SCARCE EARLY HENRY MARKED WINCHESTER MODEL 1866 LEVER ACTION RIFLE.

SCARCE EARLY HENRY MARKED WINCHESTER MODEL 1866 LEVER ACTION RIFLE. SN 16218. Cal. 44 RF Henry. Usual configuration with 24-1/4″ oct bbl, full magazine with an unusual tall front sight with brass blade and a Henry style 900 yard ladder rear sight. Top flat has the crisp & clear 2-line Henry & King’s Patent address. Receiver, forend cap and crescent buttplate are gun metal brass with the early style dimpled forend cap. Buttstock has a factory installed sling swivel with corresponding swivel integral on the forend cap. Rifle is mounted with uncheckered, nicely figured straight grain American walnut with straight stock. Left side of lower tang under the wood is marked with the SN along with the initials “RV”. Serial number was also observed in top tang channel of buttstock and inside toe of buttplate. Accompanied by a 4-pc brass & iron cleaning rod. This rifle is one of the very early Model 66s just after the cessation of Henry rifle production which ceased at around SN 14000 although there are Model 66 arms found as early as the 12400 serial range. These early ’66s are almost never found with high orig finish because they were almost universally shipped westward and saw extensive use on the great American frontier well into the 1870s under harsh climatic conditions with little or no maintenance. They were usually carried across the saddle bow, in a saddle scabbard or wagon box which conditions are very detrimental to rifle finish. CONDITION: Very fine, all matching. Bbl retains 80-85% orig factory blue, mostly strong & bright, mixed with slight discoloration over the top three flats. Magazine tube retains about 60% orig blue, mostly in sheltered areas with the outer radius a blue/gray patina. Receiver, buttplate & forend cap retain a smooth even medium to dark mustard patina. Edges of receiver show light wear and have no damage at the top edges of the sideplates. Lever is mostly a gray/brown patina. Hammer retains faded case colors all over. Wood is sound with light nicks & scratches and retains virtually all of its orig factory varnish. Mechanics are crisp, bright shiny bore with a very few, scattered small spots of pitting. This is an exceptionally clean, very early ’66 rifle in seldom encountered condition. 4-42260 JR164 (22,500-32,500)

Auction: Firearms - Fall 2011

Please Note: All prices include the hammer price plus the buyer’s premium, which is paid by the buyer as part of the purchase price. The prices noted here after the auction are considered unofficial and do not become official until after the 46th day.

Image	Lot	Price	Description
	2020	$35,650.00	SCARCE EARLY HENRY MARKED WINCHESTER MODEL 1866 LEVER ACTION RIFLE. SN 16218. Cal. 44 RF Henry. Usual configuration with 24-1/4″ oct bbl, full magazine with an unusual tall front sight with brass blade and a Henry style 900 yard ladder rear sight. Top flat has the crisp & clear 2-line Henry & King’s Patent address. Receiver, forend cap and crescent buttplate are gun metal brass with the early style dimpled forend cap. Buttstock has a factory installed sling swivel with corresponding swivel integral on the forend cap. Rifle is mounted with uncheckered, nicely figured straight grain American walnut with straight stock. Left side of lower tang under the wood is marked with the SN along with the initials “RV”. Serial number was also observed in top tang channel of buttstock and inside toe of buttplate. Accompanied by a 4-pc brass & iron cleaning rod. This rifle is one of the very early Model 66s just after the cessation of Henry rifle production which ceased at around SN 14000 although there are Model 66 arms found as early as the 12400 serial range. These early ’66s are almost never found with high orig finish because they were almost universally shipped westward and saw extensive use on the great American frontier well into the 1870s under harsh climatic conditions with little or no maintenance. They were usually carried across the saddle bow, in a saddle scabbard or wagon box which conditions are very detrimental to rifle finish. CONDITION: Very fine, all matching. Bbl retains 80-85% orig factory blue, mostly strong & bright, mixed with slight discoloration over the top three flats. Magazine tube retains about 60% orig blue, mostly in sheltered areas with the outer radius a blue/gray patina. Receiver, buttplate & forend cap retain a smooth even medium to dark mustard patina. Edges of receiver show light wear and have no damage at the top edges of the sideplates. Lever is mostly a gray/brown patina. Hammer retains faded case colors all over. Wood is sound with light nicks & scratches and retains virtually all of its orig factory varnish. Mechanics are crisp, bright shiny bore with a very few, scattered small spots of pitting. This is an exceptionally clean, very early ’66 rifle in seldom encountered condition. 4-42260 JR164 (22,500-32,500) Auction: Firearms - Fall 2011 Please Note: All prices include the hammer price plus the buyer’s premium, which is paid by the buyer as part of the purchase price. The prices noted here after the auction are considered unofficial and do not become official until after the 46th day.

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