Winchester Model 1886 22″ .38-70 WCF Lever Action Rifle 1895 Antique
SOLD FOR: $2,826.00
LSB#: LSB251016KS056.1
Make: Winchester
Model: 1886
Serial Number: 102186
Year of Manufacture: 1895 / Antique
Caliber: .38-70 WCF.
Action Type: Lever Action with Full-Length Tubular Magazine
Markings: The bottom tang is marked with the serial number “102186” and with patent dates. The top tang is marked “–MODEL 1886”–. The top of the barrel near the receiver is marked “.38-70 W.C.F.” The barrel address is barely legible but reads “—MANUFACTURED BY THE—/ THE WINCHESTER REPEATING ARMS CO. NEW HAVEN CONN. U.S.A.”
Barrel Length: 22”, Round. Not original barrel.
Sights / Optics: The front sight is a pinned blade dovetailed to the barrel. The rear sight is a two-position ladder sight, dovetailed to the barrel.
Stock Configuration & Condition: The stocks are two-piece smooth walnut Carbine style with banded forend, straight grip, straight comb and carbine steel buttplate. The stocks have been sanded with finish added but the fit is good. The receiver is fitted with a saddle ring. There is a 3-inch crack in the forearm underneath the barrel band. The LOP measures 13.5” from the front of the trigger to the back of the buttplate. Overall, the stocks are in Fine condition, as replaced or refinished.
Type of Finish: Case Hardened / Blued
Finish Originality: original metal/refinished wood
Bore Condition: The bore is semi-bright and the rifling is slightly worn. There is some fouling present but no erosion. In this writer’s opinion, the bore rates at 7.5/10.
Overall Condition: This saddle ring carbine retains 5% of its original metal finish remaining in protected areas such as the crevice between the barrel and magazine. The bolt retains a good amount of blue. The action has normal wear for a gun of this age. The case coloring has worn to mottled patches on the receiver and buttplate. There is some freckled pitting on the right side of the receiver and the lever. The screw heads are tool marked but servicable. Overall, this rifle is in Good condition, as an antique.
Mechanics: The action functions correctly for cycling the action and pulling the trigger. We have not fired this rifle and would recommend that a competent gunsmith perform a full inspection before any use is considered. As with all used firearms, a thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance standards.
Box, Paperwork & Accessories: This rifle comes with a CFM Record Search. The search confirms that this rifle was not originally configured as a carbine and was originally chambered in 38-56 with an octagon barrel..
Our Assessment: The Winchester Model 1886 was John M. Browning’s large-frame lever-action design for Winchester, built to handle the powerful black-powder sporting cartridges of the late 19th century. The .38-70 WCF joined the Model 1886 line in 1894 and was one of the less commonly encountered chamberings, with published survey figures indicating substantially fewer were produced than in staple calibers such as .45-70. This 1895 Antique is now configured as a 22″ .38-70 saddle-ring carbine-style rifle, though its CFM Record Search establishes that it left Winchester as a .38-56 rifle with an octagon barrel. Its present configuration therefore represents a significant period or later alteration rather than its original factory form.
This rifle is in Good condition as an altered Antique, retaining about 5% of its surviving original metal finish in protected areas, with the balance displaying an attractive aged patina, scattered oxidation, and some freckled pitting. The refinished or replaced walnut stocks are in Fine condition overall, though the forearm has a 3″ crack beneath the barrel band. The bore is semi-bright with slightly worn rifling, no observed erosion, and rates 7.5/10. The lever action cycles correctly and the trigger functions as intended. Although no longer in its factory-recorded configuration, the .38-70 chambering is itself a legitimate and comparatively scarce Model 1886 caliber, making this an interesting example for the collector who appreciates early Winchesters with a long working history.