Winchester 1886 .45-90 WCF 26″ Half Octagon Lever Action Rifle 1894 Antique
SOLD FOR: $4,725.00
LSB#: LSB260602CL001
Make: Winchester
Model: 1886
Serial Number: 91204
Year of Manufacture: 1894 Antique
Caliber: .45-90 WCF
Action Type: Tubular Magazine Fed Lever Action Rifle
Barrel Length: 26″ Half Octagon
Sights / Optics: The front sight is a replacement beaded blade dovetailed to the barrel. The rear sight is a spring leaf semi buckhorn V notch with elevator dovetailed to the barrel. The upper tang is drilled and tapped for a peep sight.
Stock Configuration & Condition: The stock is two piece smooth walnut, capped forend, straight grip, straight comb, and crescent iron buttplate. The LOP is 13 1/2″ from trigger to buttplate. The stock has been refinished. The forend has been checkered. There are scratches and compression dents throughout. There is a small chip on the right side of the forend. There is a small crack at the upper tang. Overall this stock is in Good condition as refinished.
Type of Finish: Blued, Color Case
Finish Originality: Original, barrel has been cold blued.
Bore Condition: The bore is bright. The rifling is sharp. There is some very minor erosion and pitting. In this writer’s opinion this bore rates 8/10.
Overall Condition: This rifle retains about 25% of its original finish. The barrel has been scrubbed and swabbed with cold blue. The receiver has worn to a brown patina with corrosion staining. There are scratches and corrosion stains throughout. There is some light tool marking. The screw heads are tooled but serviceable. The markings are clear. Overall this rifle is in Very Good condition for antique.
Mechanics: This rifle appears to function correctly. The lever lock-up is tight and the trigger is crisp. We did not fire this rifle. As with all used firearms, a thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance standards.
Box, Paperwork & Accessories: Factory records check.
Our Assessment: The Winchester Model 1886 is one of John M. Browning’s strongest and most celebrated lever-action designs, developed specifically to handle the powerful large-bore cartridges that exceeded the capabilities of Winchester’s earlier toggle-link rifles. This 1894 antique example is chambered in the formidable .45-90 W.C.F. and features a desirable 26″ half-octagon barrel, full-length tubular magazine, straight-grip walnut furniture, crescent iron buttplate, and semi-buckhorn rear sight. Its combination of a large-bore chambering and half-octagon barrel gives it an especially attractive sporting configuration from the height of Winchester’s black-powder lever-action era.
Introduced in 1886, the Model 1886 represented a major advance in lever-action strength through Browning’s vertically locking action. The design allowed Winchester to offer powerful cartridges such as the .45-70 and .45-90 in a repeating rifle suitable for serious big-game hunting. The .45-90 W.C.F. provided greater powder capacity than the .45-70 and became one of the notable heavy sporting chamberings of the Model 1886. The included factory records check adds further collector interest and provides an important resource for evaluating this rifle’s original configuration.
This rifle retains about 25% of its original finish, with the receiver worn to brown patina and showing corrosion staining, scratches, and light tool marks. The barrel has been scrubbed and subsequently touched up with cold blue. The refinished walnut stocks remain in Good condition with later checkering on the forend, scattered scratches and compression dents, a small forend chip, and a minor crack at the upper tang. The bright bore has sharp rifling with only very minor erosion and pitting and rates 8/10. The action appears to function correctly, the lever locks up tightly, and the trigger is crisp. Overall, this is a Very Good antique Model 1886 with a strong bore, desirable .45-90 chambering, and particularly attractive half-octagon barrel configuration. Please see our photos for a better understanding of the condition and good luck with your bids! MF