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LOT 10
Exceptional Winchester Model 1866 Lever Action Saddle Ring Carbine with Factory Letter - Serial no. 168988, 44 RF cal., 20 inch round bbl., blue finish, walnut stock. This is an extraordinary example of a Fourth Model 1866 carbine that was manufactured by the Winchester Repeating Arms Co. in 1891. The included factory letter confirms the carbines configurations, and lists it as being received in the warehouse on May 07, 1891. Changed to Rim on August 18, 1898, (it began as centerfire per the factory letter). Shipped from
the warehouse on August 18, 1898, order number 2603, received in the warehouse on August 18, 1899. Then shipped from the warehouse on September 26, 1901, order number 113108. The carbine has the distinctive brass receiver with blue 20-inch barrel, 13-shot magazine and barrel bands. The hammer, lever, trigger and carbine style iron buttplate
are color casehardened. The loading gate and bolt are niter blue. The stock and forearm
are oil finished straight grain American walnut. The carbine has the Fourth Model features which include: receiver profile with less drop ahead of the hammer than earlier models, iron buttplate with sliding brass trapdoor and serial number stamped on the lower tang between the lever latch and tang screw. A staple mounted saddle ring is located on the
left side of the receiver. The upper tang is factory drilled and tapped for a rear sight. The barrel has a block mounted steel front sight located behind the upper barrel band and
late sporting style folding leaf rear sight marked “1873” and graduated to 900 yards. The magazine has the late style screw fastened cap. The hammer has forged bordered knurling on the spur. The butt trap contains a four piece jointed steel cleaning rod with brass tip. The top of the barrel is roll stamped with the second style legend “WINCHESTER’S-REPEATING- ARMS. NEW HAVEN. CT./KING’S-IMPROVEMENT-PATENTED-MARCH 29. 1866. OCTOBER 16. 1860.” ahead of the rear sight and the late “44 B” caliber marking between the rear sight and the receiver. “44 CAL” is stamped in script letters on the bottom of the cartridge elevator. The serial number is stamped in script numerals on the lower receiver tang.
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