Winchester Model 1892 92 24” 38 WCF, 38-40 Lever Rifle 1928 C&R
SOLD FOR: $1,761.00
LSB#: LSB251102TW018
Make: Winchester Repeating Arms
Model: 1892
Serial Number: 970928
Year of Manufacture: 1928
Caliber: .38-40 WCF
Action Type: Lever Action, Tubular Magazine Fed, Button Magazine
Markings: The left side of the barrel is marked “Model 92 Winchester, 38 WCF.” The right side of the barrel is marked “Made in USA Winchester Repeating Arms Co, New Haven Conn” The bottom of the receiver is marked with the serial number. The upper tang is marked “Winchester Trade Mark, Made in USA”
Barrel Length: 24″ Octagon
Sights / Optics: The front sight is a beaded blade dovetailed into the barrel. The rear sight is a spring leaf, semi buckhorn with elevator. 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 steel rifle-style buttplate. The LOP measures 12 3/4? from the front of the trigger to the back of the buttplate. There is handling wear, scratches, and compression dents throughout. There are some spots of finish loss, mostly by the buttplate. There is oil darkening near the receiver. There are no chips or cracks. Overall, the stocks are in about Good condition.
Type of Finish: Blue
Finish Originality: Original
Bore Condition: The bore is bright with sharp rifling. There is no erosion. There is minor fouling. In this writer’s opinion the bore rates 8.5/10.
Overall Condition: This rifle retains about 75% of its metal refinish. The barrel shows some wear and bluing loss on the leading edges. There are handling marks, scratches, and corrosion spotting throughout. The has corrosion staining and bluing loss.The lever has lost most of its finish. The screw heads range from sharp to tool marked with usable slots. The markings are clear. Overall, this rifle is in Good condition.
Mechanics: The action functions correctly. The hammer has a half-cock safety position. 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 1892 stands as one of John M. Browning’s most enduring lever-action designs, engineered as a compact, smooth-handling successor to the Model 1873 for pistol-caliber cartridges. By the late 1920s, the Model 92 had become a proven and widely respected sporting rifle, prized for its strength, balance, and reliability. Manufactured in 1928, this example reflects mature prewar production from Winchester Repeating Arms Company, chambered in the classic .38-40 WCF cartridge long associated with frontier use, small game hunting, and general utility.
This rifle is configured with a 24 inch octagon barrel, beaded blade front sight, and a semi-buckhorn rear sight with elevator, a combination well suited to the cartridge and period. The tang has been drilled, tapped, and filled for a tang sight, though none is currently installed. The two-piece walnut stocks retain the correct capped forend, straight grip, straight comb, and steel rifle-style buttplate. The wood shows honest handling wear with scattered scratches, compression dents, oil darkening near the receiver, and localized finish loss near the buttplate, yet remains free of cracks or chips and presents as a sound, serviceable stock set.
Overall condition reflects a well-used but carefully maintained lever rifle. The bore is bright with sharp rifling, showing no erosion and only minor fouling, and rates 8.5/10. The metal surfaces retain approximately 75 percent of their finish, with edge wear on the barrel, scattered scratches, corrosion spotting, and noticeable finish loss on the lever. Screw heads range from sharp to lightly tool marked with usable slots, and all markings remain clear. The action functions correctly, with a crisp trigger and a proper half-cock safety position. Taken together, this Model 1892 presents as an honest late-production Winchester that retains strong mechanical integrity and classic lines, offering a tangible link to the final decades of America’s traditional pistol-caliber lever-action era. Please see our high resolution photos and good luck on your bid! MF