Michael

Michael 

TXGunNut said
Your patience and dedication has paid off again, Michael. If it wasn't for the ledger entries most of us would have never considered the possibility of factory engraving. The story behind this order could be very interesting. 
 
Mike
  

The new/current owner just purchased the engraved rifle at an auction.  I have asked him to try to reach out to the auction house on his behalf to see if the previous owner would/could help in tracing the heritage of the gun back a bit further.  I also know another collector in France who is looking into anything that might point to older provenance.  Hopefully there will not be too tall of a brick wall in the chase.

Michael

Mike

tsbccut said
Michael,
Echoing Steve's post, this is fascinating information. Your work, along with the others working on various models, is greatly appreciated.
Tom
  

Thanks Tom.  This one is especially interesting to work on.  The variation in the usage of the barrel address styles does make me scratch my head at times.  When I look at the Model 1892's these stamp styles change numerous times and not always consistently across the various configurations.  Consistency was not a hallmark within the Winchester manufacturing process.  

Michael

Echoing Steve's post, this is fascinating information. Your work, along with the others working on various models, is greatly appreciated.

Tom

Zebulon said
From what I can see of the receiver, it appears to have been a high grade, engraved and probably French gray receiver that has been refinished to a matte blue. The engraving seems have been rendered less distinct by polishing. 
French gray receivers with engraving and gold overlays were a common feature of Grade 2 or High Grade Miroku Brownings and Winchesters. Tang safeties were not installed on the Brownng branded rifles so the base receiver is almost certainly a Winchester branded one. 
If you would, I would like to see a complete list of all the marks, by location. 
Unless shown evidence to the contrary, I believe this is a non-factory hybrid modified gun. 
  

I need to apologize: The weapon is a 30/06 not a 45/70. Here are all the markings on the weapon. On the right side under the real sight it says “ Winchester” under Winchester it says. License. Under license it says. US Repeating Arms Co USA. Under that it says Made in Japan. On top,in front of the receiver it says 30/06 cal. Under the rear sight on the left side it says It says Especially made for Smokeless Powder, under that is says Special Steel Barrel. On the right side of the receiver to the rear it says NF 1320.  My 45/70 is a model 1886. Sorry. I am glad. I did not try to shoot it?

My references indicate that the last Model 88 serial number (in the year 1973) was 283718, or (310) after your Model 88.  

I am extremely doubtful that the U.S. Repeating Arms Company (USRACo) would have assembled any Model 88 rifles after they purchased the New Haven factory from Olin (Winchester) in December of 1980.  Any Model 88 parts clean-up assembly would have taken place in the immediate years after regular production was ceased in late 1973, certainly no later than early 1980.

Bert

French gray receivers with engraving and gold overlays were a common feature of Grade 2 or High Grade Miroku Brownings and Winchesters. Tang safeties were not installed on the Brownng branded rifles so the base receiver is almost certainly a Winchester branded one. 

If you would, I would like to see a complete list of all the marks, by location. 

Unless shown evidence to the contrary, I believe this is a non-factory hybrid modified gun. 

FN Herstal has never catalogued a Model 1895 chambered for the 45-70 cartridge, whether branded as a Browning or Winchester product. 

The photo showing a blued, engraved receiver is unusual, as well. 

Could you measure and report the exact barrel.length with a cleaning rod from bolt face to muzzle? 

Would you mind to post a closeup image of the barrel rollmark of the caliber. 

The tang safety and "special steel" rollmark are consistent with Miroku built, Winchester branded rifles sold by FNH through its Browning Arms Company subsidiary, d/b/a Winchester Repeating Arms. 

The odds strongly favor this being a one-off modified gun. If the caliber designation on the barrel has been altered, i would guess a .405 WCF barrel has been rebored to .458, assuming that is possible, and the barrel threads set back to allow rechambering to the shorter cartridge. A non-standard barrel length would be evidence of this. 

Alternatively, MIroku has made round tapered 45-70 barrels for Model 1886 rifles, from time to time. Could this rifle have been rebarreled with one of those?