Winchester Model 1892 92 24″ Octagonal .38-40 WCF Lever Rifle, 1894 Antique

SOLD FOR: $1,475.00

WOA#: WY240411RW009

Make: Winchester Repeating Arms

Model: 1892 Rifle

Serial Number: 36715

Year of Manufacture: 1894

Caliber: .38-40 Winchester (.38-40 Winchester Center Fire)

Action Type: Lever Action, Tubular Magazine Fed

Markings: The top of the barrel is marked “-MANUFACTURED BY THE- / -WINCHESTER REPEATING ARMS CO. NEW HAVEN. CONN. U.S.A.-” in front of the rear sight and at the receiver with “38 W.C.F.”. The underside of the receiver is marked “36715” at the front. The upper tang is marked “MODEL 1892. / -WINCHESTER- / PAT. OCT. 14. 1884.”.

Barrel Length: 24″ Nominal, 24 1/4″ Measured, Octagonal

Sights / Optics: The front sight is german silver blade in a slotted base dovetailed to the front of the barrel. The rear sight is a “V”-notch semi-buckhorn elevator sight dovetailed to the rear of the barrel with the notch fine-adjustable for elevation. The top tang is drilled and tapped with a folding tang sight installed.

Stock Configuration & Condition: The stocks are 2-piece smooth walnut with capped forend, straight grip, straight comb and steel crescent buttplate. The stocks have scattered nicks, dings, scuffs and scratches. There are areas of thinning finish and discoloration, mostly toward the rear of the forend and at the toe. The buttstock has a crack on the right near the toe. The LOP measures 12 3/4″ from the front of the trigger to the back of the buttplate. The plate has mostly worn to white with some scattered oxidation and surface erosion. Overall, the stocks are in Good-Very Good condition as Antique.

Type of Finish: Blued, Case Color Hammer & Lever

Finish Originality: Original

Bore Condition: The bore is semi-bright. The rifling is sharp. There is some minor erosion in the bore. In this writer’s opinion, the bore rates 8 out of 10.

Overall Condition: This rifle retains about 20% of its metal finish. Most remaining finish is in protected areas with a little bit on the barrel flats and some around raised features of the receiver. Other surfaces have mostly gone to a light patina or worn to white. There are scattered nicks, scuffs, scratches and some patches of surface erosion, most notable on the bottom of the receiver. There are tool marks on the sights and their dovetails. The action shows operational wear. The screw heads range from sharp to tool marked with usable slots. The markings are clear. Overall, this rifle is in Good-plus condition as Antique.

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 rifle and carbine replaced the toggle link action of Winchesters Model 1873 with a breechblock locked with two rectangular locking bolts that made it much stronger and suitable for the higher pressures of smokeless powder. It was designed by John Browning, and was sort of a scaled-down Model 1886 rifle, the first he designed for Winchester. The Model 1892 rifle was popular with ranchers and later was the rifle of choice for western movies and TV shows, John Wayne used both M1892 rifles and carbines in many of his western movies. The M1892 rifles again became popular in the 1980s with the advent of Cowboy Action shooting, as they were smooth and dependable.

This is a Model 1892 rifle with a 24” octagonal barrel, made in 1894 and chambered in .38-40 Win. The rifle is in Good-plus condition with strong mechanics and a surprisingly good bore. There is some finish remaining and the rifle shows honest wear consistent with its age. All Winchester Model 1892 rifles of this vintage are collectable and it takes quite a bit of effort to collect one in every caliber and sub model. This one will make a nice addition to a collection. Please see our photos and good luck!

Please forgive any typos, I was educated in California. -Bud