Skip to main content
Help Center Community Shop

1886 Winchester Rifles

WildBill
I have a 1886 listed in the auction. Sertial No. 91XXX. that places it before 1900, around 1893 or 1894. Was advised that all 1886 receivers prior to 1901 were case colored and not blued ! Is that correct ?

Wild Bill
0

Comments

7 comments

Date Votes
  • mrmike08075
    after 1901 CASE COLOR was only available via special order, and standard production recievers were blued.
    best regards, mike.

    What other dungeon is so dark as ones own heart, what jailer so inexorable as ones own mind.
    contact me at the shop at waltsgun@aol.com best regards, mike.
    0
  • Bert H.
    quote:Originally posted by WildBill


    I have a 1886 listed in the auction. Sertial No. 91XXX. that places it before 1900, around 1893 or 1894. Was advised that all 1886 receivers prior to 1901 were case colored and not blued ! Is that correct ?

    Wild Bill


    Hello Bill...

    Case color hardened (finish) frames (and assundry parts) was the standard finsish when your rifle was made. A Blued frame was a special order option, and in order for a serious collector to consider plunking down big $$$ for the gun, you should have a Cody factory letter showing that it was factory blued. Without the letter, I and most other Winchester collectors will assume that the gun has been blued/reblued post factory. Please post the link to your auction, and I will give it a critical eye.

    Bert H.

    Real Men use a SINGLE-SHOT!
    0
  • Bert H.
    Bill...

    If your Model 1886 is auction Item # 23223187, then it looks to me like it was non-factory blued a long time ago. Additionally, I also seriously doubt that it has 2X wood on it (it does not look it in the pictures). Most 2X graded stocks (and better) were factory checkered. Winchester marked the specific grade of their deluxe walnut stocked guns on the inside left edge of the lower tang. Pull the buttstock off, and take a look at it... if it has "XX" stamped on the tang, then your auction description is accurate, otherwise, it needs correction. Most factory letters will also mention the deluxe stocks.

    One last comment... when selling collector grade antique/old Winchesters, you should always post the full serial number. That allows those of us who are serious Winchester collectors to call Waddy Colvert at the Cody Firearms Museum and research the gun before considering a bid on it.

    Bert H.

    Real Men use a SINGLE-SHOT!
    0
  • Ballistic
    What do you all think about this one. 1886, 45/70, SN51888. Deluxe wood, checkered pistol grip and forearm with octagonal barrel. Gold line engraving on action plus complete covering on action with three gold animal figures. Tang sight on rear and adjustable post sight on front. Win. Museum states gun was shipped from factory on 2/4/1891 to unknown buyer with wood as described. Gun returned to factory on 5/23/1891 with no record why returned. No record of factory engraving. Paul Jaeger, Inc. Jenkintown, Pa. engraved on top side of action near breech. Gun is blued and is in mint condition. Part of private estate sale---$7000.00 what do you all think---buy it?
    0
  • Bert H.
    quote:Originally posted by Ballistic
    What do you all think about this one. 1886, 45/70, SN51888. Deluxe wood, checkered pistol grip and forearm with octagonal barrel. Gold line engraving on action plus complete covering on action with three gold animal figures. Tang sight on rear and adjustable post sight on front. Win. Museum states gun was shipped from factory on 2/4/1891 to unknown buyer with wood as described. Gun returned to factory on 5/23/1891 with no record why returned. No record of factory engraving. Paul Jaeger, Inc. Jenkintown, Pa. engraved on top side of action near breech. Gun is blued and is in mint condition. Part of private estate sale---$7000.00 what do you all think---buy it?


    Ballistic...

    I would first research who Paul Jaeger was/is. If he is a modern engraver, then I personally would not pay that much for the gun. If he was an engraver back in the 1890s, then I would have to see and evaluate the gun for myself before considering a purchase at that price. Period engraved antique Winchesters are worth considerably more than modern work... regardless of the quality of the work.

    Bert H.

    Real Men use a SINGLE-SHOT!
    0
  • Ballistic
    Bert, Jaeger was a well known custom rifle maker and engraver. He has long passed and his shop was shut in 1982. So I guess it is not a period engraved rifle. However, it was appraised at 7k in 1998. The widow of the owner (my boss) has the rifle along with many high end drillings etc.
    0
  • Bert H.
    quote:Originally posted by Ballistic
    Bert, Jaeger was a well known custom rifle maker and engraver. He has long passed and his shop was shut in 1982. So I guess it is not a period engraved rifle. However, it was appraised at 7k in 1998. The widow of the owner (my boss) has the rifle along with many high end drillings etc.


    Hello Ballistic...

    Modern engraving that is high quality work is quite expensive, and it very could well be that the Model 1886 Rifle to which you refer has several thousand dollars worth of engraving and sundry work... thereby justifying the $7000 appraisal. There are some people who might even pay the $7000 asking price... however, true diehard Winchester collectors are a real finicky bunch as a whole, and for the most part, they will not be interested in that particular Winchester Rifle as a collectable item.

    Bert H.

    Real Men use a SINGLE-SHOT!
    0

Please sign in to leave a comment.

Recent Activity