The powerful Winchester Model 1886 is by far one of the most iconic lever action rifles of all time and remains popular with collectors, shooters, and hunters to this day as one of the strongest lever action designs ever developed. This rugged and dependable rifle was invented by prolific firearms inventor John Moses Browning and was his first repeating rifle design to enter production but was far from his last. Browning's design was tweaked for production by none other than William Mason of Colt Single Action Army fame. The Model 1886 kept Winchester at the top of the lever action market. While a shorter action than the Model 1876, the Model 1886 was able to chamber longer cartridges, including the .45-70 Government, and its stronger locking block design was able to handle higher pressures even as Winchester made the jump to smokeless powders. The locking bolts on the '86 pass vertically through the bold securing it firmly in place, and the design was also sleeker by abandoning dust covers and switching to an internal cartridge elevator. A powerful, dependable rifle was highly valued in the American West in the late 19th century, and remained desirable for hunters through the 20th century and on to today. Among its fans in the period was Theodore Roosevelt who used this model extensively, including testing samples for the famous Smithsonian–Roosevelt African Expedition, and the legendary Rough Rider leader also presented Model 1886s to his friends. The Model 1886 was manufactured from 1886 to 1935, and the production total reached just under 160,000, but surviving examples in exceptionally high condition are rarely encountered. The '86 was a "working man's gun" and thus surviving examples typically display all the character of hard use. Roosevelt used one of his rifles so much that it was sent back to the factory multiple times for repairs. This rifle is in truly extraordinary, near new condition and has all the fantastic appearance of just coming off the production line and has the desirable and stunning vivid color casehardened frame and furniture. It provides a very rare glimpse at what a Model 1886 would have looked like fresh from the gun shop in the early 1890s. It is certainly worthy of the finest public or private collection. The factory letter indicates this rifle was serial numbered on September 9, 1891, was received in the warehouse on October 17, 1891, as a rifle in .40-82 with a 28 inch octagon barrel and plain trigger, and was shipped on October 20, 1891, in order 13363. In 1891, a powerful rifle would have still been highly valued on the wilds of the American West where big and sometimes dangerous game was plentiful. The top barrel flat has the two-line Winchester New Haven address ahead of the rear sight and “40-82 W.C.F.” at the breech. The rifle is fitted with a dovetail blade front sight and an elevation adjustable rear sight. The upper tang is marked “-MODEL 1886-.” The lower tang has the two-line patent dates marking and the serial number. The forend cap, receiver, hammer, lever, and buttplate are casehardened, and the remaining surfaces are blued. The forearm and straight grip stock are straight grain walnut. The buttstock is fitted with a crescent buttplate. These rifles were chambered in a variety of large calibers, all of which offered anyone in the West the comfort of knowing they had a rifle capable of stopping nearly anything thrown at it. This rifle is chambered in the rarer .40-82 W.C.F. This caliber was introduced in 1885 for the Winchester Model 1885 single shot rifle also designed by Browning and was available for the Model 1886 into the early 20th century but was then discontinued. The .40-82 W.C.F. was loaded with a 200 grain bullet and 82 grains of black powder and could be used to take everything from deer up to big game including moose and was favored by many big game hunters. Rifles in this caliber are rarely encountered today due to many being altered over the last century to more available calibers. However, modern specialty companies again offer .40-82 W.C.F. ammo and components today, and hunters are still taking game with these rifles.

Excellent plus, near new. The barrel and magazine tube retain 99% original blue finish. The bolt retains 99% original blue finish. Nearly all of the original blue remains on the loading gate. The receiver, hammer, and lever retain 98% plus vivid original case colors with slight fading along the high edges. 90% original case colors remain on the buttplate. The wood is also excellent plus with the slightest handling marks. Minor repair to the upper and lower tang areas on the right side of the buttstock for preservations purposes. Mechanically excellent. Winchester Model 1886 rifles were often used hard as working guns on the Western Frontier and thus, examples in phenomenal condition like this one are incredibly scarce. This is the finest standard configuration Winchester Model 1886 lever action rifle that we have had the pleasure of cataloging.