Lot 21

Special Order Winchester Deluxe Model 1885 High Wall Rifle

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Special Order Winchester Deluxe Model 1885 High Wall Rifle

Estimate: $16,000 - $25,000

Starting Bid: $14,000

(0 Bids)

by Rock Island Auction Company
June 27, 2026 5:00 PM CDT
Live Auction
3600 Harwood Road
Bedford, TX, US 76021

Excellent Special Order Winchester Deluxe Model 1885 High Wall Single Shot Schuetzen Rifle with Factory Letter During the late 19th and early 20th century in America, one of the most widespread and popular sports was competitive shooting, with skillful marksmen being the sporting superstars of the era. Competitive shooting during the period was a global craze, however, not only an American phenomenon. One of the most famous competitions of the 19th century came about when, in 1873, having defeated the English and Scottish teams, the Irish shooting team were the undisputed champions of the British Isles and were considered by many to be the finest marksmen in the world at that point. In November of that year, Arthur B. Leech, the founder of the Irish Rifle Association, sent a letter to the United States, which was then published in New York newspapers as well as others with the heading "Challenge to the Riflemen of America from the Riflemen of Ireland". The challenge noted that distances of 700, 800, and 900 meters would be utilized for the competition, that the American born riflemen must use American-made rifles, and that the Irishmen would use Irish-made rifles. The match would take place at the newly built National Rifle Association shooting range at "Creed's Moor" on Long Island. The American team was armed with a mixture of breechloading rifles, while the Irish team utilized muzzleloaders, which they believed to be superior in accuracy. The American team were decidedly underdogs in this competition, having never competed at ranges beyond 550 meters, and as a sign of confidence in an Irish victory, Leech presented the Americans with a silver tankard as a token of friendship. The competition came down to the final shot, with the Irish team leading the competition 931 to 930 and one final shot to be taken by the Americans. The American shooter was a 48 year old colonel in the New York Militia, John Bodine, who laid down and shot a bullseye at 900 meters, securing a 934-931 victory for the American team and cementing the name "Creedmoor" as iconic in the American target shooting community. The Americans answered another challenge from the Irish in 1875, and the Americans were again victorious on Irish turf, worrying the English team, who essentially barred the Americans from competing in the team contests at Wimbledon that year, though the Americans coached the Irish in the Elcho Shield match, which they won. By many, these Winchester Model 1885 rifles based on the design of John Moses Browning represented a perfected version of those earlier target rifles used in the first "Creedmoor Match", eventually earning many accolades and trophies in their own right for both accuracy and precision through the end of the 19th century and into the 20th. These rifles represent an important and tangible piece of the tradition of American marksmanship, both continuing on from the rifles that came before them and inspiring those that came after. This rifle was manufactured in 1901 and is a carefully special ordered competition rifle by a discerning marksman looking to compete in the Schuetzen discipline popularized by German and Swiss immigrants and conducted standing shooting offhand at moderate ranges, often 100 to 200 yards. The included factory letter lists the rifle in .32-40 caliber with a No. 2 weight, 30 inch, octagon barrel; a Schuetzen set trigger, mid-range and wind gauge sights with no rear sight seat, and a checkered pistol grip stock with a Swiss cheekpiece and buttplate when received at the warehouse on 10 August 1901 and shipped on 13 August 1901 to order no. 102607. The configuration of the this rifle certainly seems specifically ordered and configured for target shooting, including the caliber, which was one of the most popular target shooting calibers of the day. The top barrel flat is marked with the standard two-line address as well as the caliber marking at the breech. The "2" barrel weight is marked on the bottom of the barrel twice, once under the forearm and once in front of it. The serial number is on the lower tang. The left side of the lower tang is marked " 12033 XX SBC" with the "S" over an "M", and "12033" repeated on both the butt of the stock and inside the buttplate. It is fitted with a "wind gauge" (windage adjustable) globe front sight with a spirit level, no seat for a rear sight, a mid-range peep sight, and Schuetzen double-set trigger. It is mounted with a very nicely figured Schnabel tip forearm with an ebony insert and a pistol grip stock, both with Winchester factory H-pattern checkering, a hard rubber grip cap, and a nickeled Swiss buttplate.

Manufacturer: Winchester

Model: 1885

BBL: 30 inch octagon

Stock: walnut

Gauge: 32-40 WCF

Finish: blue

Serial Number89602

Class: Curio & Relic Long Gun

  • Provenance: The John Dutcher Collection
  • Condition: Excellent, retains 95% plus of the bright, original, high polish blue finish, 85% plus of the original case colors on the hammer, lever, and breechblock, and 98% plus of the original nickel finish on the buttplate with some light handling wear on edges and high spots and a few scattered light handling marks, typical of a well-cared-for target rifle. The wood is also excellent with a few scattered light dings, crisp checkering, and essentially all the original varnish. Mechanically excellent. This is an exceptional example of one of the most prized target rifles of the early 20th century, which was ordered in a very desirable competition-ready configuration!

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Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $199 $10
$200 $499 $25
$500 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 $99,999 $5,000
$100,000 $199,999 $10,000
$200,000 + $25,000