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January 16, 2021
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Hello everyone 🙂
My dad was a hobbyist gunsmith, unfortunately he passed long before I was old enough for him to ever tell me about the guns he worked on. From what I was told when my grandad gave me this rifle, I have a Winchester model 1885, high wall .45 long colt. She’s fun to shoot but I’d love to know everything there is to find out about her past. A good friend of my dad’s vaguely remembers this rifle and said it was in such bad shape when he got it that he wouldn’t be surprised if the barrel is a replacement 🙁 The only markings on it are on the lower tang so for all I know it could have been made by any manufacturer. Any help would be greatly appreciated, thanks! 
November 1, 2013
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It’s the type of receiver commonly called a Low Wall, not a HW, very much modified. None were produced in .45 Colt, so as you suggested, it’s probably been rebarreled, unless you see the factory markings on the brl. Ser. no. corresponds to 1892. With the mods & reblue, no collector value, but a fun shooter no doubt.
April 15, 2005
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As Clarence mentioned, it is a low-wall versus a high-wall. The barrel is positively not factory original. Per the factory records, S/N 58463 was originally a 32 WCF with a 28-inch No. 1 full octagon barrel. As it was originally manufactured, the receiver frame, hammer, lever, and butt plate were case color finished versus being blued.
As it is today, it is a “shooter” grade rifle. The cartridge chambering is interesting, and should be fun to experiment with. I would not expect it to be much more than a 100-yard plinking rifle though.
Bert
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
January 16, 2021
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Bert H. said
As Clarence mentioned, it is a low-wall versus a high-wall. The barrel is positively not factory original. Per the factory records, S/N 58463 was originally a 32 WCF with a 28-inch No. 1 full octagon barrel. As it was originally manufactured, the receiver frame, hammer, lever, and butt plate were case color finished versus being blued.As it is today, it is a “shooter” grade rifle. The cartridge chambering is interesting, and should be fun to experiment with. I would not expect it to be much more than a 100-yard plinking rifle though.
Bert
Thank you, that’s very helpful 🙂 As someone who loves all things antique, it hurts my soul a little seeing that he redid just about every gun he owned. I have a Gewehr 98 he blued and sporterized as well. From what I’m told it was in decent original condition before he redid that one 🙁 It pains me but at least they’re pretty and shoot straight lol
November 1, 2013
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Bert H. said
The cartridge chambering is interesting, and should be fun to experiment with. I would not expect it to be much more than a 100-yard plinking rifle though.Bert
I agree–yet some folks assert that .44-40 is all you need out to 2 or 300 yds!
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