This Special order Winchester Model 1886 Fancy Sporting Rifle was manufactured in 1891. This rifle is accompanied by a factory letter that describes this rifle as: "Type: Rifle, Caliber: 45/70, Barrel Type: Octagon, Trigger: Plain, Checkered stock, Pistol grip, 1/2 Magazine" and "Shotgun butt". Removal of the stock proves that the latter is a clerical error as the left side of the lower tang is marked "99 XXX" and the assembly number "99" is repeated in the stock inlet and on the crescent steel buttplate. The letter further states that the serial number was applied to this rifle on June 17, 1891 and that the rifle was shipped from the Winchester warehouse on June 24, 1891. Although the factory letter states that this rifle was shipped from Winchester with a shotgun style buttplate it is fitted with a crescent steel buttplate. The full octagon barrel and half-magazine have a blue finish. The bolt and loading gate are bright blue. The forearm cap, receiver, hammer, lever and crescent buttplate are color casehardened with fiery case colors. The forearm and pistol grip stock are highly figured, fancy grade walnut with Winchester "Style H" checkering and a high gloss piano finish. The bottom of the pistol grip has an ebony inlay. The barrel has a dove-tail mounted Lyman "Hunting Front" sight with insert and adjustable folding leaf rear sight graduated to "10" and marked "1886" at the top of the leaf. The upper receiver tang is factory drilled and tapped. The top barrel flat is roll-stamped with the two-line legend: "-MANUFACTURED BY THE-/-WINCHESTER REPEATING ARMS CO. NEW HAVEN. CONN.U.S.A.-" ahead of the rear sight. The caliber "45-70" is roll-stamped on the top barrel flat just ahead of the receiver. The upper receiver tang is roll-stamped: "-MODEL 1886-". The 1884 and 1885 patent dates are roll-stamped on the lower tang behind the trigger and the serial number is stamped on the lower tang between the tang screws.