Make: Winchester Repeating Arms

Model: 1894 Rifle

Serial Number: 236997

Year of Manufacture: 1902, C&R

Caliber: .32-40 Winchester

Action Type: Lever Action fed by Full-Length Mag Tube.

Markings: The top of the barrel is marked “MANUFACTURED BY THE WINCHESTER REPEATING ARMS CO. / NEW HAVEN. CONN. U.S.A. PAT. AUG. 21. 1894” and “32-40”. The tang is marked “MODEL 1894 / -WINCHESTER- / TRADE MARK”. The bottom of the receiver is marked “236997”.

Barrel Length: 26” Round

Sights / Optics: The front sight is a Marble No. 3 beaded blade dovetailed to the barrel. The rear sight is a u-notch semi-buckhorn elevator sight with fine elevation adjustment, dovetailed to the barrel. The riser has been replaced. The tang is drilled, tapped, and filled for a tang sight (none present).

Stock Configuration & Condition: The stocks are two piece smooth walnut with capped forend, straight grip, straight comb, and crescent steel buttplate. The stocks have some scattered nicks, dings, scuffs and scratches. There are no chips or cracks. The LOP measures 12 7/8 from the front of the trigger to the back of the buttplate. Overall, the stocks are in about Very Good condition.

Type of Finish: Blue, Case Colored

Finish Originality: Original

Bore Condition: The bore is dull and the rifling is defined though rounded. There is light erosion evenly distributed throughout the bore. In this writer’s opinion the bore rates 6/10.

Overall Condition: This rifle retains about 30% of its metal finish. Most of the finish on the receiver has gone to white with a mottled gray to dark patina. There is more prominent blueing on the barrel. The action shows operational wear. There are trace amounts of case color in the protected areas, but most has gone mute. The markings are clear. The screw heads are sharp to tool marked with strong slots. The tang sight filler screw is marred. Overall, this rifle is in about Good condition.

Mechanics: The action functions correctly. The hammer has a half-cock safety and the lever safety functions properly. 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 rifle made in 1902 with a 26” round barrel and chambered in .32-40.