6mm Lee Navy. 28" barrel secured by two barrel bands. SN: 3245. Blued finish, iron furniture, full length semi-pistol gripped smooth walnut stock with half-length handguard. Straight pull bolt action fixed magazine fed rifle designed by James Paris Lee with military ladder rear sight, tall blade Barleycorn front sight knife bayonet lug under the upper barrel band, sling swivels on the lower barrel band and in the toe of the stock and a stacking swivel behind the upper band. Standard two-line Winchester manufacturing and patent date markings on the left side of the receiver. Chamber markings mostly obscured by pitting but the faint serial number "3245" and the inspector initials "N.C.T." (Nathan C. Twining) are still partially visibile. 

Only about 20,000 of these intriguing James Paris Lee straight pull rifles were produced by Winchester circa 1895 to 1902, the majority of which were sold to the US Navy, although some sporting arms were produced by Winchester using the design. Two contracts were received from the Navy, the first in 1898 for 10,000 rifles and the second contract for 5,000 rifles, totaling 75% of total production. This is one of the first contract guns, with the correct Nathan C Twining inspection on the receiver. 1,800 rifles from the first contract were issued to the Marine Corps and some of those guns were issued to the 1st Marine Battalion which landed in Cuba during the Spanish-American War. These rifles did yeoman service during that war in Cuba and the Philippines, and saw use during the Boxer Rebellion as well. {ANTIQUE}

Good. Bore poor, dark, dirty and heavily oxidized with hints of rifling. Metal with some thinning and fading blue, mostly on the receiver, triggerguard and other furniture with the barrel having a rich plum brown patina and showing evenly distributed light pitting that is heavier at the chamber. Receiver with some light even pitting, mostly on the left side. Markings partially legible, mostly clear on the receiver, very weak on the chamber. Mechanically functional action. Wood with moderate wear, showing numerous scattered bumps, dings and mars and a crack in the handguard. Butt trap is void of cleaning implements.