^Lot 31 Winchester Third Model 1866 Lever Action Rifle

Winchester Third Model 1866 Lever Action Rifle, #28962, .44 RF cal., 24'' octagon barrel, blued with brass receiver, forend cap, and buttplate with trapdoor. Straight grip walnut stock and forend with sling swivels attached to the buttstock and forend cap. Rifle features a dovetailed German silver blade front sight, and early type folding leaf rear sight. Barrel has two-line address with both March 1866 and October 1860 patent dates. Last three digits of the serial number are visible on inside of the upper tang channel of the buttstock; last four digits are visible on the backside of the buttplate at the toe. Includes a four-piece cleaning rod in the buttplate trap. Rifle is in very good overall condition, displaying traces of blued finish, balance a mixture of gray/brown patina. Barrel with sharp edges; address is mostly visible, with the last set of patent dates having worn and now partially legible. Brass parts with a pleasing even patina. Serial number on the lower tang is crisp; lower tang with what looks like a ''witness'' type mark at the main-spring adjusting screw. Lever is mostly gray with spots of dark patina. Wood with general dents and scratches. Finish on the forend shows thinning and there are fine cracks along the upper edge on the left side. Action functions smoothly. Bore with scattered spots of light erosion; rifling is defined and rates very good. Brass tipped cleaning rod has an overall dark brown patina. Est.: $5,000-$7,000. (Antique)