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Winchester Model 1885 High Wall Rifle

This is an interesting Model 1885 with 30" heavy No. 3 octagon barrel in Caliber 38 WCF aka 38-40.  It has a special order single set trigger and during its working life had Swiss sights installed.  The rear looks like a military Vetterli-type sight....its been there probably since the gun was new and looks great. The front sight is a silver blade with a long flat base....looks like something a single shot enthusiast would have had on his gun back in the 19th century and has been there forever. The Model 1885 was called Winchester's single shot model and was the first Patent Winchester purchased from John Browning.  The lower tang has Browning's original 1879 patent date located behind the trigger.  Serial number is in the 41,000 range and was made in the year 1889. 

Overall condition is NRA antique Very Good with the metal mostly turned to a very smooth and even brown patina.  You can tell this gun once had a lot of original finish that just hazed over with patina after many years.  In fact, you can still see a considerable amount of mottling from the original case colors on the receiver.  The barrel still has some streaks of original blue present as well.  The action works nicely.  Set trigger adjusting screw has part of the head chipped but looks like it was screwed in to disengage the set mechanism...I'm not making any guarantees but sometimes these set triggers work perfectly once you turn them back on by unscrewing them out a few threads.  Aside from the set screw, the rest of the screws are in perfect shape...most look unturned and are full of 100+ years of dried grease and oil.  Action works nicely. Excellent markings throughout.  The bore is in Fine+ to nearly Excellent condition...with strong lands and grooves, a pit or two here and there, but still very bright and shiny.  The wood is in VG+ condition with great wood to metal fit...never sanded....with some nice figure in the buttstock.  Forend has its original ebony insert intact.  Nice wood with no chips, cracks, or repairs.  A very nice example of an early High Wall in a scarce caliber.

Item# 0561

SOLD

 
       

 

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