ANTIQUE Winchester Model 1892 .44 WCF 20" Lever Action Carbine Our Assessment: This a Winchester Model 1892 Rifle made in 1896 and chambered in .44-40 Winchester. This rifle is in Good condition as ANTIQUE. The bore shows wear, erosion and a bulge but the mechanics are strong. This vintage rifle has seen some honest wear over the last 125 years but is in very good mechanical condition. The .44-40 Win. cartridge was a very popular cartridge in its day which would put food on the table, protect livestock and defend hearth and home. This rifle should be of interest to the Winchester collectors and with its strong mechanics, it could be restored and taken back out in the field. Please see our photos and good luck in your bidding!
Make: Winchester
Model: 1892
Serial Number: 144901
Year of Manufacture: 1896 (Winchester Serial Lookup pg. 8)
Caliber: .44 WCF (.44-40 Winchester)
Action Type: Lever Action Rifle with Side Loading Gate fed by Tubular Magazine
Barrel Length: 20"
Sights / Optics: The front sight is a blade pinned in a slotted base fixed to the barrel above the muzzle. The rear sight is a flip-up mount dovetailed to the top rear of the barrel showing a V-notch in the down position and a ladder V-notch in the up position.
Stock Configuration & Condition: The stocks are two-piece smooth wood featuring a banded forend, a straight grip, a straight comb and a carbine-style buttplate. The wood shows light, moderate and a few heavy marks including nicks, scratches, compressions and some handling and storage marks. There is a deep compression on the top right of the comb. There is a shallow split along a grain on the right side of the buttstock. There are some darkening spots with residue buildup. The LOP measures 12 7/8" from the front of the trigger to the back of the buttplate. The stocks are in Good overall condition.
Type of Finish: Blue
Finish Originality: Original
Bore Condition: The bore is gray and the rifling is well-defined. There is persistent fouling and erosion in the bore. There is a small bulge in the bore approximately 10" from the muzzle. In this writer's opinion, this bore rates a 4 or 5 out of 10.Most ANTIQUE firearms have bores that will show erosion. This not only due to age but to the use of black powder. When fired, black powder reacts corrosively. NRA ANTIQUE Firearm Conditions Standards are quite lenient for bores. In some cases, the NRA standards disregarded the bore's condition for collectors' firearms.
Overall Condition: This rifle retains about 55% of its metal finish. The balance of the finish shows patches of wear and thinning with corresponding patterns of oxidation and patina forming. There are multiple impact marks on the barrel. The screw heads are well-defined. The markings are clear. Overall, this rifle is in Good condition.
Mechanics: The action functions correctly. We did not fire this firearm. We have cleaned this firearm and performed a mechanic's check but expect many will want to clean the firearm again depending on their standards.
Box, Paperwork & Accessories: None.
CA LEGAL: ANTIQUE
RIFLE