Winchester Model 1886 26” 45/70 Gov’t Lever Action Rifle MFD 1888 Antique
SOLD FOR: $3,050.00
LSB# LSB251001TL002
Make: Winchester
Model: 1886
Serial Number: 25548
Year of Manufacture: 1888
Caliber: .45-70 Government
Action Type: Lever Action with Full-Length Tubular Magazine
Barrel Length: 26″, Octagonal
Sights / Optics: The front sight is a Marbles #3 bead dovetailed to the front of the barrel. The rear sight is a standard Semi-Buckhorn rear.
Stock Configuration & Condition: The stocks are two-piece smooth walnut with nosecap, straight grip, straight comb, and nickel-plated steel crescent buttplate. The stocks have scattered nicks, dings, scuffs and scratches. There are a couple larger dents on the lower side between the lower tang and the toe. The LOP measures 13″ from the front of the trigger to the back of the buttplate. The plate has some wear at the heel, toe, and in the face with scattered oxidation. Overall, the stocks rate in Good condition as Antique.
Type of Finish: Blue
Finish Originality: Original
Bore Condition: The bore is semi-bright and the rifling is well defined. There is scattered light erosion and minor pitting in the bore. In this writer’s opinion, the bore rates 6 out of 10 and would rate higher without the bulge.
Overall Condition: This rifle retains about 20% of its metal finish. Most of the bluing has worn to gray patina. There is some scattered light surface oxidation. There are dings and handling scratches throughout. The action shows operational wear. The screw heads range from sharp to tool marked with strong slots. The markings are clear. Overall, this rifle is in Good condition as Antique.
Mechanics: The action functions 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: Included is a Cody Firearms Records Office records search which indicates that this serial number was applied October 17,1888, assembled as a rifle chambered for 45/70 with octagonal barrel, plain trigger, received in warehouse October 20, 1888 and shipped October 30, 1888 on order 14558.
Our Assessment: The Winchester Model 1886 stands as one of John Browning’s greatest contributions to the lever-action lineage, engineered to handle the powerful big-bore cartridges that earlier rifles could not. Introduced in an era when hunters demanded strength, reach, and reliability from their frontier tools, the 1886 quickly earned a reputation as a rugged companion capable of taking on the largest North American game. This 1888-produced example comes from the rifle’s earliest years—an era when the model was still new, its oversized frame and smooth-running action viewed as a bold leap forward from the lighter 1873 and 1876 predecessors. The 26-inch octagonal barrel and crescent buttplate evoke the classic styling Winchester preserved even as the design pushed into new ballistic territory.
Chambered in .45-70 Government, the rifle represents one of the most historically significant American cartridges of the 19th century. Adopted by the U.S. military in 1873, the .45-70 quickly proved itself as a versatile and authoritative round, equally at home in service rifles, hunting fields, and frontier outposts. By the time this rifle left the Winchester warehouse in October of 1888—details confirmed by the included Cody Firearms Records Office document—the pairing of the Model 1886 with the .45-70 cartridge had already become a benchmark combination for serious sporting use. The semi-bright bore with defined rifling retains meaningful character for an antique of this age, reflecting the enduring quality of Winchester’s steel and the cartridge’s long-lived place in American history.
The well-worn exterior finish, aged walnut stocks, and patinated nickel-plated buttplate all lend this rifle the unmistakable presence of a tool that lived its working life in the field rather than the closet. Its honest wear, scattered dings, and softened blue tell the story of a rifle that saw real use across decades, yet still preserves its correct configuration and clear markings. As an early-production Winchester 1886 with documented shipping history, correct octagonal barrel, and authentic frontier character, it stands today as a vivid relic of the black-powder big-bore era—a tangible reminder of the power, craftsmanship, and reach that defined Winchester’s late-19th-century sporting rifles. Please see our photos and good luck on your bid! MF
