[Brian C.]

I may have the chance to buy a model 1886 Winchester rifle in .45-90, I'm planning to go look at it tomorrow morning. The man selling it didn't seem to know guns too much, he said he and his wife inherited it from her father (grandfather? I don't remember for sure), it's very old and he's asking $1000 for it. He didn't know if it was a take down or solid frame. Before I get flogged for not running over at warp speed and getting it for that price, he told me it's been re-stocked and may have been reblued, but he's not sure on the rebluing part. He said he knows it shoots, and there's some old shells with it. Assuming the worst, that it's been re-stocked and reblued but the bore is good and the new wood and bluing if redone looked decent, what would be a fair price for a rifle like this? I realize that's always a hard question to answer based on the limited info on hand, but I'm just trying to get a fair ballpark estimate, I don't want to put up that kind of money for a humped bubba special. I've always written 1886's off as being too expensive for me and haven't kept up with current prices for them. Thanks in advance!

 

[Brian C.]

Thanks for the input, I went and looked at it and bought it, got it for $900. It's a .45-90 rifle, solid frame, octagon barrel. As far as I can tell, it hasn't been reblued, the finish is a mix of blue and patina and is at least 75%, the bore is decent, the only down side is that the wood was refinished. It has an old tang sight on it with patent dates from January 28 79 and May 6 84. I have to work this afternoon but I'll try to get some pictures up over the weekend. I can't believe I actually have my '86!