Make: Winchester Repeating Arms

Model: 1894 "Eastern" Carbine

Serial Number: 607282

Year of Manufacture: 1912

Caliber: .32-40 Winchester

Action Type: This rifle has a lever action with a half-length tubular magazine.

Barrel Length: 20?

Sights / Optics: The front sight is a blade pinned to a slotted base fixed to the front of the barrel. The rear sight has been removed with a blank installed in the dovetail at the rear of the barrel. The top tang is drilled, tapped and filled for a tang sight (none present). The left of the receiver has been drilled and tapped with a Lyman 21 receiver sight installed, adjustable for windage and elevation.

Stock Configuration & Condition: The stocks are 2-piece checkered deluxe walnut with banded forend, straight grip, straight comb and checkered black hard rubber Winchester buttplate. The stocks have a few scattered light marks with a couple of more notable dings in the bottom of the forend. There is a tiny loss at the top-front corner of the wrist on the right. The checkering is well defined, likely re-cut or chased. The LOP measures 13 1/4" from the front of the trigger to the back of the buttplate. The plate has scattered residue from the stocks' new finish with well defined checkering. Overall, the stocks are in Very Good-plus condition as refinished and/or not original to the gun.

Type of Finish: Blue, Case Color Lever & Hammer

Finish Originality: Refinished

Bore Condition: The bore is semi-bright with sharp rifling. There is some scattered light erosion in the bore. In this writer's opinion, the bore rates 7+ out of 10.

Overall Condition: This rifle retains about 96% of its current metal finish. The finish is generally strong throughout. The barrel's finish has a slight plum hue with some wear at the muzzle. There is infrequent faint erosion under the finish. The action shows light operational wear. The screw heads range from sharp to lightly tool marked with strong slots. The markings are clear. Overall, this rifle is in Very Good-Fine condition as refinished.

Mechanics: The action functions correctly. We did not fire this rifle. As with all used firearms, a thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance standards.

Box, Paperwork & Accessories: None

Our Assessment: The Winchester Model 1894 rifle followed the other John Browning designed lever action rifles to become one of the most famous and popular hunting rifles of all time. It was the first commercial sporting rifle to sell over 7,000,000 units, making the name “Winchester” synonymous with all lever action rifles. It was also the first commercial American repeating rifle built to be used with smokeless powder. It was introduced in 1894 in two black powder cartridges, the .32-40 and .38-55 Win. rounds, but by the next year Winchester had developed a different steel composition that could handle higher pressures, and the .30-30 Win. family of cartridges was born.

This is a Winchester Model 1894 carbine made in 1912 with a 20” round barrel and chambered in .32-40. As a pre-1932 Carbine without a saddle ring, collectors would call it an "Eastern" carbine, suggesting that in the early 1900s Eastern customers would transport their rifles in carts or new-fangled automobiles while Western customers would transport them on horses. The rifle has been refinished, so it looks great for its age, epecially with its checkered deluxe walnut stocks. It has a half-length magazine, giving it nice balance, and it has been equipped with a vintage Lyman receiver sight. The result is an attractive rifle that will display well in a collection and should still make for a good shooter.