This rifle serial number was applied on April 01,1887. Caliber 44 WCF, #2 weight round barrel 28" long, Plain trigger, sporting leaf sight. I found this rifle at Williams sight Co, On there used guns for sale. I don't know did the work, Bur the rifle has been caliber in 32-40. Thanks Bonner

Looks like a single "Set" Trigger Not a Plain ...

Terry

Nice rifle. The barrel looks heavier than a #2 weight.

Interesting range.  

     Joe.

I think Bonner was saying that when it left the factory on April 01, 1887 it was a 44WCF with a 28 inch #2 round barrel and had a plain trigger and sporting leaf sight. Obviously in the intervening years it has been rebarreled, retriggered, restocked, and resighted. It's beautiful.

frnkeore wrote on Jul 19^th, 2015 at 1:05am:

Very nicely reworked!

Yes,  lucked out on finding this rife in its present shape. I just wish I knew who did the rebuild on it. Because I have a relining job on a Stevens 45 I want done. Thanks to westerner for explaining what I was trying to say. I have shot it very little, to Hot in middle Georgia. But today I bit the bullet and loaded up 20 shells and tried to get them to go to the same area code. The range I shoot at is in my front Yard. Thank God for small miracles, I live in the woods and love it.

Called flyer, I wrote to and paid for the manufacturer's data from the Cody Firearms Museum, at the Buffalo Bill Historical Center, in Cody WY. The center will send you a letter with the serial number records for your rifle. Ciao 998 Yes, fixed ammo. I have just started to cast bullets and shoot Black powder. I am trying to learn as I go. Any help with bullet type? mold, seater ,weight, Loading data would be a great help. Thanks, Bonner

No, I used the number marked on the top tang of the rifle it was 9175. The letter is showing how the rifle was, FIRST built. in 1887. Then it was rebuilt, to the state it is today. Bonner

The number on the top tang is a work order number, and Winchesters can't be looked up by that number. If looked up by the serial number, then the page will also list the work order number on the top tang. 
If they were given the number on the top tang, the info you got will be in error.
At least the last time I tried to get one looked up by the work order number on the top tang, they told me it wasn't possible to go that route.

Bonner wrote on Jul 19^th, 2015 at 5:58pm:


First off, what's the twist?  Determining that will give you an idea what weight bullets you can use.   

And, unless you know who made the barrel (for instance, Douglas), you might want to slug it and figure out what diameter bullets to use.

Come back with that info and you'll get more opinions than you can read through in an evening

Unusual. It appears someone attempted to cross out, or deface the numbers on the side of the tang for some reason? It also looks like they got the first part of the serial number transposed from what I see on the outside of the tang? The bottom reads "91754", but the side reads "1975" and then either a 9 or a 0 at the end?  The 481 is most likely the work order number.
The US on the side makes me wonder if this lower tang began life as a Winder Hi Wall musket, and the tang was bent to become a pistol grip tang, and reworked to DST?
The 3 X's would usually indicate grade of wood, but a Winder wouldn't have extra grade wood, and those don't look quite like my two with extra grade markings. Maybe whoever did the bending, also attempted to mark the wood grade?
Still a wonderful gun, and I wouldn't care what the lower tang indicated, or if it matched the gun or not!

Lovely Gun!!
Trailboss is your problem. Popular for very close SASS, but not for the accuracy minded.
I was excited about the development and recoil reduction concept, but unless you are a SASS shooter or like to shoot at fridges in the dump....useless

You are right, blind in one eye and can't see out of the other. Well I will send for another letter from Cody , and this time use the right #. Sorry for the incorrect info. Bonner

There ya go now. All straightened out, except for who redid it so nicely. I'll bet the original caliber was a real fun deal with a pronged butt plate. Now, how in the heck is it shooting?

Sounds like it was a very unusual gun originally! Quite an odd combination to have the Schuetzen features, and a .40-90 caliber!
I prefer the combination it is now, but the original combo would be extremely desirable from a collector's standpoint!