Winchester Model 1893 ’93 30″ MOD 12 GA Pump Action Shotgun, 1895 Antique
SOLD FOR: $1467
LSB#: 211003BB88
Make: Winchester
Model: 1893
Serial Number: 10119
Year of Manufacture: 1895
Gauge: 12 Gauge, 2 5/8″ Chamber, Black Powder Only
Action Type: Pump / Slide Action, Tube Magazine Fed Shotgun.
Markings: The top of the barrel is marked “MANUFACTURED BY THE WINCHESTER REPEATING ARMS CO. / NEW HAVEN. CONN. U.S.A. MODEL 1893. PAT. NOV.25.1890.” and “12”. The side of the action bar is marked “WINCHESTER / MODEL 1893”. The bottom of the receiver at the front is marked “10119”.
Barrel Length: 30″
Choke: Fixed Modified
Sights / Optics: This shotgun is mounted with a brass bead 1/2″ from the muzzle. The top of the receiver at the front has a groove which serves as a sighting plane.
Stock Configuration & Condition: The stocks are a two-piece walnut set with grooved forend secured by three screws, pistol grip stock, straight comb, and smooth steel buttplate. There is a large flat spot on the bottom of the round pistol grip. There are cracks on the sides and bottom of the wrist at the receiver. There are some scattered scuffs, compressions, nicks, dings, light scrapes, and scratches. There are some scattered light handling marks. The majority of the defects have colored with age. The LOP measures 13” from the front of the trigger to the back of the buttplate. The plate has been refinished and has scattered erosion under the finish. There are also some scattered areas of frost and discoloration. Overall, the stocks are in about Good-Very Good condition as Antique.
Type of Finish: Blue
Finish Originality: Refinished
Bore Condition: The barrel is bent. The bore is dark and there is scattered erosion and pitting.
Overall Condition: This shotgun retains about 95% of its metal finish. The barrel is bent. There are scattered nicks, dings, and areas of erosion under the new blued finish. There are some scattered small scuffs, areas of faint surface oxidation, and some tiny marks into the finish. The screw heads range from sharp to tool marked with strong slots. The markings are worn, but legible. Overall, this shotgun is in about Fair-Good condition as refinished Antique.
Mechanics: The barrel is bent but the action functions correctly. We have not fired this shotgun. As with all used firearms, a thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance standards.
Box, Paperwork & Accessories: None.
Our Assessment: The Model 1893 holds a distinguished place in the long line of firearms designed by John M. Browning for production by the Winchester Repeating Arms Company. Browning was working on a slide-action design when Winchester approached him to design a lever-action repeating shotgun to complement their lever-action rifles. While the introduction of their 1890 slide-action rifle caused a similar motivation to introduce a slide-action shotgun, Winchester also wanted to compete with the Spencer and Burgess slide action repeating shotguns. Their desire to compete in this market was so strong that Winchester actually bought out Burgess and discontinued production of their shotgun. The 1893 was a superior design to both of these shotguns, being comfortable to operate and more robust than the competition. However, the gun was designed specifically for use with black powder shotshells, and was not strong enough to handle the higher pressures of smokeless powder which was gaining popularity in the early 1890s. For this reason, Winchester asked Browning to re-design a gun which would be compatible with the new propellant, and the iconic Model 1897 was born. The 1893 is particularly rare as once the 1897 was introduced, they offered to exchange one of the new models for any dealer or owner who wished to trade in their 1893. The traded in shotguns were then destroyed, severely reducing the number of shotguns that remained of the original 35,000 produced. Between this destruction and the more than 125 years which have passed since the gun’s introduction, not many 1893s are left. This example is from the middle of production, serial 10119. Considering that a gun which was kept when the 1897 was offered as a replacement was probably serving well as a hunting shotgun for its owner. This particular example has since been refinished and the barrel is bent. This Antique can still be a placeholder till you are able to acquire another 1893 but can also serve ad a source of parts. Please see our pictures and good luck!