The Cody letter describes "Model 1886, serial number 95905" as: "Rifle, 45-70, Octagon barrel, Plain trigger, Shotgun butt" and "Takedown". The letter states this rifle was shipped from Winchester on February 21, 1895. The rifle has a blue finish on the barrel, magazine, forearm cap, receiver, bolt and shotgun buttplate. The loading gate is fire blue. The hammer, trigger and lever are color casehardened. The stock and forearm are nicely figured "Extra Finish" walnut with a piano finish. "Extra Finish" walnut is frequently found on rifles with special order features. The barrel has a Beach folding combination front sight with white bead and special order Lyman folding leaf rear sight. This sight has two leaves; one has a flat top with white triangle and the other has a wide "v". A Lyman folding combination rear sight with coarse knurled post and folding insert is mounted on the receiver tang. The top barrel flat is roll-stamped with the two-line legend: "-MANUFACTURED BY THE-/ -WINCHESTER REPEATING ARMS CO. NEW HAVEN. CONN. U.S.A.-" ahead of the rear sight. The caliber: "45-70" is roll-stamped on the top barrel flat ahead of the receiver. The 1884/1885 patent dates are roll-stamped on the lower tang behind the trigger, and the serial number is roll stamped in script numerals between the tang screws.

Exceptionally fine. The barrel has 85% of the blue finish with some traces of edge wear. The barrel markings are sharp. The barrel band and magazine have some takedown scuff marks but retains 90% of the blue finish. The forearm cap shows some finish wear but retains 90% of the blue. The blue on the sides and bottom of the takedown collar is thin. The receiver has 85% plus of the bright original high polish blue finish; most of the wear is concentrated along the upper left edge of the receiver and on the high-points of the front edges. The balance of the receiver has nearly all of the blue finish. The bolt and extractor retain nearly all of the blue finish. The loading gate retains 75% of the original nitre blue finish. The shotgun buttplate has 80% of the blue with wear on the heel and edges and some scattered spots of age discoloration. The hammer, trigger and lever have nearly all of the case colors. The nicely figured stock and forearm are in excellent condition and retain 95% of the piano finish. The only significant wear consists of two large bruises on the lower left side of the stock behind the tang and some minor discoloration and an indentation visible on the bottom of the stock near the buttplate. This is an exceptional example of a special order Winchester Model 1886 Takedown Rifle.