The Cody letter describes this Winchester Model 1886 as: "Type Rifle, Caliber: 45/90, Barrel Type: Octagon," and "Trigger: Plain". The letter further states that this rifle was shipped from Winchester on November 12, 1892 and returned for repair on May 10, 1900. (It is was at this time that the writer believes it was upgraded to deluxe configuration.) The rifle has a full octagon barrel and full length magazine. The barrel has a sporting style front sight with nickel-silver blade and buckhorn style rear sight. The rear sight has a phosphorate finish and is a period replacement. A Lyman folding combination rear sight is mounted on the upper receiver tang. The barrel and magazine have a blue finish. The bolt is high polish blue and the loading gate and trigger have a fire blue finish. The forearm cap, receiver, hammer, lever and crescent buttplate are casehardened with vivid case colors. The stock and forearm are highly figured, fancy grain, walnut with a high polish piano finish and Winchester "Style H" checkering. 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 designation "45-90 W.C.F" is roll-stamped on the top barrel flat between the rear sight and the receiver. "-MODEL 1886-" is roll-stamped on the upper receiver tang. The 1884 and 1885 patent dates are roll-stamped on the lower tang behind the trigger and the serial number is stamped in script letters between the tang screws. The assembly number "22" followed by a horizontal "S" is stamped on the lower left side of the tang beneath the stock wrist. "22" is stamped in the upper tang inlet of the stock and on the rear of the stock beneath the buttplate. "S" is stamped on the inside of the buttplate near the toe.

Very fine as factory upgraded. The rifle retains 95% plus of the blue, bright blue, fire blue and casehardened finish. Nearly all of the blue finish is present on the barrel and magazine; wear is limited to a few scattered and very insignificant spots of age discoloration on the barrel. The Winchester legend and caliber markings are sharp. The bolt has 98% of the bright blue finish. Nearly all of the fire blue finish is present on the loading gate and trigger. The forearm cap, receiver, hammer and sides of the lever have more than 95% of the casehardened finish with vivid case colors. The case colors on the bottom of the lever have faded slightly to a brown patina but remain at least 90% intact. The buttplate retains 90% of the casehardened finish with some scattered spots of age discoloration on the heel and bottom. The highly figured, fancy grain, walnut stock and forearm remain in excellent condition with crisp checkering and 95% plus of the high polish piano finish. Wear is limited to a few scattered and very minor handling marks; the most significant of which are some very superficial scratches on the left side of the stock at the junction with the buttplate. This is an exceptional example of a scarce and very desirable special order Winchester Model 1886 Fancy Sporting Rifle.