Description

#4603 Winchester 1866 OBFMCB rifle, 44RF, 158XXX range (1882), late Fourth Variation having the iron forearm cap and buttplate, Winchester address, and other later 1873 type features. The wood is near fine with just light bumps, bruises, and the usual scratches of a 130 year life. It fits tight and flush with the metal, no slivers or repairs of mention, and the buttstock is the correct high-comb ’66 style (many late 1866s seem to have this Model 1873 low-comb style buttstock, especially those made as late as the 1880s). Mechanically it is working fine and has an average bore with some scale and darkening in the grooves but strong rifling. Being a very late Model 1866, it typically does have the later style rear semi-buckhorn rear barrel sight mounted farther forward as seen on the Model 1873s of this vintage, but does still have the half-moon screwed in style lever latch (both correct features). The brass frame has the usual minor bumps and dings of age, but is generally well above average, as is the entire rifle. There are even some VERY faint traces of what looks to be original blue at the corners of the barrel …but they are FAINT. For the collector who doesn’t want to sell his lovely teenaged daughter into the white slavery trade in order to get a decent “Yellow-Boy” 1866, this gun will probably be one of the few decent ’66 rifles found in under the ten-thousand dollar range. $8395