Make: Winchester

Model: 1894 Takedown

Serial Number: 565984

Year of Manufacture: 1911 (Winchester Serial Lookup pg. 9)

Caliber: .25-35 Winchester Center Fire (WCF)

Action Type: Lever Action Rifle with Side Loading Gate fed by Half-Length Tubular Magazine

Barrel Length: 26” Half Octagonal, Half Round

Sights / Optics: The front sight is a beaded blade dovetailed to the barrel above the muzzle. The rear sight is a U/V-notch insert with a white diamond reference in an elevation-adjustable mount dovetailed to the top rear of the barrel. The upper tang is drilled, tapped, and installed with a flip-up fully adjustable aperture sight.

Stock Configuration & Condition: The stocks are two-piece checkered walnut with a nosecap, a capped semi-pistol grip, a straight comb, and a curved metal buttplate. The wood shows light nicks, scratches, and compressions, as well as some minor handling and storage marks. There are some patches of darkening with age. The checkering on the forend has smoothing wear and imperfections but still remains visible. The grip checkering is distinct with a few scattered detractions. The LOP measures 12 7/8” from the front of the trigger to the back of the buttplate. The buttplate has light finish wear, most notably on the edges. The stocks are in Very Good overall condition.

Type of Finish: Blue

Finish Originality: Original

Bore Condition: The bore is light gray and the rifling is sharp. There is stubborn fouling but no erosion in the bore. In this writer’s opinion, this bore rates a 9 or 10 out of 10.

Overall Condition: This rifle retains about 80% of its metal finish. The balance of the finish shows thinning and wear with some corresponding patina and surface oxidation forming most notably on the receiver. There are scattered nicks, scratches, and handling marks. The screw heads are sharp. The markings are clear. Overall, this rifle is in Very Good condition.

Mechanics: The action functions correctly. The hammer has a half-cock safety and the lever safety functions properly. We have not fired this rifle. As with all previously owned firearms, thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance standards.

Box, Paperwork & Accessories: None.

Our Assessment: The Model 1894 was another Winchester lever action rifle designed by gunmaking genius John Moses Browning, and it became one of the most famous and popular hunting rifles of all time. It was the first commercial sporting rifle to sell over 7 million units, and 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 August 1895 Winchester had developed a different steel composition that could handle higher pressures, and the .25-35 and .30-30 WCF chamberings were introduced. As R.L. Wilson relays in his excellent reference work “Winchester An American Legend”, Winchester’s announcement of the Model 1894 in their November 1894 catalog certainly proved prophetic: “We believe that no repeating rifle system ever made will appeal to the eye and understanding of the riflemen as this will and that use will continue to warrant first impressions.” 

This is a Winchester Model 1894 deluxe rifle made in 1911 and chambered for .25-35 WCF. The .25-35 WCF is a necked-down .30-30, and is ideal for smaller game; it has long been a popular cartridge for coyotes. This is an elegant old Winchester Model 1894 deluxe rifle with a 26” half octagonal, half round barrel, a half length magazine, checkered walnut stocks, and a capped semi-pistol grip, and is a scarce takedown model.