Winchester 1886 mfg. 1890
I am trying to help out a friend to get a value for his antique rifle.
Model 1886 Winchester lever action chambered in .45-90
It has a man's name and date of 1891 stamped on the tube below the barrel. Looking up the serial number on a website, said the gun was made in 1890. The finish on the stock is still there, and there is only some slight surface rust on the 26 inch round barrel, with no pitting evident anywhere. The wood is in good shape with no cracks or gouges. It has not been fired within recent memory, but was given to the current owner with a box of shells, (not in the original box).
The gun is owned by a Canadian, and according to someone who knows about the gun, was owned by a park ranger in Saskatchewan, prior to 1900. I am interested in finding a "wholesale" value, something a gun dealer would be willing to pay.
please email me for a picture
Any help from persons on this forum would be greatly appreciated.
Model 1886 Winchester lever action chambered in .45-90
It has a man's name and date of 1891 stamped on the tube below the barrel. Looking up the serial number on a website, said the gun was made in 1890. The finish on the stock is still there, and there is only some slight surface rust on the 26 inch round barrel, with no pitting evident anywhere. The wood is in good shape with no cracks or gouges. It has not been fired within recent memory, but was given to the current owner with a box of shells, (not in the original box).
The gun is owned by a Canadian, and according to someone who knows about the gun, was owned by a park ranger in Saskatchewan, prior to 1900. I am interested in finding a "wholesale" value, something a gun dealer would be willing to pay.
please email me for a picture
Any help from persons on this forum would be greatly appreciated.
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The 1886 Winchester is a much sought after gun. Latest Flayerman's listss the basic 26" round barrel, crescent buttplate, etc at $900 in very good condition, $3250 excellent. A lot of factors can influence price, especially condition. As you describe it might grade at better than very good. Until you get some detail specific information I would suggest thinking about $1500. Could be more or less. For info, look into Gun Broker auctions, just type in 1886 Winchester and you will see a couple dozen offered at various prices and conditions. Note that those with starting prices over around 1500 have not received bids. Hope this helps. 0 -
Hello rsdata...
I am not a dealer, so I have no idea what the "wholesale" value would be. As a collector, I can more than likely give you a reasonably close estimate of the "retail" value to a collector. You can send pictures to me at Win1885@msn.com.
Bert H.
Real Men use a SINGLE-SHOT!0 -
A gun dealer will give your friend no more than about half of what it is worth. Remember he has to sit on it until someone with an itch for an 1886 Winchester comes through the door. Now on the bright side 1886 Winchesters don't sit around too long and the dealer would probably know this.
The first thing you need to do is write the Cody Museum and send them their $75 to research the rifle for you. An original as made at the factory with a letter will always be worth more than one that has been modified over the years. Now while I'm not a Winchester expert I do have a beautiful old .40-82 1886 Winchester made in 1891. Mine is an octagonal barrel..not as desirable as the round so add about $75 to the price. The big thing you have is a .45-90 which is the KING of the cowboy calibers. If this rifle letters out as a .45-90 from the factory.... that alone will add from $400-$700 to the value of the rifle based on condition.
As to value I'd call it a little more than rhmc did. That the finish (some original varnish is still there) is as you describe might put your rifle better than you thought. With the .45-90 caliber and the round barrel you might be looking at $2000 or more. The .45-90 ammo if from around the turn of the century to the 1920's would also add value to the deal. I've turned down a $1400 offer on my 1886 which also has an original Winchester nut cracker reloader from 1894 as well as modern day dies. I just have to think that unless your description is way off that your rifle is worth at least $500 more than mine. Also with this rifle it is a seller's market the values listed in Flayerman's may give an idea but with the cowboy action shooters now someone walking to a match with an original .45-90 1886 Winchester might view himself as a big dog thus the value would inflate significantly. Again it really does matter how the rifle letters out from the Cody Museum and that is your first step without the confirmation that it was made in .45-90 the value drops considerably.
One more thing to remember...unfortunately your rifle was made about 4 years before Winchester started making their nickle steel smokeless powder barrels...so you have to load black powder equivalent loads if you intend to shoot it. You don't want to even think about destroying the barrel of that little piece of history. Beach0 -
Thanks so much for the helpful information.
I do appreciate the feedback.0 -
I've bought and sold these rifles for 30 years and have handled 100s of them. That rifle is worth around 2500 dollars minimum assuming it hasnt been monkeyed with. They are fairly easy to sell, I sure wouldnt let some dealer give me wholesale for it. Prices are rising fast on them... 0 -
quote:Originally posted by beachmaster73
A gun dealer will give your friend no more than about half of what it is worth. Remember he has to sit on it until someone with an itch for an 1886 Winchester comes through the door. Now on the bright side 1886 Winchesters don't sit around too long and the dealer would probably know this.
The first thing you need to do is write the Cody Museum and send them their $75 $55to research the rifle for you. An original as made at the factory with a letter will always be worth more than one that has been modified over the years. Now while I'm not a Winchester expert I do have a beautiful old .40-82 1886 Winchester made in 1891. Mine is an octagonal barrel..not as desirable as the round so add about $75 to the pricethe octagon barreled Winchesters are actually worth about 15% more than one with a round barrel. The big thing you have is a .45-90 which is the KING of the cowboy calibers. If this rifle letters out as a .45-90 from the factory.... that alone will add from $400-$700 to the value of the rifle based on condition.actually, it adds considerably more than that
As to value I'd call it a little more than rhmc did. That the finish (some original varnish is still there) is as you describe might put your rifle better than you thought. With the .45-90 caliber and the round barrel you might be looking at $2000 or more. The .45-90 ammo if from around the turn of the century to the 1920's would also add value to the deal. I've turned down a $1400 offer on my 1886 which also has an original Winchester nut cracker reloader from 1894 as well as modern day dies. I just have to think that unless your description is way off that your rifle is worth at least $500 more than mine. Also with this rifle it is a seller's market the values listed in Flayerman's may give an idea but with the cowboy action shooters now someone walking to a match with an original .45-90 1886 Winchester might view himself as a big dog thus the value would inflate significantly. Again it really does matter how the rifle letters out from the Cody Museum and that is your first step without the confirmation that it was made in .45-90 the value drops considerably.
One more thing to remember...unfortunately your rifle was made about 4 years before Winchester started making their nickle steel smokeless powder barrels...so you have to load black powder equivalent loads if you intend to shoot it. You don't want to even think about destroying the barrel of that little piece of history. Beach
Hello Beach...
Just wanted to clarify some of what you wrote, please see the inserted text above.
rsdata sent several pictures of this rifle to me, and from what I can see, it is worth an easy $7500... It appears to have over 90% of the case colors on the frame, the bluing looks great on the barrel, and it has standard oiled finished stocks. If anyone else is interested in seeing thoses pictures, please contact me and I will forward them on to you.
Bert H.
Real Men use a SINGLE-SHOT!0 -
Bert...Appreciate the correction on the Cody letter. As I recalled it was $75 when I did it for my 1886. My memory may be fading. On the round barrel, certainly the later 1886's were more common in round barrels, but if I not mistaken the early 1886's were predominately octagonal barrels and the round barrel would command a premium over my octagonal barrel. As to the value of the .45-90 caliber you may very well be more up to date than I am. In any case the rifle is apparantly a jewel and that's good for rsdata. Beach 0 -
quote:Originally posted by beachmaster73
On the round barrel, certainly the later 1886's were more common in round barrels, but if I not mistaken the early 1886's were predominately octagonal barrels and the round barrel would command a premium over my octagonal barrel. As to the value of the .45-90 caliber you may very well be more up to date than I am. In any case the rifle is apparantly a jewel and that's good for rsdata. Beach
Beach...
You are correct in that the vast majority of the early Model 1886s have octagon barrels, but this is one case where being rarer does not mean more valuable. Octagon barrels are MUCH preferred by Winchester collectors for the same reason that the shooters of that era preferred them. This phenomenon holds true for all of the early Winchester Models (e.g 1866 through the Model 1894). Winchester listed the round barrel as standard on all of the early Models (except the 1866), but octagon barrels outsold round barreled rifles at greater than a 10-1 ratio.
Bert H.
Real Men use a SINGLE-SHOT!0
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