Make: Winchester Repeating Arms

Model: 1894 Saddle Ring Carbine

Serial Number: 846330

Year of Manufacture: 1919

Caliber: .32-40 Winchester

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

Markings: The left of the barrel is marked “MANUFACTURED BY THE WINCHESTER REPEATING ARMS CO. / -NEW HAVEN CONN. U.S.A. PATENTED AUGUST 21. 1894.-” in front of the rear sight and behind the rear sight with “32-40”. The front underside of the receiver is marked “846330”. The top tang is marked “MODEL 1894 / -WINCHESTER- / TRADE MARK REG.US.PAT.OFF&FGN”.

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 is a folding ladder-style sight dovetailed to the rear of the barrel. When folded down, it presents a “V”-notch. The ladder has a “V”-notched slider and is graduated from 0-2,000 yards. The top tang is drilled, tapped and filled for a tang sight (none present).

Stock Configuration & Condition: The stocks are 2-piece smooth walnut with banded forend, straight grip, straight comb and steel carbine-style buttplate. The stocks have a few light nicks and scratches. The wood is generally shy to the metal. The wood is generally dark where the wood meets metal and in the nicks and compressions. The saddle ring has been removed. The LOP measures 13 1/4″ from the front of the trigger to the back of the buttplate. The plate has worn to white showing scattered discoloration from oxidation. Overall, the stocks are in Good condition as refinished. 

Type of Finish: Blue

Finish Originality: Original

Bore Condition: The bore is dull. The rifling is worn, but visible. There is light erosion scattered through the bore with some minor pitting, mostly in the grooves. In this writer’s opinion, this bore rates 6 out of 10.

Overall Condition: This rifle retains about 7% of its metal finish. The surfaces have mostly worn to white with finish remaining in protected areas such as the bottom tang around the trigger, around the saddle ring, and between the magtube and the barrel. There are some nicks, scuffs and scratches. There are some tool marks on the front band and below the front sight on the barrel. The action shows operational wear. There is minor surface erosion throughout the receiver. The screw heads range from sharp to tool marked with strong slots. The markings range from clear to worn, but legible. Overall, this rifle is in about Good condition.

Mechanics: The action functions correctly. The hammer has a half-cock safety and a lever-safety. The trigger is crisp. 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 saddle ring carbine made in 1919 with a 20” round barrel and chambered in .32-40. This saddle ring carbine would make a nice display as-is with its “been there, done that” appearance. It would also be a good candidate for restoration.