Make: Winchester Repeating Arms

Model: 1894 Rifle

Serial Number: 67864

Year of Manufacture: 1899

Caliber: .30-30 Winchester (.30 WCF)

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

Barrel Length: 26", Half-Round, Half-Octagonal

Sights / Optics: The front sight is a Lyman Beach sight folding to present either a hooded beaded post or a white-beaded blade, dovetailed to the front of the barrel. The rear sight is a Marble's folding "V"-notch sight dovetailed to the rear of the barrel; the notch is fine-adjustable for elevation. A Marble's folding tang sight base is installed on the top tang, the sight-arm is missing. The rear and tang sights are not original to the gun.

Stock Configuration & Condition: The stocks are 2-piece checkered select walnut with capped forend, capped pistol grip, straight comb, and steel crescent buttplate. The stocks have some scattered nicks, dings, scuffs and scratches with a couple of more notable bruises in the belly. The checkering is well defined. There are no chips or cracks. The LOP measures 13" from the front of the trigger to the back of the buttplate. The plate has worn to white with some scattered light oxidation. Overall, the stocks are in Very Good condition.

Type of Finish: Blue

Finish Originality: Original

Bore Condition: The bore is gray with well defined rifling. There is light-moderate erosion and stubborn fouling scattered through the bore. In this writer's opinion, the bore rates 5-6/10.

Overall Condition: This rifle retains about 20% of its metal finish. The finish is thinning at all edges. Most remaining finish is in the octagonal portion of the barrel. There is some other scattered finish, but most surfaces have worn to white or gone to a light patina. There is some scattered minor surface oxidation. There are scattered light nicks, scuffs and scratches. The action shows operational wear. The screw heads range from sharp to tool marked with usable slots. The markings are clear. Overall, this rifle is in Good condition.

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: This rifle comes with a Cody Firearms Records Office search which indicates that this rifle's serial number was applied September 9, 1899, produced as a rifle, caliber .30, 1/2 octagon barrel, checkered pistol grip stock, Lyman front and rear sights, and 1/2 magazine, received in warehouse September 21 and shipped October 14, 1899 on order 37839.

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 rifle made in 1899. It is a custom-ordered rifle with a 26” half-octagonal barrel, half-magazine, checkered pistol grip stocks, and chambered in .30-30. Originally ordered with Lyman front and rear sights, it is likely that the Lyman Beach front sight is original, but the rear and tang sights are from Marble's. The rifle shows wear consistent with its age and use in the field, but retains strong mechanics and a fair bore. Whether you're looking to add a Winchester to a collection with some nice special-order features or looking to restore this rifle and get it back out in the field, you can't go wrong with an American classic. Please see our photos and good luck!