Make: Winchester Repeating Arms

Model: 1894 Rifle

Serial Number: 939234

Year of Manufacture: 1924

Caliber: .32 Winchester Special

Action Type: This is a Lever Action Rifle with a Full Length Magazine Tube.

Markings: The left shoulder of the barrel is marked “MANUFACTURED BY THE WINCHESTER REPEATING ARMS CO. / NEW HAVEN.CONN.U.S.A. PATENTED AUGUST 21.1894.”, “-NICKEL STEEL BARREL- / ESPECIALLY FOR SMOKELESS POWDER -.32W.S.”. The top of the barrel and receiver are marked with Winchester “WP” proofs. The rear sight is marked “PAT FEB 22.’27”. The top tang is marked “MODEL 94 / -WINCHESTER- / TRADE MARK REG.U.S.PAT.OFF.&FGN.”. The bottom of the receiver is marked “939234”. The front sight is marked “MARBLE”, “SHEARD”.

Barrel Length: 26”, Octagonal

Sights / Optics: The front sight is a Marble Sheard beaded blade dovetailed to the barrel. The rear sight is a v-notch semi-buckhorn elevator sight dovetailed to the barrel. The top tang is drilled, tapped, and filled for a tang sight (not included).

Stock Configuration & Condition: The stocks are two-piece smooth walnut with capped forend, straight grip, straight comb and steel crescent buttplate. The stocks have some scattered light nicks and scratches and scuffs. There are no notable cracks or chips. The left side of the wrist in the corner of the receiver and tang is in the preliminary phase of a small loss. There is a notable scrape on the left side of the forend. The LOP measures about 12 ½” from the front of the trigger to the back of the buttplate. Removing the buttplate revealed some crude carving – the stock has been shortened by about half an inch and shaped to fit its crescent buttplate. Overall, the stocks are in about Good condition as shortened and refinished.

Type of Finish: Blue

Finish Originality: Original

Bore Condition: The bore is bright and the rifling is sharp. There is no erosion in the bore. In this writer’s opinion the bore rates 9/10.

Overall Condition: This rifle retains about 70% of its finish. Most of the finish on the barrel and magtube is strong with only thinning on the edges of the barrel’s octagon and at the muzzle. The receiver retains some blue on the flats but most of the finish has taken to a dark patina or worn to white. The action shows operational wear. The screw heads are sharp with serviceable slots. The markings are clear. Overall, this rifle is in about Very Good condition.

Mechanics: The action functions correctly. The hammer has a half-cock safety. The lever safety is present and fully functional. 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 1927 with a 26” Octagon barrel and chambered in .32 Winchester Special. The cartridge is based on the .30-30, perhaps the most popular deer cartridge in America, but necked-up to .32 caliber, giving it a little more power. Whether you’re looking to add to your Winchester collection or want a classy vintage hunting rifle, you can’t go wrong with an American classic.