GUN SPRING 2018
The live portion of this session begins on Wednesday, March 21, 2018.
EXTREMELY FINE WINCHESTER MODEL 1886 RIFLE WITH CASE COLORED RECEIVER IN RARE 40-70 CALIBER. WINCHESTER 1886 97168 40-70 Cal. 40-70. 26" rnd bbl. Full magazine. Full case colored receiver along with hammer, lever and buttplate. Equipped with correct tang sight sporting a front sight with German silver insert and a rocky mountain rear bbl sight. Standard grade American walnut stock fitted to receiver along with standard American walnut on forearm. This caliber is seldom seen as it was only made for a very short time. With Cody Firearms Records Office research sheet confirming configuration and shipped on November 15, 1899. PROVENANCE: The spectacular collections of Ray Bentley featuring the finest and rarest deluxe antique Winchesters in the world. CONDITION: Extremely fine. Bbl finish retaining 98% overall blue with only a light mark about 4" from front sight on top bbl. Mag tube retains 96-97% blue as is the mag tube guide ring. Total receiver case color would be 99%. Hammer retains 98% case color without an drag lines. Lever, although not full of case color, still retains 96% finish. Lower tang 96-97% case colored. Loading gate with 99% of dark nitre blue. Looks to be unused. Buttplate has dark case colors that would rate 70%. Wood with few impressions on left side and with few light scratches on right side. Raised grain would indicate that the rifle has been handled very little. Forearms with light impressions on left and right sides with no splits on stock or forearm. No wood missing or cracks evident. Mechanics are excellent. Bright shiny bore. A beautiful 1886 full rifle in a most uncommon caliber with excellent wood and vivid near mint casehardened receiver. 53091-180 MS (30,000-40,000)