Lot 20: Winchester Deluxe Model 1886 Lever Action Rifle

This Model 1886 Fancy Sporting Rifle was manufactured by the Winchester Repeating Arms Co. c. 1891. This deluxe rifle has the very desirable color casehardened receiver and deluxe, highly figured, fancy grade walnut forearm and pistol grip stock with Winchester "Style H" checkering. The stock has an ebony inlay on the pistol grip and crescent steel buttplate. A special order sling swivel is mounted on the stock and an eyelet for a detachable sling swivel is mounted on the forearm cap. Left side of tang marked "373 XX", buttstock inlet marked "373", and replaced buttplate marked "252". The rifle has a 26-inch octagon barrel with full-length magazine. The barrel has a dovetail mounted sporting front sight with nickel-silver blade and buckhorn, sporting style, rear sight with serrated edges and screw-adjustable center-piece. The upper receiver tang is factory drilled and tapped. 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: "45-90 W.C.F." is roll-stamped on the top barrel flat between the rear sight and the receiver. The upper receiver tang is roll-stamped: "-MODEL 1886-". 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. The barrel and magazine tube have a blue finish. The bolt, loading gate, trigger and sling swivel are bright blue. The forearm cap, receiver, hammer, lever and crescent buttplate are color casehardened. The fancy grade walnut stock and forearm have a high polish piano finish.

Fine. The barrel retains 70% of the blue finish with sharp markings. The magazine band shows light edge wear, and the blue on the lightly scratched magazine tube has a mottled plum patina that shows dark pitting on the bottom forward portion. The bolt retains 95% of the bright blue finish. 80% of the bright blue finish is present on the loading gate. The trigger has nearly all of the blue finish. The case colors on the receiver have faded to a mottled silver-gray; the receiver has 30% of the faded case colors with stronger colors on the right side. The forearm cap retains 70% of the original case colors. Most of the case colors are present on the hammer, and the lever has 50% of the case colors. The crescent buttplate retains 30% of the silvered case colors. The fancy grade walnut stock and forearm are in excellent condition and retain most of the high gloss piano finish. Wear is limited to a few scattered and very insignificant handling marks. The checkered panels on the stock and forearm are in very fine-excellent condition; wear is limited to two small bruises and some light scratches on the left side of the stock wrist. This is a fine example of a desirable Winchester Deluxe Model 1886 Fancy Sporting Rifle with color casehardened receiver and checkered, fancy grade forearm and pistol grip stock. Provenance: The Corner Stone Collection.