A family friend inherited an early winchester serial number 260xx chambered in .38wcf. I knew enough when seeing it that it probably had decent collector value so I snapped a few pics and I hope I got the right views because it's probably in Nevada by now.
As to the rifle, it had great heft to it. The lever action was as smooth as my new Rossi 1892 clone and the trigger was crisp and light; maybe 2 pounds or so.
It has value just because it is a Winchester 1892. It has no real finish or condition left. 2 lbs on the trigger sounds too light. I think the rear sight is from a Savage. I would the value is between 700 to 900 dollars. The octagon barrel is a plus. The only thing that can be done to improve the gun is to install the correct rear sight.
If the serial number is 260xx as you indicated in your first post, it was manufactured in March of 1894 versus 1904, which makes it a bona fide "Antique" per federal regulations.
I agree with Mike that the graded condition is on the low end of the scale, but I do not agree with his value estimate (it is a bit too low). Based on the fact that it is a pre-1899 production Sporting Rifle, it is worth approximately $1300.
In addition to replacing the non factory original rear sight with a correct sight, most of the screws head slots need to be repaired or replaced.
Check places like ebay and GB for the sight. Decent condition original screws will be difficult find, but there are several outfits that make exact reproductions.
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