Make: Winchester

Model: 1886

Year of Manufacture: 1888

Caliber: .45-70 Government

Action Type: Lever Action Rifle with Full-Length Tubular Magazine and Set-Trigger

Serial Number: 15120

Barrel Length: 32", Octagonal

Sights: The front sight is a Beach-style folding sight presenting either a brass blade or a beaded post in a brass hood, dovetailed to the front of the barrel. The rear sight is a folding ladder-style sight presenting a "V"-notch when folded down and with a "V"-notched slider on the ladder graduated from 2-10 in hundreds of yards, dovetailed to the rear of the barrel. The sights are replacements, each can be drifted by hand in the dovetails. The top tang is drilled and tapped with a folding tang sight installed, adjustable for windage and elevation.

Stock Configuration & Condition: The stocks are two-piece smooth walnut with capped forend, straight grip, straight comb and steel crescent buttplate. The stocks have some scattered nicks, dings, scuffs and scratches. There is a patch repair in the left of the wrist at the top-front corner. There is a long crack extending back and down from the rear of the top tang on the left. The forend cap has a slight gap to the wood. The LOP measures 12 3/4" from the front of the trigger to the back of the buttplate. The plate has strong case color with minor wear at the heel and toe. Overall, the stocks are in Very Good condition as refinished Antique.

Type of Finish: Blue & Case Color

Finish Originality: Refinished

Bore Condition: The bore is mostly bright with sharp rifling. There is some light erosion and stubborn fouling in the bore. In this writer's opinion, the bore rates about 8/10.

Overall Condition: The rifle retains approximately 75% of its current metal finish. The receiver, lever, and hammer have strong, vibrant case color. The magazine and its brackets have strong blue finish, appearing to have been refinished or possibly replaced. The brackets fit loosely to their dovetails on the barrel. The barrel has worn or been polished to white, now going to a light patina. The muzzle appears to have been re-faced and re-crowned, showing minor erosion around the crown. There are scattered nicks and scratches on the barrel. The action shows light operational wear. The screw heads range from sharp to lightly tool marked with strong slots. The caliber marking has been re-applied. The markings are clear. Overall, this rifle is in Good-Very Good condition as refinished Antique.

Mechanics: The action functions correctly. We did not fire this rifle. As with all used firearms, a thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance standards.

Box / Accessories: This rifle comes with a framed Winchester Factory Records letter which indicates that this rifle was produced as a .45-70 with a 32" octagonal barrel and set-trigger, received in warehouse February 28, 1888 and shipped the same day.

Our Assessment: The 1886 is another of John Browning’s industry-changing designs. It is our favorite Winchester here, certainly the strongest built at the time and function leads to beauty. The 1886 was available in a variety of cartridges over its nearly 40 years of production and, while there were standard configurations, there were also special-order features which led to a wide number of variations available to the collector today. This is a scarce example ordered with a longer than standard barrel, much longer. While the standard rifle was 26", this example was ordered with an enormous 32" barrel chambered for the .45-70 Government cartridge. With a barrel and magazine tube this long, Winchester found it necessary to install a second bracket to support the magazine! To best take advantage of this long barrel and sight radius, it was also ordered with a set-trigger. It is an early example, produced in February of 1888, and comes with a Winchester letter confirming its original configuration. Someone began the process of restoring this rifle, with beautiful case color finish and new sights including a clever adjustable peep sight. This restoration project is well worth completing, and the result will be a very distinctive Winchester. Please see our pictures and good luck!