Reddog said
Hello, I did not purchase this from an auction house it was purchased from the family of the original owner. I was aware that the opinion of the member that was concerned about the difference in finish on the take down collar didn’t real hold no water as far as I was concerned. As I stated in an earlier post I have had many old Winchesters of various models and configuration,rarely does the TD collar match in finish.You are correct in stating that a different blueing process was used. That being said stay tuned I took some picks and will be posting soon.

ALSO I want to say that although it has pretty high condition it about 90% . The rifle was used and hunted with and there are a couple of other thing that are a distraction condition wise . Thank you and EVERYONE for your inputs and knowledge.                      Hope to post my new pictures later tonight.  JB

So after taking the advise of Bert and a couple other on the forum I removed the stock from the Rifle for inspection and also the butt plate. There are no markings on the stock  at all however the upper and lower tang are stamped as you can see in the pictures. The biggest detraction to this rifle is the original owner initials in the lever and on the take down collar with what looks like a punch. I believe the fore end wood is correct and was told that is how they (the sellers) always rememberer it.                 Who knows ? I also think that maybe the pictures explain the receiver condition being different from the barrel assembly.                 WHAT SAY YOU ??

  

I think these photographs, along with the letter, absolutely, positively, prove the rifle has been together, as a takedown rifle, with the present takedown collar, since assembly, for the following reasons:

1.  The contrast just doesn’t look that atypical when you now post photographs of the entire rifle, in fact, it looks exactly as one would expect.  The first photograph of the receiver only was indeed a bad one, and a photographic illusion.

2.  You just don’t see an octagon barrel with a 1/2” magazine that commonly.  Especially in a condition that matches the rest of the rifle as one might expect.  My theory was that a collector or gun shop years ago might have had a few of these identical rifles, disassembled them, and reassembled them (meaning utilizing the takedown feature) improperly.  That theory, safe to say, is forever debunked.

Now the wood.  The photographs of the full rifle demonstrate the hue of the forearm and stock match.  They have been together forever.

Now, have they been together since this rifle was manufactured?  The letter lists the wood as fancy.  Both the stock and forearm are fancy.  They seem to fit the rifle well.  Makes me fairly certain they are original to this rifle.  Especially since the stock is described as fancy and with a pistol grip.

The checkering on the stock is factory work.  

So, one of two things had to have happened.  The subsequent R & R was to checker the pistol grip stock.  OR, when an entry was made as to this rifle’s configuration, the checkering was omitted as it was only on the stock and not the forearm.  I really hate having to “explain” why a rifle doesn’t match the letter, but there is a logical, although not provable, explanation.

Does this hurt the value of this rifle, because this is not mentioned in the factory letter?

Absolutely). But not by much.  Perhaps not even a recognizable rifle.

I like this rifle sufficiently enough that I would be pleased to own it myself.

Congratulations on your purchase.

Bert H. said

Reddog said

MRCVS,  Your point is well taken sir ! I believe Some of the questions are answered in the pics I’m going to post.   I respect yours and everyone’s opinion! Thanks …. New pics posted on page #1

  

Did you find a “45” stamped into the wood in the upper tang channel?  Did you remove the butt plate and inspect the end grain of the butt stock?

The apparent reason it was returned for the R&R was to be refinished (as marked on the edge of the upper tang).  I see no evidence that the butt stock was checkered when it was returned to Winchester for the R&R.

Bert

I didn’t see this post.  Okay, returned to be refinished.   

What is the explanation for a checkered pistol grip not mentioned in the letter?

Sometimes the assembly number on the stock is on the butt under the buttplate.