Page 34 - 87-BOOK1

LOT 20
Exceptional Winchester Deluxe Model 1895 Lever Action Rifle in .35 WCF with Factory Letter - Serial no. 38201,
35 WCF cal., 24 inch round bbl., blue finish, fancy checkered walnut stock. This is
an excellent example of a deluxe Winchester Model 1895 lever action rifle that is
chambered in the very scarce .35 W.C.F. This cartridge was the last cartridge actually
developed for this model before production stopped. The accompanying factory letter (copy) confirms the .35
caliber chambering, oil finish checkered fancy stock, Lyman front and receiver sight, and hard rubber shotgun
buttplate along with a blank rear seat which is now occupied by a No. 22D Winchester adjustable elevation sight.
The letter also states the rifle was received in the warehouse on October 25, 1902 and shipped on October 27. The
barrel has the two-line nickel steel marking on the left side, “35 WCF” at the breech and import marked on the underside. The
upper tang is marked “WINCHESTER/1895.” The lower tang has the serial number. The rifle is fitted with a No. 21 Lyman adjustable rear sight
and a No. 4 Lyman bead front sight, and the receiver has a small matted non-reflective roll marking on top of the chamber. The sides of the receiver
tangs are unmarked. The stock inlet has the number “95.” The checkered forearm and straight grip stock are 3x select grade walnut. The buttstock is fitted with a
Winchester logo black hard rubber buttplate. The Schnabel tipped forend has an ebony insert. According to Winchester expert and author George Madis, about 387 Model
1895s featured checkered or carved stocks (see “The Winchester Book,” page 460). Higher grade finishes “will be found less often on the Model 95 than on other models,” continued Madis, “partly due to the fact that it was a higher-power arm intended for the more rugged hunting.” This deluxe rifle certainly makes for a rare Model 1895.
CONDITION: Excellent plus, retaining 97% original blue finish with slight cycling marks on the lever and box magazine. The wood is also excellent with very minimal handling marks and crisp checkering. Mechanically excellent. This deluxe Winchester Model 1895 Rifle in .35 WCF will certainly make a grand statement to any lever action collection.
Provenance: The Wayne Connor Collection.
32 Estimate: 18,000 - 27,500