Manufactured circa 1892 with a Winchester Arms Museum letter. The Winchester letter describes this rifle, as: "Rifle, 40/82 (now 45-70), octagon barrel, plain trigger, fancy wood stock with pistol grip. The letter states this rifle was originally shipped in May 1892 and then returned and repaired in November 1892, July 1893 and again in Sept 1895. The rifle is currently fitted with an original Winchester full octagon, heavy weight barrel chambered in 45-70 WCF. Obviously this heavier barrel was installed during one of the return and repair times as the barrel measures at approximately ".860" at the muzzle. It has a Winchester factory blued barrel, magazine tube, trigger and bolt with niter blue loading gate. The forearm cap, receiver, hammer, lever and crescent buttplate are color case-hardened. As noted it is fitted with a deluxe, fancy American walnut, forearm and pistol grip stock that have a varnish finish with checkering on the sides of the forend and pistol grip area. The bottom of the pistol grip has the signature Winchester ebony inlay. The top barrel flat is marked in two lines: "-MANUFACTURED BY THE-/-WINCHESTER REPEATING ARMS CO. NEW HAVEN. CONN. U.S.A.-" with the caliber markings, "45-70 W.C.F." in front of the receiver. It is fitted with a Winchester solid, blued bead type front sight with a buckhorn, sporting style, rear sight with serrated edges. The 1884 and 1885 patent dates are stamped on the lower tang behind the trigger and the serial number is stamped in script numerals between the tang screws.