Special order, Deluxe, Winchester Model 1895 Flat-Side Rifle manufactured in 1897. the flat-side receiver is found only on the first 5000 Winchester Model 1895 rifles. This rifle is accompanied by a Cody Firearms Museum letter that describes it as: "Rifle, 38/72, Octagon barrel, Plain trigger", and "Checkered stock with pistol grip". The letter states that this rifle was shipped from Winchester on May 12, 1897, and returned for repair on March 19, 1898. The reason the rifle was returned to Winchester is not identified. Also included with the rifle is a four page, hand-written, evaluation by author and Winchester expert George Madis. The rifle has a special order, 26-inch, full octagon, barrel chambered for the 38-72 WCF cartridge. The barrel has a Lyman front sight with white insert and a sporting style, buckhorn, rear sight with adjustable center-piece and serrated edges. The pistol grip stock and schnabel forearm are highly figured, deluxe, XXX, fancy grain walnut with factory Style H checkering and high polish piano finish. The forearm has an ebony tip and the pistol grip is fitted with a black, hard rubber, cap embossed "WINCHESTER REPEATING ARMS". The barrel, flat-side receiver, magazine and lever are blued and the hammer and crescent buttplate are color casehardened. The top barrel flat is roll-stamped: "-MANUFACTURED BY THE-/-WINCHESTER REPEATING ARMS CO. NEW HAVEN. CONN. U.S.A.-' in two lines ahead of the rear sight. "38-72 W.C.F." is roll-stamped on the top barrel flat between the rear sight and the receiver. The upper tang is roll-stamped: "WINCHESTER/ -MODEL 1895-" in two lines. Two 1895 patent dates are stamped behind the trigger in two lines. The serial number "2205" is stamped across the lower tang between the tang screws. The bottom of the barrel underneath the forearm is stamped with a five-pointed star followed by the serial number "2205", the letters "V.P. within an oval, the initials "J.P.P.", "C.A.C." and the caliber "38-72". The Madis letter explains that the star is a Winchester assembler's mark, the encircled "V.P." is a Winchester proof mark, and that "J.P.P." and "C.A.C." are initials of Winchester employees who worked on special order rifles. "J.P.P" has been identified as J.P. Parker. "C.A.C." remains unidentified. The Madis letter notes that serial numbers on barrel are unusual and are only found on special rifles. The letter further states that the inside of the lower tang is marked "XXX" which indicates both the grade of the wood and also the degree of fitting on the stock and forearm. A letter form the Cody Firearms Museum states that only 267 Model 1895 rifles were made with pistol grip stocks.

Very fine. The rifle is all original (as stated in the Madis letter) and retains 70% plus of the blue finish overall. 80% of the blue finish remains on the barrel; wear is limited to some very limited finish loss on the barrel edges and several tiny spots of age discoloration. The blue on the upper right side of the receiver and the lever linkage shows moderate handling wear with a few minor scratches and has faded to a silver-gray patina on contact points. The left side of the receiver has less wear with most of the finish loss confined to the receiver high points and the lever linkage. The rear edges of the magazine show the usual cycling scuff marks. The magazine bottom and lower edges show light-moderate handling wear. The blue finish on the lever has faded to a mottled silver-blue patina. The case colors on the crescent buttplate have faded to a silver-gray patina with a few scattered spots of age discoloration. The highly figured, "XXX", fancy walnut stock and forearm remain in very good overall condition with at least 90% of the high polish piano finish intact. The checkered panels are sharp. Wear is limited to a few scattered, minor, handling marks. This is a very fine example of a scarce and well-documented Deluxe, Winchester Model 1895 Flat-Side Rifle.