Make: Winchester Repeating Arms
Model: 1894 Rifle
Serial Number: 221106
Year of Manufacture: 1904 / C&R
Caliber: .32 W.S., .32 Winchester Special
Action Type: Lever Action fed by Full-Length Magazine Tube
Barrel Length: 26" Octagonal
Sights / Optics: The front sight is a blade dovetailed and screw set to the barrel. The Winchester Smokeless Rear Sight is a semi-buckhorn V-notch sight with an elevator piece that is dovetailed to the barrel. The upper tang has one drilled, tapped and filled hole for installing a tang sight, none present.
Stock Configuration & Condition: The stocks are two piece smooth wood with capped forend, straight grip, straight comb, and steel crescent buttplate. There is light handling wear. There is a small grain separation on the left side of the buttstock at the plate. There are no chips or cracks. The LOP measures 13" from the front of the trigger to the back of the buttplate. The buttplate has worn to white with light oxidation. Overall, the stocks rate in Fine condition.
Type of Finish: Blue
Finish Originality: Original
Bore Condition: The bore is bright and the rifling is well defined. There is light scattered erosion. In this writer's opinion the bore rates 7/10.
Overall Condition: This rifle retains about 65% of its metal finish. The balance of the finish is fairly strong with finish loss and thinning on the leading edges. There is pitting concentrated at the muzzle end of the barrel which shows some cleaning. There is light intermittent oxidation. The receiver is thinning. Most of the case color has muted with some strong vibrant figuring in the protected areas. There are scratches and handling marks. The screw heads range from sharp to lightly tooled with strong slots. The markings are clear. 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: This rifle comes with a factory letter confirming this rifle's configuration and its manufacture date of 1904.
Our Assessment: John M. Browning’s Winchester Model 1894 became one of America’s definitive sporting rifles, combining a strong, compact lever action with cartridges suited to the transition from black powder to smokeless propellants. Winchester introduced the .32 Winchester Special around 1901–1902 as a larger-bore alternative to the .30 W.C.F., using slower-twist rifling intended to remain practical for shooters who loaded cast bullets and black powder. This 1904 example’s 26-inch octagonal barrel, full-length magazine, crescent buttplate, and straight-grip stocks represent the classic early rifle configuration, while its accompanying factory letter confirms both its date and original configuration.
This rifle retains about 65% of its original metal finish, with thinning at the receiver and leading edges, scattered oxidation, and localized pitting near the muzzle that has received some cleaning. The smooth stocks remain in Fine condition with light handling wear and a small grain separation near the buttplate. The bore is bright with well-defined rifling and light scattered erosion, rating 7/10, and the action, half-cock safety, lever safety, and trigger function correctly. Its early .32 Winchester Special chambering, desirable octagonal-barreled rifle configuration, and factory documentation make this a well-rounded collector-grade Winchester with strong historical character.
