Handguns

Magazine Cut-Off?
In our December issue we inadvertently cut off part of the answer to a question on the Winchester Model 1887 lever-action shotgun. The estimated value of the gun in question was $3,000. --Editor

WINCHESTER 1890
Q I recently came across a Model 1890 Winchester rifle at a flea market. I am not familiar with grading conditions, but the rifle appears to be in good shape. The wood seems colored from age and probably some migrating gun oil, but it has no scratches. The metal has retained most of its blueing. None of the screw heads is disfigured. It has an octagon barrel. The caliber is .22 Short, and the serial number is 1404XX. The gentlemen who had it says it still shoots and is a fine example of Winchester "gallery" guns. Can you shed any light on its worth? --R.E., via e-mail

A Nearly all 1890 Winchesters saw hard use, and few of the nearly 850,000 manufactured--from 1890 to 1940--retain much original finish. Your specimen is a nice early one, made prior to 1907. A Winchester factory letter should be available by writing to the Buffalo Bill Historical Center (Cody Firearms Museum, Dept. GA, P.O. Box 1000, Cody, WY 82414). A blued Winchester 1890 in excellent condition is a collector's prize, and yours is worth $1,000. If it has a case-hardened frame and a blued barrel with 80 percent-plus factory original finish, it could be worth $3,000 or more depending on the vividness of the case-hardening.

Sharps Carbine
Q I have a Sharps Carbine in .50-70 caliber, serial number C 21XXX. On the right side of the receiver it says, "Sharps Pat. Oct. 5, 1852, R.S. Lawrence April..." (the rest I can't make out). On the sight it says, "R.S. Lawrence Patented Feb. 15, 1859." On the left side of the stock, encircled, are the initials "DFL." I think the piece is in very good condition--no rust, clean bore. As far as I can tell there's no pitting. There's still case-hardening on the receiver, and the barrel has about 75 percent of the original browning left. I have fired this gun at least a dozen times over the years. It has been taken care of and kept well oiled. I never took it seriously other than it was an oldie--probably with history--and a pleasure to shoot. It certainly gives off a nice cloud of smelly smoke. Could you tell me something about it, its history and value? --W.E.P., Wickliffe, OH

A In 1867 the U.S. Government ordered its arsenal in Springfield to convert the 31,098 Sharps carbines left over from the Civil War. The original six-groove rifling was changed to three-groove. The bores were relined--if necessary--to .50 caliber. In all, 27,000 carbines were so altered.

They received an additional inspection by David Frederick Clark (DFC), and his cartouche can be found on the left side of the buttstock as is the case with your Sharps. The barrel should be blue, not brown. Assuming a 75 percent arsenal refinish, you have a very nice collector's item that may have seen service on the frontier. If your Sharps has the New Model 1865 marking on the barrel where it joins the receiver, it is worth a premium over its normal $3,000 value.