Make: Winchester Repeating Arms

Model: 1894 Rifle

Serial Number: 337570

Year of Manufacture: 1907

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 Marble 47 white beaded blade dovetailed to the front of the barrel. The rear sight has been removed and a dovetail installed in the blank. 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 Redfield receiver sight installed, adjustable for windage and elevation.

Stock Configuration & Condition: The stocks are 2-piece smooth walnut with capped forend, straight grip, straight comb, and steel crescent buttplate. The stocks have some scattered nicks, dings, scuffs and scratches. 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 erosion and stubborn fouling scattered through the bore. In this writer's opinion, the bore rates 6-7/10.

Overall Condition: This rifle retains about 50% of its metal finish. The finish is thinning at all edges. Most remaining finish is in the barrel which has some scattered light wear, most notable behind the rear sight dovetail. The receiver is mostly worn to white with a little finish in protected areas. 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 strong 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 February 4, 1907, produced as a rifle, caliber .30, 1/2 octagon barrel, and 1/2 magazine, received in warehouse March 6 and shipped July 15, 1907 on order 110180.

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 1907. It is a custom-ordered rifle with a 26” half-octagonal barrel and half-magazine, chambered in .30-30. The Winchester 1894 in this chambering is nearly synonymous with "deer rifle" in America, and this example has wonderful balance with its custom features. It looks like it was someone's favorite, showing wear consistent with its age and use in the field, but retaining strong mechanics and a decent bore. Whether you're looking to add a Winchester to a collection with some nice special-order features or looking to get this rifle back out in the field, you can't go wrong with an American classic. Please see our photos and good luck!