Winchester Model 1895 Carbine SRC 30 Army .30-40 Krag Lever Rifle, 1915 C&R
SOLD FOR: $1,680.00
LSB #: WY241021AG005
Make: Winchester
Model: 95 Saddle Ring Carbine
Serial Number: 108251
Year of Manufacture: 1915
Caliber: .30-40 Krag (.30 Army)
Action Type: Lever Action with Internal Box Magazine
Barrel Length: 22″
Sights/Optics: The front sight is a german silver blade blade pinned to a slotted base at the front of the barrel. The rear sight is a folding ladder-style sight, presenting a “U”-notch when down and with a “U”-notch slider on the ladder arm. The slider is fairly loose on the arm toward the bottom and more tight toward the top.
Stock Configuration and Condition: The stocks are smooth walnut with banded, finger-grooved forend, straight grip, straight comb, and a steel carbine-style buttplate. The forend has recesses for a handguard’s spring-clips, but the handguard is not present. The forend has scattered nicks, dings, scrapes and scratches including more notable marks and a couple of losses in front of the band. There is a long, thin crack at the right-rear of the forend. The buttstock has fairly minor wear and its fit to the metal indicates it is a replacement. 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 scattered nicks, scratches and some surface oxidation. Overall, the stocks are in Good condition as partially not original to the gun.
Type of Finish: Blued
Finish Originality: Refinished
Bore Condition: The bore is gray with well defined rifling. There is scattered light erosion and minor pitting in the bore. In this writer’s opinion, the bore rates 6 out of 10.
Overall Condition: This rifle retains about 85% of its current metal finish. The balance is mostly in scattered surface erosion, mostly under the finish. There is some light wear on the barrel in front of the forend. There is some odd iridescence on the magazine body. The saddle ring is missing. There are some scattered nicks and scratches. The action shows operational wear. The screw heads range from sharp to disfigured with usable slots, the stock mounting screw is a replacement. The markings are clear. Overall, the rifle is in Good-Very Good condition as refinished.
Mechanics: The action functions correctly. We have not fired this rifle. As with all used firearms, thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance standards.
Box, Paperwork, and Accessories: None.
Our Assessment: The 1895 Winchester was the first lever action model to incorporate a fixed box magazine (i.e., it could not be removed). This is the model Teddy Roosevelt used for hunting both here in the United States and in Africa—he referred to it as his “Big Medicine”. With quick handling characteristics, a box magazine, and spitzer—more aerodynamic, accurate—bullet capability, the Model 1895 completely changed the world of sporting rifles. This rifle pattern was utilized by major powers worldwide, with Russia alone purchasing nearly 300,000 1895 rifles in the lead-up to World War I. In 1898, the United States ordered 10,000 1895 rifles in musket form for use in the Spanish-American War (the war ended before they could be delivered, however). One hundred of those were issued for field testing in the Philippines and the remaining 9,900 were later sold to a private business. Many 1895 rifles were shipped to the new Cuban government in 1906 and some even found their way to Pancho Villa’s troops in Mexico. The U.S. Government also ordered carbines, but we are, as of this writing, unable to find records as to just how many.
This saddle ring carbine was made in 1915 during the early years of the Great War. This example, chambered in .30-40 Krag appears to have seen a long and useful life. The saddle ring has been removed, but the mount is present should you wish to mount a new one. The handguard is missing and the buttstock has been replaced. The metal has been given a new blued finish. The rifle is in Good-Very Good condition as refinished, retaining much of its new finish and strong mechanics. This is a neat find for the Winchester collectors and would be well worth restoring to its original configuration. Please see our photos and good luck!
Please forgive any typos, I was educated in California. -Bud
