Winchester 1894 Saddle Ring Carbine .30-30 16″ Trapper Lever Rifle 1908 C&R

SOLD FOR: $2,180.00

LSB#: LSB260708WC008

Make: Winchester

Model: 1894 Saddle Ring Carbine

Serial Number: 439736

Year of Manufacture: 1909 / C&R

Caliber: .30 WCF (.30-30 Winchester)

Action Type: Lever action carbine fed from an under-barrel tubular magazine.

Markings: The left side of the barrel is marked “MANUFACTURED BY THE WINCHESTER REPEATING ARMS CO. NEW HAVEN, CONN. U.S.A.” with patent information. The serial number 439736 is marked on the lower tang.

Barrel Length: 16″

Sights / Optics: A front sight blade pinned to a raised block and a carbine ladder rear sight, dovetailed to the barrel.

Stock Configuration & Condition: The carbine is stocked in walnut with a straight wrist, a straight comb, a smooth metal carbine buttplate and a barrel band forend. A saddle ring is mounted on the left side of the receiver. There is a large chip missing on the top right of the wrist and a chip at the bottom left of the wrist, and there are heavy marks throughout, including crosshatch scratching on the wrist. The stock rates in Fair condition.

Type of Finish: Blued

Finish Originality: Original

Bore Condition: The bore is gray with defined rifling. There is corrosion and erosion in the bore. In this writer’s opinion the bore rates 6/10.

Overall Condition: This carbine retains about 5% of its original blued finish. The metal has turned to a gray and brown patina with scattered pitting and handling marks. The stock shows the chips and heavy marks noted above. Overall, this carbine is in Fair condition.

Mechanics: The action functions correctly. We did not fire this carbine. As with all used firearms, a thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance requirements.

Box, Paperwork & Accessories: None

Our Assessment: The 1894 saddle ring carbine was the working lever gun of the American West, carried in scabbards by cowboys, lawmen and ranchers who wanted a light, handy rifle that could ride all day. Chambered in .30 WCF, the first American sporting cartridge designed for smokeless powder, the Winchester carbine became one of the best known saddle guns ever made. This example dates to 1909 and carries the saddle ring, carbine ladder sight and barrel band forend of the type.

The short 16″ barrel is notable, as standard carbines of the era were made with 20″ barrels. The metal has an honest gray patina with about 5% finish remaining, the bore is gray and rates 6/10, and the stock shows chips at the wrist and heavy marks. The action functions correctly. It is a hard-used, authentic frontier-era Winchester with plenty of character. Please see our photos and good luck on your bids! – L.S.