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LOT 1018
Excellent Documented Casehardened Frame Winchester Model 1886 Lever Action Rifle in .45-70 with Factory Letter - Serial no. 35700, 45-70 cal., 26 inch octagon bbl., blue/casehardened finish, walnut stock. The included factory letter lists this incredibly high condition Winchester Model 1886 rifle in .45-70 with an octagon barrel, and plain trigger and confirms it was received in the warehouse on November 2, 1889, and shipped on November 20, 1889, with 23 other arms to order number 5894. The barrel has a dovetailed nickel-silver blade front sight, notch and folding ladder rear sight, the two-line address, and the caliber designation “45-70” on top at the breech. The desirable casehardened frame has “-MODEL 1886-” on the upper tang and the serial number in script numerals on the lower tang. The Winchester Model 1886 designed by John Moses Browning was the first Winchester repeater capable of firing the popular .45-70 Government ammunition, and Model 1886s in this caliber remain in very high demand, especially antique examples like this one with stunning original color casehardened finish on the frames and furniture. Rifles in .45-70 were naturally very popular in the American West where the caliber proved itself as a good big game cartridge.
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