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LOT 38
Excellent Winchester Model 1886 Lever Action Takedown Rifle in
Desirable .45-70 Caliber with Threaded Muzzle - Serial no. 146474, 45-70
cal., 26 inch round bbl., blue finish, walnut stock. Manufactured in 1908. The rifle is fitted with a suppressor height blade front sight,
a folding tang peep sight, and a half magazine,
and the rear barrel sight dovetail is empty. The barrel has a threaded muzzle. Unfortunately, there are no factory records available for this rifle. Per Winchester expert and author George Madis, only
“a few Winchesters” left the factory with “threads cut on the barrel or by a method similar to an angular bayonet attachment for muskets and carbines” for the purpose of attaching a silencer (see “The Winchester Book,” page 467). We cannot guarantee that the aforementioned feature is factory. A Winchester factory oval
proof is stamped on the barrel and receiver at the breech. The barrel is stamped with the two-line Winchester address/patent dates marking and “45-70” on top and “NICKEL STEEL” on the left side. The lower tang has the patent
date marking and the serial number. The magazine takedown latch is stamped with the 1893 patent date. The forearm and straight grip stock are nicely figured
plain walnut. The stock is fitted with a crescent buttplate.
CONDITION: Excellent, retaining 97% plus bright original blue finish with some flaking turned brown on the tangs and some minor scratches visible on the receiver. Patterns of original case colors remain on the buttplate. 90% plus original case colors remain on the hammer and lever. The wood is very fine with scattered scratches and some minor handling marks. Mechanically excellent.
Estimate: 9,500 - 15,000
factory letter lists the rifle in .30 caliber with a round barrel, plain trigger, extra light, takedown, and a plain checkered pistol grip stock when received at the warehouse on 24 May 1899 and shipped the same day in
order number 28298. The special order, 26 inch, rapid taper barrel is marked with the standard two-line address and
caliber marking on the top, and the two-line nickel steel marking on the upper left. The three-line model, trademark, and patent dates are marked on the upper tang, and the serial number is on the bottom front of the receiver. The
left side of the lower tang is marked “6973CF”, with “6973” repeated on the butt of the stock, and “4376” on the inside of the
buttplate. It is fitted with a ramped German silver blade front sight and a three-leaf express rear sight. It is mounted with a nicely figured I-pattern checkered forearm and pistol grip stock with a hard rubber Winchester grip cap and a casehardened crescent buttplate. According to
George Madis in “The Winchester Book”, the I-pattern checkering that this rifle features was not actually offered or advertised in catalogs but was applied by the factory when “minimal checkering” was requested, making these “semi-deluxe” rifles more scarce than their deluxe checkered counterparts.
CONDITION: Very fine, retains 70% plus of the bright original high polish blue finish, 90% of the original niter blue on the loading gate, and 50% of the vibrant original case colors with the balance having thinned to a smooth grey patina. The wood is very good with numerous scattered minor dings and scratches, mild staining visible near the buttplate, and otherwise well-defined checkering. Mechanically excellent. A very attractive special order Winchester Model 1894 semi- deluxe rifle!
Estimate: 7,500 - 11,000
47
LOT 39
Desirable Documented Special Order Winchester Semi-Deluxe Model 1894
Lever Action Lightweight Takedown Rifle with Factory Letter - Serial no. 58882, 30 WCF cal., 26 inch lightweight round bbl., blue finish, walnut stock.
Manufactured in 1899, this is a scarce example of a special
order Winchester semi-deluxe Model 1894 rifle. The included