Make: Winchester Repeating Arms

Model: 1894 Rifle

Serial Number: 50570

Year of Manufacture: 1898

Caliber: .30-30 Winchester (.30 WCF)

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

Barrel Length: 26", Round

Sights / Optics: The front sight is a Marble No. 5 beaded blade dovetailed to the front of the barrel, the bead is white with red paint. The rear sight is a folding "U"-notch sight dovetailed to the rear of the barrel; the notch is fine-adjustable for elevation, has a white diamond aiming reference and can be reversed to present a "V"-notch. 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 capped forend, straight grip, straight comb, and smooth steel shotgun-style buttplate. The stocks have some scattered nicks, dings, scuffs and scratches. There are no chips or cracks. The wood is generally slightly shy to the metal. The LOP measures 13" from the front of the trigger to the back of the buttplate. The plate has mostly worn to white with some weak finish in the face. Overall, the stocks are in Very Good condition as refinished Antique.

Type of Finish: Blue

Finish Originality: Original

Bore Condition: The bore is light gray with sharp rifling. There is scattered light erosion and stubborn fouling in the bore. In this writer's opinion, the bore rates 7/10.

Overall Condition: This rifle retains about 65% of its metal finish. The finish is thinning at all edges. The barrel has scattered light wear with some more notable wear behind the rear sight. The receiver has scattered wear with good finish in the flats. There is some scattered minor surface oxidation. There is some residue around the edges of the wood from the stocks' new finish. 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 Very Good-Fine condition as Antique.

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 October 31, 1898, produced as a rifle, caliber .30, 1/2 magazine, shotgun butt, received in warehouse and shipped November 5, 1898 on order 13523.

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 1898. It is a special-order rifle with a 26” round barrel, half-magazine, and smooth steel shotgun butt, 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, having replacement sights, refinished stocks, 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!