4038 EXTRAORDINARILY RARE "INSIDE NICKEL" FINISHED

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This item SOLD at 2023 Nov 06 @ 11:38UTC-4 : AST/EDT
Category Firearms & Military
Auction Currency USD
Start Price 15,000.00 USD
Estimated at 30,000.00 - 50,000.00 USD
SPECIAL ORDER WINCHESTER 1876 DELUXE EXPRESS LEVER ACTION RIFLE. Cal. 50-95 Express. S# 39678. Of the 63,871 Model 1876 Winchesters manufactured, an approximate number of only 3,300 were produced in this caliber according to Herbert Houze's book on the Winchester 1876 of which only 84 were Deluxe checkered rifles (pg. 189). Bbl. 24" round. Fine bead replacement front sight, dovetail for rear sight, Lyman aperture tang sight w/ finely knurled staff. Button mag. Case colored action features an extremely rare factory nickel finish on inside action parts including lifter, breech block, firing pin & loading gate. Dust cover is marked "WINCHESTER EXPRESS / .50 CAL. 95 GRS". Forearm & S curved pistol grip stock w/ ebony insert of fancy XXX black walnut. Features include style "H" hand checkering & steel shotgun buttplate. Both sides of stock are stamped "M.D. EWELL". Inside left of lower tang is marked w/ assembly number "1850" followed by wood grade marking "XXX" & "S". Top tang channel of stock & back of buttplate have matching assembly number "1850". Inside of forearm bbl. channel has matching pencil-marked number "1850". UNATTACHED ACCESSORIES: Cody Firearms Museum records check listing the following information, "Type: Rifle. Caliber: Express. Barrel Type: Round. Trigger: Plain. Checkered stock, Pistol Grip. 1/2 Magazine. Shotgun butt. Casehardened. Inside Nickel and etc. Received in warehouse on April 29, 1884. Shipped from warehouse on April 29, 1884. Order number 11787". Also included is a hand-made wooden filler for rear sight dovetail. CONDITION: very fine. Action, hammer, lever & mag. cap retain 90% vivid case coloring showing light carrying & edge wear. Loading gate, lifter & internal parts have over 90% nickel finish. Bbl. retains over 90% original blue showing small spots of corrosion & handling marks. Original wood finish shows light wear w/ scattered scratches & marks. Sound action. Bore is bright w/ sound rifling showing a few small spots of pitting. (01-24176/DS). ANTIQUE. $30,000-50,000.