Manufactured in 1895, this is a fine example of a Winchester Model 1886 rifle chambered in the very scarce .40-70 W.C.F. cartridge. These robust rifles and carbines designed by the legendary John Moses Browning were highly valued in the American West, even long after much of the frontier had been tamed. The 1886 was Browning's first repeating design for Winchester and spawned a line of very successful and rugged lever actions for the company. According to research on the Model 1886 conducted by John T. Madl, only 862 of the model were produced in .40-70 W.C.F., making it a considerably rare caliber for collectors to get their hands on. It has the desirable casehardened finish, which was only standard on the '86 until around 1901. The top of the barrel is marked with the standard two-line address along with the caliber marking at the breech. The upper tang is marked with the model designation and the serial number is on the lower tang. It is fitted with a German silver No. 21 "Sporting" blade front sight and an elevation adjustable No. 24 notch rear sight. It is mounted with a smooth forearm and straight grip stock with a crescent buttplate.