Make: Winchester

Model: 90 (1890)

Serial Number: 374106

Year of Manufacture: Ca. 1909

Caliber: .22 Winchester Rim Fire (WRF)

Action Type: Pump-Action Rifle with Tubular Magazine

Markings: The left shoulder of the barrel is marked “MADE IN U.S.A. WINCHESTER REPEATING ARMS CO. NEW HAVEN. / CONN. PAT. JUNE 26. 88. DEC 6. 92. NOV. 27. 06. MAY 30.1911” and “-MODEL 90.-22 W.R.F.”. The bottom tang and bottom-front of the receiver are each marked with the serial number “374106”. The top tang is marked “WINCHESTER / TRADE MARK”. The top of the barrel is also marked with an ovalled “P”.

Barrel Length: 24”, Octagonal. “P” marked Winchester barrel installed outside of factory.

Sights/ Optics: The front sight is a Lyman Beech Sight. The rear sight is a u-notch elevator sight dovetailed to the barrel (adjustable for fine elevation). The top tang is drilled, tapped and filled for a tang sight (none present).

Stock Configuration & Condition: The stocks are two-piece wood with a round 12-grooved slide handle, straight grip, straight comb, and crescent steel buttplate. The LOP measures 12 3/4" from the front of the trigger to the back of the buttplate. There are a series of nicks under the grip that has been filled. There are scratches, nicks, scrapes, and compressions throughout. Overall, the stocks are in Very Good condition.

Type of Finish: Blue

Finish Originality: Replaced Winchester ordered barrel. Original to parts

Bore Condition: The bore is bright and the rifling is sharp. There is no erosion in the bore. In this writer’s opinion the bore the rates 9/10.

Overall Condition: The rifle retains about 50% of its finish. The action shows operational wear. There is faint erosion throughout the receiver. The balance of the finish shows light moderate handling wear. There is thinning on the leading edges. There are a few dings on the edges of the barrel’s octagon. There are tooling marks on the barrel flats on the rear portion of the barrel as well as on the side of the mag tube band. The screw heads range from sharp to tool marked with usable slots. The markings are clear. Overall, the rifle is in Fair - Good condition.

Mechanics: The action functions correctly. We have not fired this rifle. As with all previously owned firearms, a thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance standards.

Box Paperwork and Accessories: None.

Our Assessment: The Winchester Model 1890 remains one of the most iconic American slide-action rimfire rifles ever produced, and this 3rd Model takedown example chambered in .22 Winchester Rim Fire (WRF) adds collector and shooter appeal. Designed by John Browning and manufactured for over four decades, the Model 90 earned a reputation for ruggedness and reliability, especially with its strong locked-breech action and precision-machined components. This rifle, manufactured circa 1909, features a 24” octagonal barrel marked with Winchester’s “P” proof and correct patent dates, though it was installed as a factory-ordered replacement, likely during the period of use.

Despite its age, this rifle’s bore remains bright with sharp rifling—rating a solid 9/10 by our standards—and the Lyman Beech front sight adds both character and functionality. The stocks show honest wear with filled marks under the grip and scattered handling blemishes, consistent with over a century of use. The takedown mechanism, desirable in any Winchester .22, remains functional, making this not just a collectible but a viable shooter with a now-hard-to-find cartridge.

Whether you're a Winchester collector seeking to round out a rimfire lineage, a historian appreciating Browning’s legacy, or a shooter intrigued by early 20th-century craftsmanship, this Model 1890 in .22 W.R.F. checks all the boxes. It may show its age on the outside, but it's clear this rifle still has a lot to give.