shows moderate wear to checkering with minor nicks & dings and retains most of its orig piano varnish finish with some heat crazing to surface. Mechanics are crisp, bright shiny bore. 52404-2 JRL (5,000-7,000)