I am deployed in Asia, and I found a neat 1895 Winchester in 405 at the flea market here.

It has import marks indicating it came through a gunshop in Calcutta, and it is over 100 years old. No serial number, express sights, and metal finish is about 5-10% and wood is about as rough.

The guy wants $2000 for it, and I think I could probably walk home with it for $500-800.

Also a few Martini pistols, yep falling block Martini pistols some are Enfield some have other markings. Same if not worse condition than the 405 and I have no idea what caliber they would be.

If it's too good to be true, it probably isn't. Failing that, rely on sphincter reflex.

Problem is, it could be a "Khyber Pass" gun as easily as a real Winchester...especially if it has no signs of a serial number.

As you are likely aware, there are folks in the Khyber Pass region of India/Pakistan who duplicate virtually any make and model of gun in the world, but with no gauges, no heat treatment, and with just about any kind of scrap iron that comes to hand (stolen railroad rails are a favorite raw material). Truly, they make Mauser broom-handle machine pistols, .303 Enfields, Bren Guns, you name it, often with enough skill to pass even the eye of the best examiners. And they do it all without power tools of any kind. They also often copy ALL the markings appropriate for such a gun, including assembly & proof marks, presumably from one they have borrowed as a "master".

Is the name of the importer on the barrel? Is it one of the legitimate old Calcutta importers, such as "Heyer", or "Manton"?

Very interesting guns, but not the sort I'd want to shoot often, if at all.

Seriously , unless you can determine it really is a genuine Winchester, you might want to give this more thought.