A Question for Bert

brotus2

1886 #155637 A (serial number and letter A seperated by a space). 45-70, 1/2 Octagon 1/2 Round. Magazine protrudes 2" (stops where the bbl starts round) and is screwed thru the mag into the bbl. The bbl has W.H. Hobaugh stamped on it. There are no markings on the bbl other than the name and 45-70 and The Winchester WP proofmark on the top where the bbl meets the receiver (very light). No other Winchester markings other than on the tang with Model number (upper) and serial number (lower).

The bbl maybe a "pencil thin" in the round end as at the muzzle it is thin (1/16). I have no idea if it is the original bbl. I believe the receiver to be original.

The rifle is absolutely beautiful! Color case hardning on all metal, deep beautiful blue and the wood must be 4X or whatever the coding is for the absolute top of the line incredible grained walnut. The actual finish on the wood is a thing of beauty. It is also deep cut checkered on stock and fore end.

It has, obviously, been professionally redone. I can't say the wood is original. I got the rifle in the mid 80's from a guy who needed money and paid $400.00.

Any light you can shed on this would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

Bert H.

It is obviously a very late production Model 1886, and as such, it most likely was originally a 33 W.C.F. Sporting Rifle.

The barrel has obviously been reworked or replaced. What you did not mention was how long it is.

Winchester stopped case color finishing all of their varioaus Model is August of 1901, and your rifle was made sometime in the 1920s.

You also did not mention whether it is a pistol grip or a straight grip. As for the stocks, they are most likely not original (as you suspect).

Conclusion... a totally reworked & refinished gun. The price you paid for it was decent though. Today it could be worth about $2000.

brotus2

Thanks Bert for your time and effort. I was wrong about the Winchester proofmark being on the bbl. It is on top of the receiver over where the bbl threads in. The stock is pistol grip and the bbl is 28". I looked up W.H. Hobaugh. It seems he was a renowned bbl maker who often teamed up with Al Beisen (stocks) to make custom guns or redo existing guns (rifles).

I tried to take the front stock off to get the magazine out and look under the bbl for any Winchester markings. Got the cap off, the magaznie caps and spring out but couldn't get the magazine to slide out of the stock. Again, thanks.