Custom Winchester Model 1885 High Wall .32-40 30” No. 3 Octagonal Antique
SOLD FOR: $1,347.00
LSB#: LSB251109MC004
Make: Winchester
Model: 1885 High Wall
Serial Number: Early, first 60,000 light stamp, script font but due to set trigger modification some digits are not legible
Year of Manufacture: 1885-1894
Caliber: .32-40 W.C.F.
Action Type: Lever Actuated Falling Block Single Shot with custom schuetzen double set trigger
Barrel Length: 30” No. 3 Octagonal Barrel
Sights / Optics: The front sight is a globe style dovetailed into the barrel. The rear sight is a U notch spring leaf, the elevator is missing. The upper tang is drilled and tapped for a peep sight but there is none installed.
Stock Configuration & Condition: The forend is factory Schnabel with ebony tip. The buttstock has been customized in Schuetzen style. Wood has been added to the belly and to form the cheekpiece. The buttplate is brass formed in the Schuetzen style. There are scratches, compression dents, and handling wear throughout. There are a few cracks, the most notable being near the buttplate. Overall, the stocks are in Good condition for this age..
Type of Finish: Blued & Case Color
Finish Originality: Original but lower tang has been blued.
Bore Condition: The bore is semi bright and the rifling is well defined. There is no erosion in the bore. There is a little faint pitting typical of a black powder firearm. There is a little fouling. In this writer’s opinion the bore rates 8/10 for a black powder antique.
Overall Condition: This rifle retains about 80% of its current metal finish. The barrel has scattered corrosion freckling. There are scattered scratches and handling marks. The color case shows some handling wear and scratches. The screwheads show light use with serviceable slots. The markings are clear. Overall, this rifle is in about Very Good condition for an antique.
Mechanics: The action works correctly. 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: This Winchester Model 1885 High Wall is an early production example of John M. Browning’s legendary single shot design, manufactured between 1885 and 1894 and later customized for Schuetzen style target shooting. Early High Walls such as this, identifiable by light stamped serials in script font, represent the formative period of Winchester’s strongest falling block action, prized by nineteenth century marksmen for its rigidity, balance, and inherent accuracy. The presence of period style Schuetzen modifications places this rifle squarely within the golden age of American offhand target shooting, when accuracy, trigger refinement, and stock geometry were paramount.
Chambered in .32-40 W.C.F., one of the most respected target cartridges of the late black powder era, the rifle reflects a chambering specifically associated with Schuetzen competition and precision single shot work. The 30 inch No. 3 octagonal barrel provides substantial forward weight and a long sight radius, complemented by a globe front sight and a spring leaf rear sight, though the elevator is absent. The upper tang is drilled and tapped for a peep sight, consistent with Schuetzen configuration, and the rifle is fitted with a custom double set trigger, a defining feature for deliberate offhand shooting of the period.
Condition remains strong for an antique custom rifle of this type. Approximately 80 percent of the current metal finish remains, with scattered corrosion freckling on the barrel and handling wear visible in the case coloring. The bore is semi bright with well defined rifling, faint pitting typical of black powder use, and light fouling, rating 8 out of 10 for a black powder antique. The factory Schnabel forend with ebony tip is retained, while the buttstock has been reshaped with added wood to form a Schuetzen style cheekpiece and belly, terminating in a formed brass Schuetzen buttplate. The stock shows handling wear and several cracks, most notably near the buttplate, but remains representative of period competition modifications. Markings are clear, screw slots are serviceable, and the action functions correctly. This customized High Wall from Winchester stands as a compelling survivor from the American Schuetzen era, reflecting both Winchester’s early craftsmanship and the specialized needs of nineteenth century target shooters. Please see our photos for a better understanding of condition and good luck with your bids! MF
