Custom Winchester 1885 High Wall B&E Barrel Single Shot Rifle 1885-1920 C&R

Sold For:  $1,303

LSB#: 200709ZP51

Make: Winchester, we do not know who customized the rifle.

Model: Custom 1885 High Wall

Serial Number: 07517 (marked when customized)

Year of Manufacture: 1885-1920, we do not know when the rifle was customized.

Caliber: The chamber will need to be cast to confirm chambering. The bore is approximately .22 caliber, the chamber is for a bottleneck, rimmed case. We were not able to find a cartridge which fit the chamber properly.

Action Type: Lever Actuated Falling Block Single Shot

Markings: The bottom of the barrel is marked “B&E / 06 / 07517” under and around the lever spring. The bottom tang is marked “-PAT OC    9.-“, interrupted by the stock mounting screw.

Barrel Length: 26″, the barrel tapers from approximately 1.148″ at the receiver to 0.875″ at the muzzle.

Sights / Optics: There are two male dovetail bases screwed to the rear of the barrel for mounting an optic (none included), there is another pair of drilled, tapped and filled holes in front of the front mount. The top tang has two holes drilled, tapped and flush-filled for a tang sight (none included). 

Stock Configuration & Condition: The stocks are two-piece checkered walnut with beavertail forend, monte carlo comb with roll-over cheekpiece, pistol grip and checkered steel buttplate. The stocks have some scattered light nicks, scuffs and scratches with a few areas of thinning finish. The checkering is well defined. There are no chips or cracks. The LOP measures 13 3/8″ from the front of the trigger to the back of the buttplate. The plate has light wear with some minor discoloration from oxidation and sharp checkering. Overall, the stocks are in about Very Good-Fine condition as not original to the gun.

Type of Finish: Blued

Finish Originality: Refinished

Bore Condition: The bore is bright with sharp rifling. There is no erosion in the bore.

Overall Condition: This rifle retains about 92% of its current metal finish. The most notable finish wear is in the rear of the receiver which shows handling wear and some discoloration from oxidation. There are a few other scattered patches of minor surface oxidation. The barrel’s finish has a slight plum hue. There are a few scattered minor marks and the action shows light operational wear. The screw heads range from sharp to tool marked with strong slots. Remaining markings are clear. Overall, this rifle is in about Very Good-plus condition as customized.

Mechanics: The action functions correctly. The hammer has a safety notch.The trigger breaks crisply and is fairly light. The lever locks up solidly. We have not fired this rifle. As with all used firearms, a thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance standards.

Box, Paperwork & Accessories: None.

Our Assessment: When they were first manufactured, the John Browning designed Winchester Model 1885 rifles were deemed stronger than the prior Sharps rifles, and the different sight and trigger options available made them an instant hit with hunters and target shooters alike. The Model 1885 rifles were targeted at competitors in “Match Shooting”, a sport which was extremely popular from about 1871 to 1917. The Winchester rifles challenged the Sharps, Remington, Maynard and Ballard rifles, and quickly became known for their reliability and accuracy. Major Ned Roberts, inventor of the .257 Roberts cartridge, described the Model 1885 as “the most reliable, strongest and altogether best single shot rifle ever produced”. It should come as no surprise, then, that they have also served as the base for numerous custom rifles over the years. This example has been fit with a barrel chambered for some sort of .22 caliber, bottleneck, rimmed cartridge. You will want to cast the chamber to confirm the caliber before firing. It has also been set up with a nice set of checkered walnut stocks. The result is a beautiful rifle that should be quite the shooter once you determine the chambering. Please see our photos and good luck!

CA Legal or CA Private Party Transferable (THIS SECTION DOES NOT APPLY TO OUT-OF-STATE RESIDENTS): This C&R CAN be transferred in California. All C&R firearms must be transferred through your local dealer OR at our Simi Valley location; we cannot ship directly to a C&R holder in California. Out of state residents can disregard this section – your local laws apply.