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Has any one ever done or have knowledge of a survey of the upper grades of carved and checkered stocks, by this I mean A thru F style carving on 1886’s?
Carved stocks are rare on any Winchester lever-action rifle… regardless of which model. Typically, carved stocks are found on factory engraved guns. I do not believe that I have ever encountered a Winchester with carved stocks that was not also engraved.
Bert
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
I have 2 1886 guns with carved stocks.
Bert , remember I have the E carved 1885 that is not engraved. It is the only one I have ever seen.
Jeremy Scott.
WACA LIFE MEMBER, CFM MEMBER, ABKA MEMBER, JSSC MEMBER, MNO HISTORIAN
November 5, 2014
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For Bert-
I know it’s not a M1886 (hence off-topic – sorry 
), but this M70 (S/N 87160) is Style D (oak leaf) carved and not engraved (unless you count the monogram on the trigger guard
).
It’s one of the second set of “RCS” factory custom rifles ordered by Dr. Russell C Smith in about 1948 and has been published in both Whitaker’s and Rule’s M70 books. This one is the 300 MAGNUM and it also has a special order stainless barrel. Vinvanb once told me that there were (5) of these carved but not engraved M70s in the RCS order, but this is the only one Lou Leonard kept.
Best,
Lou
WACA 9519; Studying Pre-64 Model 70 Winchesters
Louis Luttrell said
The line between fancy & gaudy is a fine one, & in this case, I think, overstepped.
There was a Model 1886 with F or G style stocks at auction a few years back at auction. I think it was Poulin’s but could be wrong. No engraving, probably in .33 WCF.
Here is a Model 1886 with “A” carved stocks (the highest grade) and $100 worth of engraving!
Ulrich Factory Exhibition Engraved Winchester Model 1886 Rifle | Rock Island Auction
Bert
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
January 26, 2011
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Here’s a “G” Carved 1886 ELW I’ve posted here before. I’ve yet to see another one with this carving. It has few other interesting anomalies as well.
Here is the original post. Glad we all have fading memories so we can enjoy some of these a second time.
1886 26″ ELW TD – “G” Carved Stock | What’s New! | Forum | Winchester CollectorWinchester Collector
~Gary~
Bert H. said
Carved stocks are rare on any Winchester lever-action rifle… regardless of which model. Typically, carved stocks are found on factory engraved guns. I do not believe that I have ever encountered a Winchester with carved stocks that was not also engraved.Bert
Rob had one on his website a while back that I assume he sold. It was a Model 95 with Style B carved stock and was Not Engraved.
Winchester 1895 Second Model Deluxe Rifle .35 WCF s/n 63909 mfg 1911 – 24″ round barrel, Fancy walnut Grade B carved stocks, case colored crescent buttplate, sling screw eyes. Barrel retains 90% original blue finish; receiver and magazine retain 85% original bright blue; crescent buttplate show original case colors turning dark; stocks retain a high degree of original varnish.
So there was at least one! Got to be one of the fancist non-engraved Winchesters out there.
Sincerely,
Maverick
WACA #8783 - Checkout my Reloading Tool Survey!
https://winchestercollector.org/forum/winchester-research-surveys/winchester-reloading-tool-survey/
mrcvs said
There was a Model 1886 with F or G style stocks at auction a few years back at auction. I think it was Poulin’s but could be wrong. No engraving, probably in .33 WCF.
Thank you pdog72 (Gary)!
That’s exactly the rifle I was thinking of! No wonder why my search of past auctions at Poulin’s proved useless yesterday.
https://winchestercollector.org/forum/whats-new/1886-26-elw-td-g-carved-stock/
Bert H. said
Here is a Model 1886 with “A” carved stocks (the highest grade) and $100 worth of engraving!Ulrich Factory Exhibition Engraved Winchester Model 1886 Rifle | Rock Island Auction
Bert
And it’s a .33 
Tom is going to be all over this one!
steve004 said
Bert H. said
Here is a Model 1886 with “A” carved stocks (the highest grade) and $100 worth of engraving!
Ulrich Factory Exhibition Engraved Winchester Model 1886 Rifle | Rock Island Auction
Bert
And it’s a .33
Tom is going to be all over this one!
It is certainly a beautiful gun. Yes Steve you had me at 33. But I don’t see that one showing up here unless I have a winning powerball ticket. Also have just read that a survey by Cody shows only 37 1886’s with carved stocks.
Hello Ralph,
I am not of the opinion that the stocks were carved by Winchester. Winchester used 3X grade (or better) wood for the style A through F carved stocks. Plain grain walnut was considered too soft for all grades of carving and checkering except the I pattern checkering. Further, while the carving pattern on your rifle is very close to the “D” pattern, it is not identical to Winchester’s pattern. Specifically, the length and shape of the Oak leaf extending rearward on the wrist of the stock.
It is not physically possible to “rechamber” a barrel from the 32 W.S. cartridge to the 32-40 cartridge. A 32-40 cartridge chamber can be reamed out to the 32 W.S. cartridge though. That barrel has always been a 32-40 (based on the markings on both the bottom and 10 o’clock flats).
Unfortunately, there are no surviving factory records except the PR serialization date. Speaking of that information, Model 1894 S/N 678334 was actually manufactured in late June of the year 1914. The rifle would have most likely been fully assembled in July 1914.
In summary, I believe that what you have is a special order ELW Model 1894 that has been embellished (the carved stocks) after the fact. It originally had plain (non-checkered) stocks. It would have been a highly desirable rifle if it had been left as manufactured, but somebody tried to enhance it further by carving the stocks.
Bert
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
antler1 said
I believe the barrel has been turned down to create 1/2 octagon
Without a better picture of the transition from octagon to round, I did not want to condemn it yet, but I do agree that it looks a bit “off” (too short).
Bert
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
Unless I’m mistaken a portion of barrel markings has been removed when turned in lathe
antler1 said
Unless I’m mistaken a portion of barrel markings has been removed when turned in lathe
Pat,
You are correct… the barrel has been turned down after the fact. The picture in topic post #14 clearly shows the truncated factory roll marking on the barrel. At this point, I personally conclude that it is a non-factory original reworked rifle.
Bert
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
antler1 said
Unless I’m mistaken a portion of barrel markings has been removed when turned in lathe
I like the carving, factory or not, but this is sheer butchery; merely to shave off a few ounces?
November 7, 2015
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The carvings are certainly well executed and attractive. It’s a shame the wood and metal enhancements are not original but I feel certain a buyer will come along who values quality workmanship over originality. An attractive rifle in a grand old cartridge. I like it.
Mike
Bert. The assembly numbers on the lower tang match the buttstock. with no indication on XXX fancy wood but CF for Carved finish- anyone could order any stock checkering they wanted, by your post above, and example , what you say simply isn’t true. there’s no “special rules” for special orders if the customer pays for it.. The bore diameret of .32-40 and .32 Special are both .321, and by shortening the thread stub you can in fact rechamber a .32 Special to .32-40…… I expected the naysayers here to poo poo the quality rifle i present because that’s seems to be the forrum procedure. .The full Winchester name is there and the .24″ barrel divided at the nosecap. Winchester can turn down barrel when needed, none of the pundits here can offer anything but shit as responses, why i don’t bother with the handful or repeatin jackass opinions.and won’t anymore. The checkering is factory, the rifle special order….with that many Special orders on the same riflw i tend to think you’all have yyer heads up yer asses. with your opinions…
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