So I inherited an old Winchester lever gun in "38 cal" about 4 years ago. After some research the modern black powder cartridge is 38-40. I believe it's an 1873 but there are no markings to confirm.
The serial number starts with 290, so I believe it's an 1880-1890 manufacture date. Octagonal barrel, with "king's improvement patented March 29, 1866 October 16 1860."
The gun was my great aunt's father's. It sat in a wooden gun case, in FL, for about 40 years as best I cant tell. There is no rust on the rifle, but that's because he had painted it with thick black paint. I had to get the rifle re-blued and I re-finished the wood. As best I can tell all parts (except one tang screw the idiot lost) are original. Rifle looks amazing for being 100+ years old. The re-blueing job does have some patina to it now, but all of it is still there.
Any ideas of value? I'm not trying to sell it or anything, but I'm not sentimentally attached to it. Just trying to asses value and if I need to take better steps to preserve the gun other than keeping in my safe with a Dehumidifier.
I'm afraid to shoot the gun, but I do have a box of shells. Afraid to destroy the value, or blow myself up. The shells are black powder cowboy loads. I will likely never use the rifle. Not a cowboy shooter and I have other more practical lever guns.
The serial number starts with 290, so I believe it's an 1880-1890 manufacture date. Octagonal barrel, with "king's improvement patented March 29, 1866 October 16 1860."
The gun was my great aunt's father's. It sat in a wooden gun case, in FL, for about 40 years as best I cant tell. There is no rust on the rifle, but that's because he had painted it with thick black paint. I had to get the rifle re-blued and I re-finished the wood. As best I can tell all parts (except one tang screw the idiot lost) are original. Rifle looks amazing for being 100+ years old. The re-blueing job does have some patina to it now, but all of it is still there.
Any ideas of value? I'm not trying to sell it or anything, but I'm not sentimentally attached to it. Just trying to asses value and if I need to take better steps to preserve the gun other than keeping in my safe with a Dehumidifier.
I'm afraid to shoot the gun, but I do have a box of shells. Afraid to destroy the value, or blow myself up. The shells are black powder cowboy loads. I will likely never use the rifle. Not a cowboy shooter and I have other more practical lever guns.
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