Hello. Here’s something that you don’t see every day. My friend has his grand dads pioneer Winchester 45-90. From what I can see of his pictures it looks like it was made in 1894. He has quite the story to go along with this rifle
Here are some more photos of the 45/90. Also a bit of background.
My Grandfathers parents sailed from England and were pioneers with an early homestead in Mount Leeman on the Fraser. When my Grandfather died in 1986 he was almost 100. He was a tunneler in the first world war planting dynamite under enemy lines. After the war he was the youngest candidate ever to pass the land surveyor certificate. He eventually became the president of the British Columbia Land Surveyors Society, and had an office in New Westminster for many years. He worked often in the Chilcotin Cariboo, had an interest in a copper mine in Tweedsmuir and owned property on Puntzi Lake. He was an acquaintance of Ralph Edwards, of Lonesome Lake who is a storied remote homesteader.
One of my Grandfathers stories was that he rode the last stage coach down the Fraser Canyon, perched outside on the running board step.
So this is his gun, that accompanied him on all his adventures. Perhaps he packed it in case of grizzly attack, I don't know. I know my Dad said that when he fired it, that kick was something he would never forget. The Winchester was mounted on a beam for many years in the house I grew up in. I consider it a true piece of B.C. history. If I pass it on, the piece should really find it's way to an appreciative owner
Here are some more photos of the 45/90. Also a bit of background.
My Grandfathers parents sailed from England and were pioneers with an early homestead in Mount Leeman on the Fraser. When my Grandfather died in 1986 he was almost 100. He was a tunneler in the first world war planting dynamite under enemy lines. After the war he was the youngest candidate ever to pass the land surveyor certificate. He eventually became the president of the British Columbia Land Surveyors Society, and had an office in New Westminster for many years. He worked often in the Chilcotin Cariboo, had an interest in a copper mine in Tweedsmuir and owned property on Puntzi Lake. He was an acquaintance of Ralph Edwards, of Lonesome Lake who is a storied remote homesteader.
One of my Grandfathers stories was that he rode the last stage coach down the Fraser Canyon, perched outside on the running board step.
So this is his gun, that accompanied him on all his adventures. Perhaps he packed it in case of grizzly attack, I don't know. I know my Dad said that when he fired it, that kick was something he would never forget. The Winchester was mounted on a beam for many years in the house I grew up in. I consider it a true piece of B.C. history. If I pass it on, the piece should really find it's way to an appreciative owner
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