Winchester 1886

[GFO270]

My grandfather passed away a few years back and left my dad this Winchester 1886. As you can see from the pictures its in awful condition. It has a cracked stock and my grandpa, in his infinite wisdom, use electricians tape to keep it in place. Now its a gawd-awful mess.

The question is; what do we do with this rifle. Even in its current condition its worth SOME money. Should we just sell it? or is it worth it to get it restored? If we want to restore it. Is there a place in the Portland metro area that specializes in this?

Read More

 

[No_Regerts]

I would find a forum or group that is specific to guns like these. The rifle has value amongst a limited crowd and it would be a waste of your time to try and sell or value the rifle with people who aren't really into those.

 

[GFO270]

I would find a forum or group that is specific to guns like these. The rifle has value amongst a limited crowd and it would be a waste of your time to try and sell or value the rifle with people who aren't really into those.

Thanks! I was hoping to find that here. Do you have any suggestions on where else to look?

 

[No_Regerts]

I would google something like "Winchester collectors" to see if there are any sites. Gunbroker is a place where people graze for specific items. 24hourcampfire.com has a bunch of knowledgible members of these types of things.

 

[jbett98]

If that rifle could only talk.

 

[IronMonster]

I have a Winchester 1876 that is in similar condition I just sent off to a member here for him to work over. To me it's all about having and being able to shoot my grand dad's rifle. It wouldn't matter if it was worth $500 or $50,000.

So that is the first question. Is this some old gun or is it a family heirloom? (The only difference is how you feel about it)

 

[GFO270]

If that rifle could only talk.

If she could talk she's probably say something like "why the heck did you tape up up with electricians tape!?!?"

 

[drstrangelove]

To help you decide what to do...
Gun Valuation: Deciding to Repair, Refinish, or Restore an Old Firearm
And if you decide on restoration, these people are the best...
Restoration Services - Turnbull Manufacturing Company
If it were me, and I wanted a heirloom wall hanger, I'd clean off the electrical tape crap with goo-gone, clean/oil the wood and metal surfaces with ballistol, and display it. IF the bore looks good, i.e. not in the same condition as the surface metal, then it might warrant becoming a shooter again. That will require a new stock set from Boyd's and consideration for rebluing at a minimum, but would take away from resale value. If you find out it's worth a bunch, more restored than its present condition (this can happen) and you want to make money, consult Turnbull for an opinion/quote. Selling it in its current condition without the restoration investment would be best done through an auction house i.e. Antique Firearms Auction House Rock Island, where collectors with deep pockets shop for old cowboy guns. They could probably also give you good advice on its value and how restoration would affect its value on auction. Here is a listing of 1886's with pics and estimated auction value from RIA... Antique & Collectors Firearms Auction - Sell Your Guns :: Catalog

 

[ZigZagZeke]

If you decide to restore it and make a shooter out of it I have some resources for you.

New reproduction wood is available from Treebone Carving: Treebone Carving

The barrel can be lined with pre-rifled liner material sold by the inch from:

TJ's Enterprises
3652 Neltner Rd
Alexandria, KY 41001
859-635-5560

As for metal working, the guy who did the metal work on the rifle below has passed away, so you are on your own there. But the receiver metal can be re-heat treated to restore structural integrity and case color, and of course, the worn corners on the receiver and barrel can be sharpened and redefined with a draw file (without removing any markings) before re-bluing. Below is a rifle that was in worse shape than yours, so bad that it had no collector value, so I had it restored as described above. It's now chambered for .357 Mag.

 

[Mark W.]

This is the forum you want to talk to. Be prepared for a few questions and supplying more photos. But at the end of the day its your rifle you can do as you please.

Winchester Collector

 

[Mikej]

There's a few guys at the big Oregon Arms Collectors show in August, here in Portland, that would be interested. It's held at the Holiday Inn up near the airport. I had a couple of old Winchester rifles that were really buggered up and I feel I got a good fair price for them. I was able to turn the old buggered up rifles into fully operational new rifles with the money!

 

[Andy54Hawken]

First off , I don't think that the rifle is in all that bad of shape.
I've seen and worked on worse...

If all you want to do is sell the rifle ... Then I'd remove the tape and give the rifle a light cleaning.
By light I mean stopping any active rust , a slight cleaning of the metal and stock
( not removing the patina , just remove recent surface issues ) , and cleaning of the bore.

if you want to keep the rifle , I see no issue with splicing in a repair to the stock or outright replacement.
( keeping the original stock , just not on the rifle )
Also re-placing buggered up screws is a good idea. ( keeping the originals handy )
I don't think I'd re-blue the metal ... but that's just me...

I guess you need to see if this rifle means anything to you as family history.... And if that history and family is okay with you selling or restoring the rifle.
Andy

 

[jbett98]

What caliber is it?

 

[Velzey]

I would hesitate in selling it, usually once a family heirloom is gone, its gone forever. I always hear stories about folks inheriting a firearm, then selling it. Then 10 years later wishing they had not.
Looks like it's still in pretty decent shape overall, well worth putting a little money into and shooting it again.
I would be more than happy to take a look at it and give you a written evaluation, and estimate on a full restoration.
@GFO270

 

[41mag]

OP:
nearly 30 years back I had a 1898 Colt SAA in similar condition, shootable but in pathetic cosmetic condition. Few were interested in it.

Had little emotional attachment to it, finally sent it off for "museum quality restoration" via then new-to-his-work Turnbull.

What seemed like 'high expense' produced a marvelous 'museum quality' old pistol, marvelous color case treatment & etc. The antique antler grips helped too.

Finally started using it in SASS matches with growing enthusiasm and pleasure.

Eventually it no longer looked 'museum quality' yet someone offered an incredible pile-O-bucks for it. I got considerable return on my money plus used it for a decade or so.

Your rifle could become a little hobby/investment project, or may grow in family heirloom status. We can invent whatever reasons we want for such projects, and they can teach so much about firearm history/design as well.

 

[Tim McClure]

I inherited my great grand dad's model 1886 in .33 Win when I was 4 years old. I'm 59 now, and have enjoyed that rifle my entire life. I buy ammo from Buffalo Arms, and shoot it several times a year. Mine's in pretty good shape for an over a hundred year old rifle. I love it, and have no idea as to it's worth, but my kid will have it when I'm gone, he's just 10, but has known it his entire life. Every mark on that rifle tells a story, and if t could only talk. Many an elk and deer fed my grandma's family, in a time when good rifle meant something.

 

[Fast Eddie]

That's quite a conundrum, I would get it functionally restored and make repairs to the stock if possible.

It looks like It's too far gone to be a valuable restoration. In like new condition restored they only fetch about $1,900 unless there is something exceptionally rare about it beyond what it is.

It's a cool old rifle, with family history. You should do with it whatever will make you most happy. That might mean total restoration or just new electrical tape and propped next to the fireplace to make you smile and think of him when you look at it.

 

[ZigZagZeke]

I inherited my great grand dad's model 1886 in .33 Win when I was 4 years old. I'm 59 now, and have enjoyed that rifle my entire life. I buy ammo from Buffalo Arms, and shoot it several times a year. Mine's in pretty good shape for an over a hundred year old rifle. I love it, and have no idea as to it's worth, but my kid will have it when I'm gone, he's just 10, but has known it his entire life. Every mark on that rifle tells a story, and if t could only talk. Many an elk and deer fed my grandma's family, in a time when good rifle meant something.

Mine came from my great-grandfather (b.1825), manufactured about 1873 (in .38 cal), and was taken on a steamboat up the Rosebud river around the time that Custer died. It came back to Ohio along with a pair of buffalo horns and an "indian headdress" according to my dad. Around 1915 it was badly scorched in a cabin fire, the forestock burned away, the buttstock scorched and carbonized, and the bluing destroyed. It sat like that for nearly 100 years until I inherited it. Below you can see the buffalo (bison) horns and the scorched buttstock, but the headdress is long gone.

But like I said, mine was worse than yours. I'm into it for about 3 times what it's worth on the open market, but that doesn't matter. It's 150 years of family history that will be passed down to the right individual when the time comes.

 

[Gaucho Gringo]

Too bad it wasn't repaired in a period repair of either leather wrap or wound brass wire.

 

[CountryGent]

Minor tangent, as part of as series on the history of the Winchester lever action on Forgotten Wepaons, there was a video on the 1886 today. Just passing it along in case it is of interest. Cheers.