Make: Winchester Repeating Arms

Model: 1894 Solid Frame Rifle

Serial Number: 26871

Year of Manufacture: 1897 / Antique

Caliber: .30-30 Winchester Center Fire

Action Type: This rifle has a lever action with a tubular "button" magazine.

Markings: The top of the barrel is marked "-MANUFACTURED BY THE- / -WINCHESTER REPEATING ARMS CO., NEW HAVEN, CONN. U.S.A.-", "30 W.C.F.". The bottom of the receiver is marked "26871". The top tang is marked "MODEL 1894 / -WINCHESTER- / PAT. AUG. 21.1894".

Barrel Length: 26", Octagonal

Sights / Optics: The front sight is a beaded blade dovetailed to the barrel. The rear sight is a Lyman No. 6 folding double leaf sight dovetailed to the barrel. The tang has been installed with a Lyman tang peep sight.

Stock Configuration & Condition: The stocks are 2-piece smooth nicely grained walnut with capped forend, straight grip, straight comb, and steel crescent buttplate. There are scratches and scuffs throughout. There are a few shallow chips in the wood. The LOP measures 13" from the front of the trigger to the back of the buttplate. Overall, the stocks are in about Very Good condition as antique.

Type of Finish: Blue & Case Color

Finish Originality: Original

Bore Condition: The bore is bright and the rifling is well defined. There is light erosion throughout. In this writer's opinion the bore rates 6.5/10.

Overall Condition: This rifle retains about 75% of its current metal finish. The balance of the finish shows thinning on the leading edges, intermittent oxidation, and mild handling wear. Most of the case color has muted save for traces reserved in the protected areas. There are scattered scratches. The markings are clear. The screw heads are sharp to tool marked with serviceable slots. Overall, this rifle is in about Fine condition as Antique.

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 Cody Firearms Records Office letter confirming a manufacture date of September 25, 1897, octagon barrel, 1/2 magazine, and shipment date of September 30, 1897, order number 17548.

Our Assessment: This Winchester Model 1894 Solid Frame rifle was manufactured in 1897 and represents an early smokeless-era sporting configuration produced during the formative years of John M. Browning’s landmark design. Chambered in .30-30 WCF and fitted with a 26" octagon barrel and button magazine, this rifle reflects the transitional period when Winchester offered refined sporting rifles alongside utilitarian carbines. The solid frame construction, crescent buttplate, and period sighting equipment speak to its intended role as a serious rifle for the field rather than a saddle gun.

The .30-30 Winchester Center Fire cartridge was still relatively new at the time, offering flatter trajectory and higher velocity than earlier black powder rounds. This example retains strong original finish for its age, a bright bore with defined rifling, and clear markings throughout. The included Cody Firearms Records Office letter further anchors the rifle’s originality and history, confirming its factory configuration and shipment in September of 1897. Overall, it presents as a well-preserved antique Winchester that combines early smokeless innovation with classic 19th-century craftsmanship.