Manufactured in 1896. This rifle is accompanied by a factory letter that describes it as: "rifle, 45/70 caliber, octagon barrel, plain trigger, checkered stock, pistol grip, Lyman rear, Lyman leaf, Lyman hunting front sights, shotgun butt, rubber buttplate, takedown" and "casehardened." The letter states that this rifle was shipped from Winchester on June 16, 1896. The rifle has the very desirable color casehardened receiver with casehardened hammer and lever and is one of only 7 known casehardened 1886 takedown rifles. The upper receiver tang is factory drilled and tapped. Winchester eyelets for detachable sling swivels are mounted on the stock and forearm tip. The forearm and pistol grip stock are highly figured, fancy grade walnut with a high gloss piano finish and Winchester "Style H" checkering. 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 dovetail. The caliber designation "45-70" is stamped on the top barrel flat. The upper receiver tang is roll-stamped: "-MODEL 1886-". This rifle is pictured on the cover of the Winter 1986 edition of "The Winchester Repeater."

Excellent plus representing the finest rifle in its storied configuration. Exhibiting 98% of the song original blue and vivid casehardened finish. The edges of the magazine retainer have some very minor edge wear, but the magazine tube and takedown collar are free from the finish wear typically found on rifles with takedown barrels. The loading gate has nearly all of the fire blue finish. The vivid case colors on the receiver and hammer show almost no wear. The loading lever shows traces of handling wear but retains about 95% of the bright case colors. The stock and forearm both remain in excellent condition and have most of the original piano finish. The letter prepared by R.L Wilson for this rifle concludes: "This rifle is in a remarkable state of preservation, brilliant in its stock grain and finish, and particularly in the striking casehardened colors and rich blue". This is one of the very finest Model 1886 fancy takedown sporting rifles extant. Provenance: John R. Woods Collection and Robert M. Lee Collection.