Winchester 1894 94 .38-55 W.C.F. Button Mag 26″ Lever Rifle, MFD 1911 C&R
SOLD FOR: $1,126.00
LSB#: LSB260415WO013
Make: Winchester Repeating Arms
Model: 1894 Rifle
Serial Number: 493208
Year of Manufacture: 1911 / C&R
Caliber: .38-55 W.C.F.
Action Type: This rifle is a lever action with a ½ “Button” magazine.
Markings: The left side of the barrel is marked “MANUFACTURED BY THE WINCHESTER REPEATING ARMS CO. / NEW HAVEN. CONN. U.S.A. PATENTED AUGUST 21. 1894.” and “38-55”. The top of the barrel and receiver are marked with Winchester WP proofs. The top tang is marked “MODEL 1894 / -WINCHESTER- TRADE MARK REG.IN U.S.PAT.OFF.”. The bottom of the receiver is marked with the serial number.
Barrel Length: 26″, Round
Sights / Optics:The front sight is a white beaded Marble No.6 blade dovetailed to the barrel. The rear sight is a u-notch elevator sight with fine elevation adjustment, dovetailed to the barrel. The top tang is drilled, tapped, and filled for a tang sight (none present).
Stock Configuration & Condition: The stocks are a two piece smooth walnut, straight wrist, straight comb, capped forend, and rifle style crescent buttplate. Has a button magazine. The stocks have been sanded and refinished. There are scattered handling marks, scratches, and scuffs throughout. There is a loss on the right edge of the forend at the cap. There are two cracks on the right side of the buttstock at the buttplate. There is a crack on the right side of the wrist at the tip of the upper tang. The LOP measures 13 1/8″ from the front of the trigger to the back of the buttplate. Overall, the stocks are in about Fair condition as refinished.
Type of Finish: Blue
Finish Originality: Original
Bore Condition: The bore is somewhat dull with defined rifling. There is light to mild erosion down the length of the bore. In this writer’s opinion the bore rates 6/10.
Overall Condition: This rifle retains about 20% of its metal finish. Most of the finish on the receiver has worn to white. The barrel has in large part turned to a light brown mottled patina. There is scattered oxidation and pitting. There is standard operational and handling wear. The markings are clear. Overall, this rifle is in about Fair condition.
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: None
Our Assessment: The Winchester Model 1894 stands as one of the most celebrated lever-action rifles in American history, chambered here in .38-55 W.C.F. — the cartridge that predated and arguably inspired the 1894’s development. John Moses Browning’s masterpiece was originally introduced in .38-55 and .32-40, cartridges already well-established in the Ballard and Model 1885 single-shot target rifles, making this chambering among the most historically authentic pairings the 1894 ever wore. The 26″ round barrel and half-button magazine configuration place this squarely in the rifle-class sporting tradition, and the 1906 manufacture date situates it in the heart of the pre-war golden era of Winchester production — before the model’s evolution toward the carbine-dominated 20th century market.
This particular example, serial 493208, presents in honest Fair condition reflecting over a century of working life. The metal has shed most of its original blue, with the receiver worn to white and the barrel settled into a mottled brown patina; scattered oxidation and pitting are present but the markings remain clear and legible throughout. The stocks show refinishing and carry handling marks, a forend cap loss, and two cracks at the buttplate — character consistent with a genuine field rifle, not a safe queen. The Marble No. 6 front sight, u-notch elevator rear, and tang-drilled-and-tapped receiver leave room for period-correct aperture upgrades. The bore rates a solid 6/10 with defined rifling still intact, and the action is mechanically correct with a crisp trigger. For the Winchester collector or blackpowder-era lever-action enthusiast seeking an honest, shootable 1894 in a scarce original chambering, this rifle offers authentic period character suitable for any Winchester collection. Please see our photos and good luck on your bid! – L.S.