I found this old rifle on top of a gigantic Boulder in a rocky chute abput 18 years ago. The stock was just a bunch of rotten wood and the moss had grown surrounding it. I was told it is a 45 70 or 45 90 Winchester. It was probably made around the turn of the century. Looking down from the top you can see that there is a piece of brass in the action. I am assuming it is loaded and that it is a live round. I am going to have a friend who is a doctor x-ray it so that we can see what is inside.
It definitely has an octagon barrel. Maybe some of the gun connoisseurs on here know more about it than I do.

Winchester Model 1886...

OTG

Needs a bit of oil

If only that think could talk!!!!!

How is the bore?

Awesome find! Only if it could talk.

here is a couple 86s to compare it to, mine are in better shape though.

It could be an 86 but the “piece of brass on top” reminds me of the dust cover on a 73. If that is the case it would be a short action caliber such as 38-40 or 44-40. There is hardly enough left of it to tell what it used to be.

WOW... what a find. Has my mind drifting in thoughts of what could have happened to the owner. I am sure their a quite a few "finds" out there somewhere, left from a person who never made it home at night.

Its definetly an 1886 and not a '73 (or the larger '76). Locking blocks on either side of the bolt show it's an '86 and not a '94 which hs a single centered locking block.

could be a 92, would have to take some measurements and ciompare

great find,thanks for shareing.

The dust covers on any of my ''73s were not brass. I would not recommend shooting this gun until it has been cleaned up a little more.

What a great find! Probably a bit of armament White17 left behind a few decades ago.

Zim

I've wondered for decades where I left that thing !

I think the "brass" Jesse is talking about is the casing of a round that is still in the chamber.....if I read his post correctly

Must be a 73 then if you lost it White,lol.

Cool find!

It would be interesting to know the story behind it.

Nice fine!

The brass is the cartridge inside...if i get the xray done on it, i will post them....my thought is the guy left it on top of the big boulder....but maybe he was caught in an avalanche, or attacked by a bear or wolf, who knows?
I wish it was in better condition. But nonetheless it's a cool find from the old days. There's so much old mining and logging equipment abandoned in the hills around our area. I know a friend who came across a very nice clawfoot bathing tub near an old abandoned mining town site recently.

Hatchet Jack, Jr.'s gun?