A "suspicious" box arrived this afternoon.

Mike D. · Post by **Mike D.** » Fri Jun 18, 2010 7:42 pm

When I arrived from from our snowy sojourn into the High Sierra today this package was leaning against the wall. I know what it contains, but I haven't gotten around to opening it. I will do so quite carefully in a short while.

2ndovc · Post by **2ndovc** » Fri Jun 18, 2010 7:48 pm

That's just not nice!!

I'd love a long brown box!!

jb

JerryB · Post by **JerryB** » Fri Jun 18, 2010 8:08 pm

Could it possibly be a raggedy old '86 ??

Joel · Post by **Joel** » Fri Jun 18, 2010 8:12 pm

Somebody sent you a Swiffer© ?

Griff · Post by **Griff** » Fri Jun 18, 2010 8:22 pm

So, okay... how long does it take to open a box???

Chas. · Post by **Chas.** » Fri Jun 18, 2010 8:28 pm

Maybe until Sunday?

TedH · Post by **TedH** » Fri Jun 18, 2010 8:55 pm

Garand?

dr walker · Post by **dr walker** » Fri Jun 18, 2010 8:57 pm

Thats just mean.

Mike D. · Post by **Mike D.** » Fri Jun 18, 2010 9:47 pm

Sorry, it's just a beat up old 1886 Extra Lightweight Take Down .45-90 WCF rifle.

pokey · Post by **pokey** » Fri Jun 18, 2010 10:02 pm

Joel wrote:Somebody sent you a Swiffer© ?

Sixgun · Post by **Sixgun** » Fri Jun 18, 2010 10:08 pm

Mike, "beat up 86 lgtwt. td in 45-90"??? I bet there's no more than 100 of them ever made!

Yours make number 4 that I have ever seen. I bought # 1 and #2 but the guy who had #3 knew what it was and it was priced accordingly

In addition to the "special caliber" in a lightweight, you also have the special full length mag.-------Good snag!

----------Sixgun

Mike D. · Post by **Mike D.** » Fri Jun 18, 2010 10:44 pm

Jack, it letters exactly as you see it. .45-90, Extra Lightweight, Full Magazine, Takedown, High Velocity front sight, Lyman rear. It has a steel buttplate with lip, not hard rubber like my other one has. I mostly picked it up because of the mag length. I am still in NEED of same in .40-82 and .50-110.

MistWolf · Post by **MistWolf** » Fri Jun 18, 2010 11:02 pm

Mike D. wrote:Sorry, it's just a beat up old 1886 Extra Lightweight Take Down .45-90 WCF rifle.

Oh, is that all....

spaceman spiff · Post by **spaceman spiff** » Fri Jun 18, 2010 11:49 pm

That's too cool........... I like it.

spaceman

Grizz · Post by **Grizz** » Sat Jun 19, 2010 12:05 am

that's a beauty for sure. I'd be happy to exercise it for ya if it's too much trouble to walk it every day. .....

Grizz

Mike D. · Post by **Mike D.** » Sat Jun 19, 2010 12:32 am

Not to worry, Grizz, that Winchester will get plenty exercise.

samb · Post by **samb** » Sat Jun 19, 2010 1:11 am

Love it! What a Beauty!

firefuzz · Post by **firefuzz** » Sat Jun 19, 2010 5:52 am

Nice catch.

Rob

dr walker · Post by **dr walker** » Sat Jun 19, 2010 6:21 am

Nice looking rifle, sounds like a special one too.

Borregos · Post by **Borregos** » Sat Jun 19, 2010 6:44 am

That is nice

TedH · Post by **TedH** » Sat Jun 19, 2010 7:47 am

That's a dandy for sure.

Post by **Hobie** » Sat Jun 19, 2010 7:59 am

Thanks for sharing that Mike. I think that is about the ideal 1886 configuration, I wonder why it didn't appeal to many others (other than, perhaps, the chambering).

rjohns94 · Post by **rjohns94** » Sat Jun 19, 2010 8:34 am

Darn near perfect from where I sit!! Congrats and thanks for sharing.

Mike D. · Post by **Mike D.** » Sat Jun 19, 2010 10:03 am

The gun is not in top condition, but has plenty of bluing, a VERY clean bore, and representative dings and scratches from well cared for use in the years since it was new in 1906. That is exactly the kind of rifle I like. I can add my own "character" without fear of marking up a "new" Winchester. This one will be hunted, there are no useless "safe queens" in my little collection.

Joel · Post by **Joel** » Sat Jun 19, 2010 12:01 pm

Tell me the driver did not just leave that box sitting on your porch while you were gone?

Mike D. · Post by **Mike D.** » Sat Jun 19, 2010 12:53 pm

Joel wrote:Tell me the driver did not just leave that box sitting on your porch while you were gone?

No, Joel, it was delivered by Fed Ex and signed for by my wife. I told her not to worry, we can put her granite counter tops in later.

O.S.O.K. · Post by **O.S.O.K.** » Sat Jun 19, 2010 1:14 pm

I love suspicious boxes.

That is really cool Mike. Congrats!

Looking forward to hearing the range report - what are you going to shoot? I mean, what load?

rangerider7 · Post by **rangerider7** » Sat Jun 19, 2010 1:24 pm

That's a great looking rifle! I love 86s.

Rimfire McNutjob · Post by **Rimfire McNutjob** » Sat Jun 19, 2010 1:27 pm

Fantastic. I love that it's factory with the Lyman too. Somebody ordered up a pretty cool gun 100 years ago.

Sixgun · Post by **Sixgun** » Sat Jun 19, 2010 2:09 pm

Mike D. wrote: I told her not to worry, we can put her granite counter tops in later.

THATS my way of thinking---the important things first.

---------Sixgun

Mike D. · Post by **Mike D.** » Sat Jun 19, 2010 3:09 pm

The gun letters as follows concerning the sights:

Sights: High Velocity, Lyman rear.

The rear sight is the correct Lyman 21 with NI code, but the front is marked W.F. Sheard, Tacoma, Wash. What constitutes a "High Velocity" front sight? I do know that "Sheard" sights were special order items for Winchesters, but the sight is not mentioned by number or name. In 1905 Marble Outing Equipment bought several of Sheard's patents and began to produce "Sheard" type sights. The sight on this rifle is not a Marble's, but a "real" Sheard.

In later Winchester catalogues they list the Marble's "Sheard" Gold Hunting sight No. 15 for "Winchester Rifles, Model 1886, calibers .33, .45-70 and .45-90 High Power Smokeless. The very same sight that is on my '86 is pictured. I suppose a sensible conclusion could be drawn that this is the "High Velocity" sight mentioned in the letter, but made by Sheard prior to them selling the patents to Marble's.

Post by **Chuck 100 yd** » Sat Jun 19, 2010 4:31 pm

SWEET !!

Mike D. · Post by **Mike D.** » Sun Jun 20, 2010 1:50 pm

The seller told me that the bore was "bright with worn rifling". When I first took the gun down I expected to see what he described, but no way, the bore is super sharp with no wear and zero leading. The rifling does appear to be faster than the old BP 1 in 32" twist, though. The later EL rifles intended for high velocity loadings and jacketed bullets must have a 1 in 22 or 24" rate of twist. I am well pleased with this Winchester.

Alan Wood · Post by **Alan Wood** » Mon Jun 21, 2010 1:18 am

Better condition than the seller decribed it as being in. Sweet indeed!

Congratulations!

kimwcook · Post by **kimwcook** » Mon Jun 21, 2010 9:52 am

Very nice acquisition, Mike. Something a lot of guys just dream of putting their hands on.

madman4570 · Post by **madman4570** » Mon Jun 21, 2010 10:00 am

And before I got on this Forum I thought I was hot stuff with my 1969 Ruger#1 45-70

Yours is yet another one friend that is in a league of its own.
That is somthing special and somthing that is hard to really even put a value on !
Congrats!

Post by **Ysabel Kid** » Mon Jun 21, 2010 12:47 pm

Congrats!!!

KirkD · Post by **KirkD** » Mon Jun 21, 2010 3:22 pm

You call that 'beat up'? You should see my old Winchesters! By the way, a box like that would not sit around unopened for very long at my house. Maybe a half minute or a minute, but that's about it.

BwanaDave · Post by **BwanaDave** » Mon Jun 21, 2010 3:41 pm

You don't want that old thing. Tell you what, I'll give you one of those newer 94s with the push button safety and that special AE feature for it and then you can show your face at the range again. Don't worry I won't tell anyone about your misfortune.

Dave

brno602 · Post by **brno602** » Mon Jun 21, 2010 6:59 pm

How do you find so many 86 Win's?
I Like reading your posts but D** how do you do it?

I hope to use my 86 on Moose this fall if I get my draw.

Mike D. · Post by **Mike D.** » Wed Jun 23, 2010 4:11 pm

[quote="KirkD"]You call that 'beat up'? You should see my old Winchesters! By the way, a box like that would not sit around unopened for very long at my house. Maybe a half minute or a minute, but that's about it.

[/quote

Kirk, I have been after this gun for 2 yrs. I got it for less than half of the original asking, exactly what I offered back then. I told the seller, Cabela's, what I thought the gun should really bring in a fair market and they finally responded. I am a very happy camper. I don't think that they thought the gun was "original". In fact, they told me that the sights were replaced. Not so, here is the sheet from Cody.

Winchester 1886, SN 137440
Date into warehouse: 8-22-1906
Caliber: .45-90
Barrel: 22 inch, Round
Extra light
Plain trigger
Sights: Lyman rear, Winchester High Velocity
Full Magazine
Shotgun butt
Takedown
Date shipped: 8-25-1906
Order: 65760

The gun sat around in the warehouse for all of three days. Guns like this were not made up on speculation, but were requested by a particular customer. .45-90 was not a caliber that was routinely offered in the Lightweight configuration. These were usually .33 or .45-70, with other calibers not encouraged at the time. Some rifles were also built in .38-56, .40-82, and .50-110. The latter two calibers are ones that I do not as yet own. The search continues.

Mike D. · Post by **Mike D.** » Wed Jun 23, 2010 4:14 pm

brno602 wrote:How do you find so many 86 Win's?
I Like reading your posts but D** how do you do it?
I hope to use my 86 on Moose this fall if I get my draw.

Luck, I think. Late 1886s interest me very much, something that most collectors sort of ignore. If it isn't "antique", many don't want it. This suits me just fine; there's more for me.