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My recent 1890 addiction is getting obsessive...
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Ben
Northeast Washington
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June 5, 2026 - 8:16 pm
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I was told about this rifle at the Greeley show last month.  Griff sent pics this morning… I sent a check at lunch today.  It will be delivered to me at Cody. Jumping in with both feet.  I don’t mind honest wear on a gun as long as the bores are nice.  What I really liked was the “Browning Brothers” stamp on the barrel.  I may need an intervention soon….

https://www.antiqueguns.com/shop/gr-0526-6941-antique-winchester-model-1890-slide-action-browning-brothers-stamped-buy-now/

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Zebulon
Texas
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June 5, 2026 - 9:10 pm
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Ben,  the ” Browning Bros” marking and the good bore in an early rimfire are well worth the money you paid for that one!

Unless somebody knows something I don’t know or the serial indicates a d.o.m. too late for the proposition, this rifle was likely part of the payment to Browning for one of the designs he sold to Winchester, although not necessarily for the Model 1890 design rights.

My understanding was Winchester paid Browning Bros for design rights with a combination of cash and merchandise, the latter of which was then taken into inventory and sold at retail by Browning Bros at their Ogden store. 

Your rifle really brings that history to life. 

Congratulations. 

- Bill 

 

WACA # 65205; life member, NRA; member, TGCA; member, TSRA; amateur preservationist

"I have seen wicked men and fools, a great many of both, and I believe they both get paid in the end, but the fools first." -- David Balfour, narrator and protagonist of the novel, Kidnapped, by Robert Louis Stevenson.

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Bert H.
Kingston, WA
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June 5, 2026 - 9:22 pm
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Zebulon said
Ben,  the ” Browning Bros” marking and the good bore in an early rimfire are well worth the money you paid for that one!
Unless somebody knows something I don’t know or the serial indicates a d.o.m. too late for the proposition, this rifle was likely part of the payment to Browning for one of the designs he sold to Winchester, although not necessarily for the Model 1890 design rights.
My understanding was Winchester paid Browning Bros for design rights with a combination of cash and merchandise, the latter of which was then taken into inventory and sold at retail by Browning Bros at their Ogden store. 
Your rifle really brings that history to life. 
Congratulations. 
  

It is indeed a “patent” payment rifle.  I have (3) Single Shot rifles and (1) Model 1873 rifle with the similar marking.  The early Winchester patent payment guns were marked “U.T.” for Utah Territory.

Browning-stamp-2.jpeg

After Utah became a state (in January 1896), the Browning brothers removed the “T.” from the stamp;

Browning-Bros.-marking-close-up.jpg

Bert

WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
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TXGunNut
Northern edge of the D/FW Metromess
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June 5, 2026 - 10:52 pm
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Ben-

Since you seem to be on an 1890 binge be sure to see me about an 1890 in WRF in Cody.

 

Mike

Life Member TSRA, Endowment Member NRA
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Smokeless powder is a passing fad! -Steve Garbe
I hate rude behavior in a man. I won't tolerate it. -Woodrow F. Call, Lonesome Dove
Some of my favorite recipes start out with a handful of depleted counterbalance devices.-TXGunNut
Presbyopia be damned, I'm going to shoot this thing! -TXGunNut
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Zebulon
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June 6, 2026 - 2:46 am
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Bert H. said

Zebulon said
Ben,  the ” Browning Bros” marking and the good bore in an early rimfire are well worth the money you paid for that one!
Unless somebody knows something I don’t know or the serial indicates a d.o.m. too late for the proposition, this rifle was likely part of the payment to Browning for one of the designs he sold to Winchester, although not necessarily for the Model 1890 design rights.
My understanding was Winchester paid Browning Bros for design rights with a combination of cash and merchandise, the latter of which was then taken into inventory and sold at retail by Browning Bros at their Ogden store. 
Your rifle really brings that history to life. 
Congratulations. 
  

It is indeed a “patent” payment rifle.  I have (3) Single Shot rifles and (1) Model 1873 rifle with the similar marking.  The early Winchester patent payment guns were marked “U.T.” for Utah Territory.

After Utah became a state (in January 1896), the Browning brothers removed the “T.” from the stamp;

Bert
  

Bert,  Because you have a patent payment Model 1873,  would it be correct to say patent payment arms consisted of whatever Winchester models Browning Bros. wanted for inventory at the time? That is, there was no correlation between the models ordered as partial payment and the  model patented for which  the payment was due.

- Bill 

 

WACA # 65205; life member, NRA; member, TGCA; member, TSRA; amateur preservationist

"I have seen wicked men and fools, a great many of both, and I believe they both get paid in the end, but the fools first." -- David Balfour, narrator and protagonist of the novel, Kidnapped, by Robert Louis Stevenson.

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Bert H.
Kingston, WA
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June 6, 2026 - 5:01 am
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Zebulon said

Bert H. said

Zebulon said
Ben,  the ” Browning Bros” marking and the good bore in an early rimfire are well worth the money you paid for that one!
Unless somebody knows something I don’t know or the serial indicates a d.o.m. too late for the proposition, this rifle was likely part of the payment to Browning for one of the designs he sold to Winchester, although not necessarily for the Model 1890 design rights.
My understanding was Winchester paid Browning Bros for design rights with a combination of cash and merchandise, the latter of which was then taken into inventory and sold at retail by Browning Bros at their Ogden store. 
Your rifle really brings that history to life. 
Congratulations. 
  

It is indeed a “patent” payment rifle.  I have (3) Single Shot rifles and (1) Model 1873 rifle with the similar marking.  The early Winchester patent payment guns were marked “U.T.” for Utah Territory.
After Utah became a state (in January 1896), the Browning brothers removed the “T.” from the stamp;
Bert
  

Bert,  Because you have a patent payment Model 1873,  would it be correct to say patent payment arms consisted of whatever Winchester models Browning Bros. wanted for inventory at the time? That is, there was no correlation between the models ordered as partial payment and the  model patented for which  the payment was due.
  

Bill,

Yes, that is true.  The Browning Brothers undoubtedly provided Winchester with a list of the Models they wanted and how many.

Bert

WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
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