Winchester 1886 Appraisal

Winchester 1886 Appraisal


Introduction | History of Winchester Guns | Models |  Variations
Outline of Features | Condition  | 
Diagrams / Pictures  | 

A Brief History of Winchester Guns

Winchester Rifles and Shotguns was established by Oliver F. Winchester on February 20, 1866.  The first model produced under his name was the Model 1866 lever-action rifle .44 caliber rimfire.  There had been earlier rifles using lever action  including the Rocket Ball and Volition Repeater in 1848, Jennings Rifle (patent 1851), Smith and Wesson pistol, and Volcanic Repeating Arms (New Haven Arms Company and Henry Rifles).  When the design was improved by B. Henry Tyler (shop foreman at the New Haven Arms Company), the .44 caliber metalic rimfire cartridge became powerful enough to compete with the single shot rifles of the day.   Winchester Repeating Arms Company established itself as one of the world's leading firearms manufacturers of the world, and the subsequent rifles produced by Winchester are highly prized by collectors today.

About Model 1886 Winchester Rifle
The 1886 Winchester rifle was a successor to the 1873 Winchester, designed on a John Browning patent. The 1886 Winchester was one of the finest and strongest lever-action rifles that Winchester ever produced. The most popular caliber was .45-70 Government, but the 1886 was also chambered for the numerous smaller caliber cartridges of the day and the price is greatly influenced by caliber, with the larger calibers worth considerably more. The gun was available in three different 'Models (Sporting Rifle, Carbine, Musket), and the first two models had variations. The 1886 Winchester was produced from 1886 through 1935. During that 49-year period, there were over 160,000 guns sold. THIS APPRAISAL COURSE WILL PROVIDE VALUES FOR ALL '1886' WINCHESTER GUNS.

There are three distinct Model Configurations of 1886 Winchester Rifle, and the variations and calibers within those models can vary a great deal in value. In appraising your gun, you must initially determine your Model Configuration, then the variety of that Model. After selecting the appropriate Model, you will be easily guided through the variations and condition, to the value range. There are also additional informational pages on the history of Winchester firearms.

For a complete outline of the history of Winchester Guns
 Click Here

Appraisals
To determine the value of your firearm, you must first analyze it carefully. There will be sufficient information in this course to accurately price and date your firearm .  As you go through the process fill in appropriate boxes in the right-hand column by clicking the mouse-pointer on the open circle that is most appropriate.

In appraising your gun, you must initially determine your Model Configuration. After selecting the appropriate Model, you will be guided through the many possible variations, then condition rating, to the final value range. There are also additional informational pages on the history of Winchester firearms.  Recognize that the final value of your gun can be greatly influenced by special order features.

 There are 4 steps to this process as you enter your Data.

Step 1: Determine the Model or Configuration of your gun
Step 2: Determine Model Variations
Step 3: Determine your Firearm Condition
Step 4: Determine the Value and Manufacture Date of your Gun

Click Here to Begin your Appaisal.