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I wanted to share a story that happened a few years ago. I was driving from Calif to Ohio, while passing through a small town and saw a sign that said “pawnshop closing”. You had me at hello.
Speaking to the owner who’s retiring, I asked if he wanted to sell all of his guns in a package deal, so we made a deal for 27 guns that were mainly hunting rifles, a few shotguns and 5 handguns, There was one rifle that was not available until 3pm when it came out of pawn, so I loaded up the truck and got lunch for us.
At 3pm the owner brings out this rifle case and pulls out a beautiful original 92 %+ Winchester 1886 45-90 Takedown with 3x wood, vivid case color on the lever, perfect bore, faint line on the loading gate, a little blue wear on the bottom of the receiver and it dated to 1895.
I almost fall over thinking I’ll never be able to afford it because it’s a $8 – 10k gun. Long story short, we made a deal for this beautiful 1886, I got a Cody letter on it that confirmed it was a special order takedown AND…….it was sold at the John Browning store in Utah in 1895. It will be something I pass down to my son and his son, if the Gov’t and sheep haven’t revolked the 2nd amendment by then.
Love these Winchester acquisition stories! Thanks for sharing it.
How do you know it was initially sold at the John Browning store in Utah? Cody Letters don’t contain that kind of info, at least I’ve never seen one that did.
Love to see photos of the rifle?
Winchester Model 1873 44-40 circa 1886
Kevin Jones said
Love these Winchester acquisition stories! Thanks for sharing it.How do you know it was initially sold at the John Browning store in Utah? Cody Letters don’t contain that kind of info, at least I’ve never seen one that did.
Love to see photos of the rifle?
Kevin,
Many of the later production Model 1886 records do have the shipping destination on them. When Winchester made the switch for the old style ledger books to the individual 3×5 index cards, they include the name and shipping address. The records keeping change took place in late 1907. The same situation exists for the late production Model 1873 records.
Bert
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
Were you a resident of California?
If so, I was wondering how you talked that shop owner to sell you the guns.
I’m from California, and I’ve tried to buy guns in various gun shops across the country,
but they always told me that they can’t sell to a California resident.
Bert H. said
Kevin,
Many of the later production Model 1886 records do have the shipping destination on them. When Winchester made the switch for the old style ledger books to the individual 3×5 index cards, they include the name and shipping address. The records keeping change took place in late 1907. The same situation exists for the late production Model 1873 records.
Bert
I would love to know where my antique Winchesters were initially shipped.
Winchester Model 1873 44-40 circa 1886
Unfortunately, that information was not recorded in the ledger records for the “antique” Winchesters. It is only found after Winchester discontinued the ledger book records.
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
The 1886 came with the original receipt from the Browning store in Ogden, Utah. I have it in my files somewhere in storage, but I’ve also seen 1973, 1876, 1886, 1892 and 1894 rifles that were stamped under the barrel “John Browning Ogden, Utah” that were sold through his store.
I’m happy to post pics of the 1886 but no clue how to do it from my phone.
[email protected] said
The 1886 came with the original receipt from the Browning store in Ogden, Utah. I have it in my files somewhere in storage, but I’ve also seen 1973, 1876, 1886, 1892 and 1894 rifles that were stamped under the barrel “John Browning Ogden, Utah” that were sold through his store.I’m happy to post pics of the 1886 but no clue how to do it from my phone.
If you have seen a Winchester with a marking “John Browning Ogden, Utah”, it was a faked marking. The correct (authentic) marking will look like this…
The marking changed from Odgen U.T. (Utah Territory) to Odgen U. after 1896. In addition to the models you mention, the Browning Brothers marking can be found on the Models 1885 (many hundreds of them), and the Models 1887, 1890, 1893, 1895, and 1897.
Bert
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
PardJam said
Were you a resident of California?If so, I was wondering how you talked that shop owner to sell you the guns.
I’m from California, and I’ve tried to buy guns in various gun shops across the country,
but they always told me that they can’t sell to a California resident.
They can either ship to a local FFL in CA or you need a C&R FFL. I never travel without my paperwork.
Steve
WACA Member. CFM Member. NRA Lifer.
I was an FFL, so no worries about having to deal with the insanity of navigating California’s convoluted importing laws.
Bert you’re correct about the John Browning store markings, i was working from memory and apparently my brain cells aren’t as sharp as they used to be.
As an interesting side note, John Browning didn’t get any money for many of his patented gun designs, instead he took his royalties out in trade for tons of guns from Winchester, Remington and Colt.
[email protected] said
The 1886 came with the original receipt from the Browning store in Ogden, Utah. I have it in my files somewhere in storage, but I’ve also seen 1973, 1876, 1886, 1892 and 1894 rifles that were stamped under the barrel “John Browning Ogden, Utah” that were sold through his store.I’m happy to post pics of the 1886 but no clue how to do it from my phone.
This one sounds like a real gem – especially with the original browning receipt. It would make a nice feature piece for an upcoming issue of the Collector.
[email protected] said
As an interesting side note, John Browning didn’t get any money for many of his patented gun designs, instead he took his royalties out in trade for tons of guns from Winchester, Remington and Colt.
Winchester did pay him for his Patents. He did get some guns as part of the payment. Royalties or lack of is what made him leave Winchester. I don’t have any idea how Fabrique National, Colt or Remington may have paid him.
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