1873man said

I remember a story I read about but I can't recall where about one that went north with a gold miner and he left it in the mine probably because he could carry 9 pounds more gold out without it. 
Bob
  

Wouldn't shock me at all that some ended up in the hands of folks that just viewed them as tools, etc. and they just withered away like so many others have. That's the stuff that keeps me up at night wondering about...

Dave M. said
Bert,
Here's another solid receiver 55 in 32 WS.  S/N 1077960
  

I had previously documented this rifle, and I noted that it has a Mail Order (P) marked barrel.

Thanks,

Bert

Chris D said
Thanks Bob. So how many 1/1000 1873s were made by Winchester? 
  

I have 135 of them.

Jeremy P said
I love the mystery of all of it. Can't help but wonder where they all are or what happened to them.
  

I remember a story I read about but I can't recall where about one that went north with a gold miner and he left it in the mine probably because he could carry 9 pounds more gold out without it. 

Bob

Here's another solid receiver 55 in 32 WS.  S/N 1077960

Bob

Jeremy P said
Wow, the "birth" of a new 1of1000 before our very eyes? Very cool!
  

IIRC a significant percentage are unaccounted for. Pretty cool that this one has been in the same family for so long.

Mike

steve004 said
There's another WACA magazine article that sheds further light on this picture.  At least for me:
Spring, 2021 pages 54 to 54 titled, "From the McCracken Research Library" edited by Brad Dunbar. One of the items of interests is 
the posting of a clip from the 1927 American Rifleman magazine titled, "WINCHESTER DISCONTINUES MODEL 95 RIFLE IN .30-06 CALIBER."  The clip goes on to state:
The Winchester Repeating Arms Company have decided to discontinue the manufacture of their well-known Model 95 repeating lever action rifle in .30-06 caliber.  In regard to this they state:
"As our Model 54 rifle is a much more modern arm in every respect than the Model 95 lever action, and better adapted to handling the recently developed cartridges with their high velocities and corresponding pressures, we have decided to obsolete the Model 95 in the .30 Government .06 caliber."
We do not regard this as much of a loss, except to the left-handed shooter, for we agree with the Winchester Company that their Model 54 bolt-action rifle, of which we have invariably been having the finest kind of reports from satisfied sportsman and riflemen all over the the world, is a very much more modern and satisfactory weapon.  It is presumed that the manufacture of the Model 95 Winchester in .30-40 Krag, .303 British, .35 W.C.F., and .405 W.C.F. calibers will be continued.  All these cartridges are rimmed cartridges, and the maintenance of a satisfactory head space with them in a lever-action rifle is a much simple matter than with a rimless case like the .30-06.  Also, these cartridges give considerably less breech pressure than the .30-06 cartridge. 
The is yet more information in the 2021 article - a great addition to this evolving multi-chapter story.
  

The above statement reminds me of something I read on our forum a few years ago.  I think it was Tim Tomlinson who said that he had put a no-go gauge in the chamber of every .30-06 M1895 where he had a chance to do so - and every time the bolt closed?

Brodg88 said
Hello Experts, 
My next question is about the engraving. If it's not a Nimschke, then who would know where to look to get more detail about the period and place and person who did this kind of work? Anything is helpful at this point!
  

It is highly unlikely that you will find more detail or who actually did the work.  The fact that the "LDN" has been faked indicates (at least to me), that the engraving was added in recent times (1990s or later), and that it was done with the express intent to deceive a potential buyer.  People of that ilk do not openly advertise who they are.

Bert

For me, the most interesting recent piece of information was the posting of Winchester's public notice stating that they considered the Model 1895 in .30-06 obsolete.  This of course makes sense at the Model 1895 was on the way out and the Model 54 in .30-06 was on the way in.  As the only Model 1895 chambering the M54 came in was the .30-06, it's coming together for me - once they stated they considered the '06 in the M1895 obsolete - they sure didn't envision much prospect for using up all the .30-06 '95 barrels they had on hand.