I inherited a Winchester model 99 thumbtrigger, and, having narrowed down it's mfg. date to between 1915-1917, I have to say, the right user could drive nails with it using the factory-set iron sights. Almost 100 years and it's never jammed, failed, or broken down.
I had no idea what it was when I received it; it hung on some pegs in my Grandfather's barn for as long as I could remember, and I grew up shooting Lite beer cans ( back when they had the easy-to-spot red seal in the label ) with my Grandfather and cousins. It was a general-purpose varmint deterrent and plinking fun when there wasn't anything else that need shot at. Only when I took it to a local gun store to have it inspected and cleaned up was I told what it was and offered 350$ on the spot. ( probably worth more, but it's priceless to me ). It's only flaw is the bluing is mostly gone...Gramps would use steel wool on it anytime it got even slightly rusty and rubbed it off...the stock, buttplate, everything is original.
My 8year-old loves it for it's size...fits him perfect.
edit: took a decent pic of the trigger...pull the firing pin back to cock, push the thumb button to fire...simple as all get out but effective even today