#1 of 1,000 Winchester 94 Border Patrol Commemorative 30-30 Lever Rifle C&R
SOLD FOR: $3005.25
LSB#: 230111KB029
Make: Winchester
Model: 94 U.S. Border Patrol Commemorative #1 of 1,000
Serial Number: BP1
Year of Manufacture: 1981. This rifle is on the ATF C&R list.
Caliber: .30-30 Winchester
Action Type: Lever Action Rifle with Full Length Tubular Magazine
Markings: The left side of the barrel is marked “WINCHESTER MODEL 94 30-30 WIN. / MADE IN NEW HAVEN, CONN. U.S.A. WINCHESTER PROOF STEEL”. The top rear of the barrel at the rear is marked with a circled “WP” proof. The front underside of the receiver is marked with the serial number. The upper tang is marked “MODEL 1894 / WINCHESTER”. The right side of the barrel is marked “U.S. BORDER PATROL COMMEMORATIVE”. The left side of the receiver is marked “U.S. / BORDER / PATROL” over an outline of the United States within a circle. The right side of the receiver is marked with the U.S. Border Patrol badge.
Barrel Length: 16”
Sights / Optics: The front sight is a blade dovetailed to the front of the barrel. The rear sight is a buckhorn “U” notched leaf elevator sight dovetailed into the top of the barrel, the leaf is reversible to present a V-notch, fine-adjustable for elevation, and has a white diamond aim guide. The left side of the receiver is drilled, tapped and filled for a receiver sight (none included).
Stock Configuration & Condition: The stocks are two-piece checkered walnut with decorative designs, a banded forend, straight grip, straight comb and blue steel carbine buttplate. The wood shows no significant wear or damage. There are no chips or cracks. The LOP measures 13 1/2″ from the front of the trigger to the back of the buttplate. The plate has faint wear and a few tiny freckles of oxidation. Overall, the stocks are in about Fine-Excellent condition.
Type of Finish: Blue
Finish Originality: Original
Bore Condition: The bore is bright and the rifling is sharp and deep. There is no erosion in the bore. In this writer’s opinion, the bore rates 10/10.
Overall Condition: This rifle retains about 97% of its metal finish. There is a faint streak on the top of the barrel nearer the muzzle. There are some faint marks on the bottom of the receiver and lever plate, as well as the top of the bolt. The action shows faint operational wear. The screw heads are sharp. The markings are clear. Overall, this rifle is in about Fine-Excellent condition.
Mechanics: The action functions correctly. The hammer has a half cock safety position and there is a functioning lever safety present. The trigger pull 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 in its original serial matching box with factory paperwork including the manual.
Our Assessment: This is a Winchester Model 94 U.S. Border Patrol Commemorative with a 16” barrel chambered in .30-30 Winchester. It is the first of a limited production of one thousand manufactured in 1981, with serial number “BP1”.
In the nineteenth century, United States borders were open and unrestricted; there was no systematic control or even recordkeeping of immigrants. The first legislation restricting immigration, after the Act Prohibiting Importation of Slaves of 1807, was the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882. Mounted watchmen of the United States Department of Commerce and Labor patrolled the border in an effort to prevent illegal crossings as early as 1904, but their efforts were irregular and undertaken only when resources permitted. The inspectors, usually called “mounted guards”, operated out of El Paso, Texas. Though they never totaled more than 75, they patrolled as far west as California trying to restrict the flow of illegal Chinese immigration. In March 1915, Congress authorized a separate group of mounted guards, often referred to as “mounted inspectors”. Most rode on horseback, but a few operated automobiles, motorcycles, and boats. Although these inspectors had broader arrest authority, they still largely pursued Chinese aliens trying to avoid the National Origins Act and Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882. These patrolmen were immigration inspectors, assigned to inspection stations, and could not watch the border at all times. The National Origins Act authorized the formation of the U.S. Border Patrol on May 26, 1924. Two days later, the Labor Appropriation Act of 1924 established the Border Patrol as an agency of the U.S. Department of Labor assigned to prevent illegal entries—primarily along the Mexico–United States border, as well as the Canada–U.S. border.
This beautiful commemorative is in Fine-Excellent condition with roughly 97% of its original finish remaining. Honor the men and women who secure our borders and drop a bid on this American classic today. Please see our photos and good luck!
-Greenfield
