Winchester Pre-64 1894 26” Octagon .25-35 WCF Lever Action Rifle, 1901 C&R

SOLD FOR: $1,125.00

LSB#: LSB250802DE027

Make: Winchester Repeating Arms

Model: 1894 

Serial Number: 218828

Year of Manufacture: 1901 

Caliber: .25-35 W.C.F. 

Action Type: Lever action rifle with a tubular magazine.   

Markings: The top of the barrel is marked “MANUFACTURED BY THE WINCHESTER REPEATING ARMS CO. / NEW HAVEN. CONN. U.S.A. PATENTED AUGUST 21. 1894”.   The left shoulder of the barrel is marked “NICKEL STEEL BARREL / ESPECIALLY FOR SMOKELESS POWDER”.  The top of the barrel near the receiver is marked “.25-35 W.C.F.” at the rear. The bottom-front of the receiver is marked with the serial number “218828”.   The top tang markings are not visible due to the tang sight that has been installed.   

Barrel Length: 26″, Octagonal

Sights / Optics: The front sight is a beaded blade dovetailed to the barrel.  The rear sight is a Lyman No.2 Folding tang peep sight.  There is a rear iron sight base dovetailed to the barrel but no sight is present.   

Stock Configuration & Condition: The stocks are 2-piece smooth walnut with capped forend, straight grip, straight comb, and steel crescent buttplate. The stocks have multiple scattered light nicks, scuffs and compression dents. There are no chips or cracks.  The LOP measures 13 1/ 8″ from the front of the trigger to the back of the buttplate. The plate is showing some signs of oxidation. Overall, the stocks are in about Very Good condition.

Type of Finish: Blue

Finish Originality: Refinished

Bore Condition: The bore is bright and the rifling is sharp. There is some minor  erosion and stubborn fouling in the lands. In this writer’s opinion the bore rates 8/10.  

Overall Condition: This rifle retains about 85% of its metal finish. There are some significant dings going down the length of the barrel, forearm cap and the right side of the receiver.  These dings have been filled in by a previous refinishing.  Otherwise, the barrel is turning to a nice plum patina. There is thinning and finish loss on the leading edges.  The receiver has been buffed so that the edges are not as sharp as they once were.  The action shows operational wear. The screw heads are sharp. The markings are sharp but fading on the barrel. Overall, this rifle is in Very Good condition.

Mechanics: The action functions correctly. The hammer has a half-cock safety. There is a lever safety. 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 rifle followed the other John Browning designed lever action rifles to become one of the most famous and popular hunting rifles of all time. It was the first commercial sporting rifle to sell over 7,000,000 units, making the name “Winchester” synonymous with all lever action rifles. It was also the first commercial American repeating rifle built to be used with smokeless powder. It was introduced in 1894 in two black powder cartridges, the .32-40 and .38-55 Win. rounds, but by the next year Winchester had developed a different steel composition that could handle higher pressures, and the .30-30 Win. family of cartridges was born.

This is a Winchester Model 1894 rifle made in 1901 with a 26” barrel and chambered in the rare .25-35 WCF. The rifle has a full octagon barrel, a desirable feature among collectors.  Whether you’re looking to add a Winchester to a collection with a rifle in a rare caliber or looking for a deer rifle, you can’t go wrong with an American classic like the Winchester 1894. 

BF