mawkie
C&R Whisperer
-Ran across this very nice Winchester Lee Sporting rifle in a tiny Ohio auction. SN places it in the Second pattern, probably produced in 1898. Factory stock but for a pair of vintage sling swivels. Winchester only built approx. 1500 sporting rifles and they're uncommon. You're much more likely to find a Navy Musket that's been sporterized. There were three patterns of sporting rifles that varied as the Navy Musket that they were based on changed.
-There were special options available such as...
Lyman front and rear sights
Lyman No25 receiver sight
Engraving
Checkered stock & fancy wood
Lightened trigger pull
-The obvious difference from the Navy Musket is the pistol grip stock with schnabel tip (there were some very early first pattern sporters with a straight grip stock, very rare). Most, like mine, have a hard rubber shotgun style buttplate and pistol grip cap. My buttplate is cracked and will need a repair but I'm up to the task. Will try to source an original but that could be a looong search.
-Chambered for the same 6mm or .236 USN cartridge as the Navy Musket, sales ended in 1916, the last of about 200 ex-military muskets altered to sporter configuration starting in 1908. They sold in the Winchester catalog for $32.00 which is roughly $500 in 2018 dollars.
-Had to raid the Navy Luger fund to swing this unexpected find but it was worth it. Very nice examples in the mid to high 90 point range are selling for around $3500-4000. A solid 85-90 point example like mine are in the $2000-2500 range. I had to shell out right around the low estimate to add this one to the collection. Even came with a copy of Eugene Myszkowski's reference book "The Winchester Lee Rifle".
-There were special options available such as...
Lyman front and rear sights
Lyman No25 receiver sight
Engraving
Checkered stock & fancy wood
Lightened trigger pull
-The obvious difference from the Navy Musket is the pistol grip stock with schnabel tip (there were some very early first pattern sporters with a straight grip stock, very rare). Most, like mine, have a hard rubber shotgun style buttplate and pistol grip cap. My buttplate is cracked and will need a repair but I'm up to the task. Will try to source an original but that could be a looong search.
-Chambered for the same 6mm or .236 USN cartridge as the Navy Musket, sales ended in 1916, the last of about 200 ex-military muskets altered to sporter configuration starting in 1908. They sold in the Winchester catalog for $32.00 which is roughly $500 in 2018 dollars.
-Had to raid the Navy Luger fund to swing this unexpected find but it was worth it. Very nice examples in the mid to high 90 point range are selling for around $3500-4000. A solid 85-90 point example like mine are in the $2000-2500 range. I had to shell out right around the low estimate to add this one to the collection. Even came with a copy of Eugene Myszkowski's reference book "The Winchester Lee Rifle".