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My initial thoughts are yes, but it’s hard for me to tell 100% so I thought I would ask the experts. Should the lever and hammer be case-colored rather than blued for a circa 1900 1886 lightweight model? The rear sight looks like a replacement. The finish on the forearm cap looks a bit funky. The stocks look good–possibly checkering re-cut? No good photos of any markings/stamps so hard to tell.
I will leave it to the more experienced to give their assessment. One thing I found surprising was the two screws holding on the rubber buttpate … there is no finish on them which, given the state of the rest of the rifle, I would have expected them to be dark blue.
The gun has been refinished. The corners are rounded.
Bob
WACA Life Member--- NRA Life Member---- Cody Firearms member since 1991 Researching the Winchester 1873's
Email: [email protected]
Can’t find the serial number to tell when it was made, but….
Receivers were color case hardened as standard until about SN 122000, after that they were blued unless CCH was requested. (1900 to 1902?)
The wood doesn’t seem to stand proud at the receiver.
Most of the screw heads look like 100 year old parts but don’t match the receiver.
The nose cap appears to have normal wear and tear for a century old rifle, but the wood and receiver are impeccable. Why are there no dings on the barrel where it meets the dinged nose cap?
The barrel and receiver colors match very well. Seems like the receiver would have the color worn off more in relation to the barrel.
The edges of the loading gate are mottled but the rest of the gun’s metal isn’t.
Look at the edges of the lever – the bare metal shows through everywhere, even where a hand wouldn’t touch, yet the receiver has nearly no finish worn off where one would handle it. Additionally, hammers and levers were CCH’d up to around SN 150000 and 152000 respectively, which is all but the last few thousand rifles.
IMHO, this is a really nicely done restoration, probably a long time ago.
Finally, I don’t think I’ve seen wood in that good a condition outside a museum or gun showroom.
"This is the West, sir. When the legend becomes fact, print the legend."
I thought all 1886 lightweight models only had blued receivers. Am I wrong? I don’t think I’ve ever seen an 1886 lightweight with a color case hardened receiver.
The hammer and lever should be case hardened and instead are blued. The “bluing” looks too black to me but that could just be the photo. Also, the $5000 price tag tells you the gun is not correct. It should be twice that much at least.
Michael
Model 1892 / Model 61 Collector, Research, Valuation
You really need the serial number of this gun to make any accurate guesstimates about it.
Case color hardened receivers up to 122,000.
Special order short (22″ & 24″) barrels after SN 25,000.
Lightweight barrels sometime after SN 115,000.
Serial number at start of 1900 = 120,572 (Madis).
Serial number at start of 1900 = 120,795 (Polishing Room).
"This is the West, sir. When the legend becomes fact, print the legend."
Wincacher,
I agree that the ‘should be case hardened” might not be correct due to unknown SN. And who knows what Cabela’s is referencing for the DOM. I was using the fact that Model 1892 hammer and levers were still CC in 1900 so the 1886 was most likely also.
Michael
Model 1892 / Model 61 Collector, Research, Valuation
Wood looks refurbished to me. As Bob said, the edges are rounded over (forearm at the barrel and slightly where it meets the receiver and forend cap). Also rounded edges by the tang. The checking on the forearm also looks a little fresh. Looks like some varnish or some sort of buildup in the checking near the pistol grip cap. Also, the barrel marking on the right side of the barrel doesnt look crisp in the photo. No other barrel markings shown. Blue on several parts starting to freckle for lack of a better term (white splotches). Nicely done though.
1892takedown @sbcglobal.net ......NRA Endowment Life Member.....WACA Member
"God is great.....beer is good.....and people are crazy"... Billy Currington
Another thing I see is the forearm cap is either too small for the forearm or the forearm is over sized. The wood is suppose to stand proud but that is over kill. Overall a nice refinish job.
Bob
WACA Life Member--- NRA Life Member---- Cody Firearms member since 1991 Researching the Winchester 1873's
Email: [email protected]
January 26, 2011
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twobit said
The hammer and lever should be case hardened and instead are blued. The “bluing” looks too black to me but that could just be the photo. Also, the $5000 price tag tells you the gun is not correct. It should be twice that much at least.
Michael
I agree with Michael that you instantly get suspicious with that kind of price tag. I have to also agree that’s its sure a nice looking restoration.
Did anyone answer the question about all the ’86 lightweights being blued…….I guess I thought this was the case too.
~Gary~
Per the original Winchester catalogs, all of he Take Down rifles and the Extra Lightweight Rifles have blued receivers only. Levers and hammers were case color finished for quite some time after August of 1901.
There never was a “Lightweight” Model 1886. Many people incorrectly refer to the 33 WCF rifles as “Lightweights”, but Winchester never did.
Bert
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
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