This is a very fine example of a Winchester Model 1886 Sporting Rifle that was manufactured c. 1893. This rifle has a full octagon 26-inch barrel with full length magazine. The barrel has a Beach folding combination front sight with a blank in the rear sight dovetail. A Lyman folding combination rear sight with coarsely knurled post is mounted on the receiver tang. The rifle has a blue finish on the barrel, magazine, bolt, trigger and loading port cover with casehardened forearm cap, receiver, hammer, lever and crescent buttplate. The stock and forearm are varnished, straight grain American walnut. 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, "38-56 W.C.F." is roll-stamped on the top barrel flat just ahead of the receiver. The 1884 and 1885 patent dates are roll-stamped on the lower tang immediately behind the trigger and the serial number is roll-stamped in serif numerals between the tang screws.

Very fine. The barrel and magazine retain 80% plus of the original blue finish with some edge wear at the muzzle and the edges of the barrel flats. The front and tang sights appear to be period additions; there are scuff marks on the top of the barrel in the approximate location of the original buckhorn rear sight and a number of scratches on both sides of the barrel below the rear sight dove-tail. The Winchester legend and caliber markings are crisp. The bolt has nearly all of the blue finish while the loading gate shows moderate wear and retains about 75% finish. The forearm cap, receiver, hammer, and lever have 85% of the casehardened finish with vivid case colors. Wear is limited to some silvering on high points. The case colors on the buttplate have faded to a smooth silver patina. The stock and forearm are in very fine overall condition and retain nearly 90% of the original varnish finish with scattered handling marks. There are a number of noticeable shallow scratches on the right side of the stock that run from the top of the comb to the lower right edge of the stock.