1886 Winchester, refinish?

[M. M. Wright]

I am contemplating having my 1886 Winchester, 45-90 refinished. Don't get excited, there is no original finish left and it has been Parkerized I think. Anyway it is a black non-glare surface that doesn't look right on it. 1916 vintage I think,
SN: 1547XX A. Anyone know what the A means. I know that later it meant that Winchester had modified it in some way but this one seems quite normal. 26 inch barrel, full magazine, straight grip, I would assume crescent butt, but the wood had been replaced when I got it so who knows how it came from the factory.
Does anyone know when the frames were case hardened and when they all came blue. Guess I should letter it, huh?

Kirk D. any thoughts?

[Pete44ru]

For an 1886 refinish and/or customization, I can think of none better to do it than our own Mike Hunter.

You can PM him after looking him up under "M", as "Mike Hunter" in our membership listing atop this forum.

.

[claybob86]

...Guess I should letter it, huh?

Yes, and I'd like to see a picture. Never seen a parkerized 1886.

[M. M. Wright]

Here is a picture of it that I have posted before.

[Sixgun]

MM,
Your gun was originally blued as cch was an option after about 1901, but.............if you are going to refinish it, do it the way YOU like as a refinished gun is a refinished gun, with cch holding a higher prestige amongst most.

Yes, I have seen parkerized Winchesters. The last one was an 86 src that was for sale for 35 c-notes when it would have been worth 10X the amount had it been original.-----------Sixgun

[Mike D.]

1916, but it most likely wears an older soft steel barrel. The "A" signifies the threaded easily removed magazine tube. Not all guns with that feature had the "A" prefix following the serial number. Like Jack, said, blued with CCH hammer and lever only.

[gak]

It is odd how so many modern Winchester replicas have CCH (or faux) receivers, when so many of the original Wins were not that way. For awhile it was almost impossible to get an EMF Hartford (Rossi) without it. (The EMFs were nicer otherwise, no safety and nicer sights and overall finish). In fact, I ended up "settling" on one when wanting a new carbine and you couldn't get it just blued. . (I generally don't care for the receiver treatment on the levers, except I might change my tune with a Turnbull...still I think I'd opt to refinish without). Ditto, some Chiappas are or perhaps more accurately were only available this way. I recall seeing one of our members publish stats indicating that only a very (very) few Win 92s for instance were so-finished originally.

[1badf350]

Sixgun is correct. Winchester stopped case hardening as an option on all of there rifles after 1901. If your rifle dates to 1916 then it would not have been casehardened.
Properly refinished Winchesters are gaining popularity with collectors. That said, it would be best to refinish the gun as it was when it was new. If it didnt leave the factory casehardened, i would advise that you not caseharden it.

Just my two cents anyhow.

[KirkD]

Looks like you got good advice already. I'd say get it done the way you want. That way, you'll have a beaut.

[1badf350]

Edit: nevermind.

[Pitchy]

It`ll be a beauty bro.