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Winchester 1892

viprdudeviprdude Member Posts: 39 ✭✭
edited October 2009 in Ask the Experts
I received a model 1892 in 38wcf from a friend who passed away recently. Very smooth lever action, octagon barrel, full magazine, solid frame, metal crescent butt plate, lots of scratching on the wood, the finish on the receiver is good, the rifle could use some good cleaning overall, manufactured in 1897. Any idea what this is worth?

Thanks in advance.

Comments

  • viprdudeviprdude Member Posts: 39 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    i am building a winchester 1892 and have an antique receiver. how can i tell the calibur of this receiver? i had a spare 25-30 1892 round barrel and it fits on the receiver. please educate me a little so i know what parts to buy to finish this project. thanks
  • viprdudeviprdude Member Posts: 39 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Hi I just bought a winchester 1892 serial # 255** the top of the barrel says WCF 44 but then a 2 is stamped over the 44 and 45 long colt is added is there any way I can tell what was done was the barrel bored out?? a new barrel put on?? there is rifleing in the barrel the barrel is 20" long with a full mag tube there is no saddle ring on but I like to put one on if I can find someone to do it I dont know how the stud ones go on or do you think thats a bad idiea Thanks for any help you can give me trainman
  • viprdudeviprdude Member Posts: 39 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    A customer wants to know how to price his Winchester
    Model 1892, 90% plus, with gold or brass colored receiver
    and band front of fore grip. Any ideas? Jerry
  • viprdudeviprdude Member Posts: 39 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Hi. I am new here so I hope I am posting in the right forum. I have an old gun I inherited from my Grandfather. I would like to know more about this gun and some others I got from him as well. Any info will be appreciated.
    The gun is winchester 1892. On the barrel is the markings 25-20 WCF. Under the action is the number 672428. The only other markings are on the barrel and say, Manufactured by the Winchester Repeating Arms Co. New Haven Conn U.S.A. Pateneted Oct14,1884.
    I would like to know as much as possible about this gun. Everything from should I ever attempt to shoot it to the proper care and storage of it. I do know it has only been shot once since 1969 so it probably needs some cleaning and maintenance.
    I also have another gun I would like info on but I will do a different post for it. Thanks for any help
  • viprdudeviprdude Member Posts: 39 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Bert, let me start off by saying I'm sorry for the two crummy pictures and lack of details. Thought they were better, now I don't have the rifle in front of me at the moment.

    Lady wants to sell and I'll get my hands on it later I suppose. Here is what I have. I just need you to verify this for me.

    Winchester 1892?? Model was wore off
    44WFC
    18" +/- barrel. Quickly measured before she left. Did they make any this short? Mag tube stops about an inch from the muzzle.

    Beverlysell001.jpg

    IMG_4040.jpg

    James
  • viprdudeviprdude Member Posts: 39 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    I have an 1892 Winchester 44 SWC octagon-shaped barrel trapper carbine. It has the shorter barrel (hence the trapper) but I cannot find the serial number anywhere on this model.

    Under the receiver, there are letters there, no numbers. I will post pictures as soon as I get them.
  • viprdudeviprdude Member Posts: 39 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Have a newer 92 win in 45lc takedown. When loading, the first round to chamber from the magazine will not load into the chamber without jamming. After that round the rest chamber fine.
    What do I need to look for?
  • viprdudeviprdude Member Posts: 39 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    I have found a 1892 that the receiver has been drilled, one for a scope once for a receiver sight which they screwed up. The gun is in really good shape otherwise, shoots good, smooth action and really nice wood. It was a family gun passed down to somebody that had no idea what he had and he and a fellow mechanic became gunsmiths.
    If I could find a receiver of the same caliber would it be illegal to build a gun around a different receiver?
    My learning process has cost me money before and I thought I would ask before making another mistake. If it is legal, is there any major problems I could run into as long as I stay near the same year group?
  • viprdudeviprdude Member Posts: 39 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    how can i tell caliber of a receiver. is it by serial or mag tube size
  • viprdudeviprdude Member Posts: 39 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    I've come across a Winchester 1892 receiver serial number 71xx. Is this considered an antique or should I require an ffl to ship it?
  • viprdudeviprdude Member Posts: 39 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    I have a Winchester 1892 receiver, ser. # 7182. How would I be able to tell if it's for the large or small calibers, or is there any difference in the receiver itself.
  • viprdudeviprdude Member Posts: 39 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    I have a winchester 1892 octagonal barrel 25-20 serial # 536XXX. What is the approximate date of MFG? I appeciate this forum and everyone sharing their knowledge. I searched, but could not find an answer, so my apologies if this has been answered before. I'm hoping to sell or trade the gun for a hunting rifle.

    thank you
    pb
  • viprdudeviprdude Member Posts: 39 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Looking for an approximate value, & year of manufacture for:
    1892 Winchester, 25-20 Cal, S/N 230XXX, 24" octagon barrel,
    looks to be about 85% in the pics.
    Thank You,

    CROTRA
  • viprdudeviprdude Member Posts: 39 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    How long is a 2/3 magazine on a 1892 Winchester?
  • viprdudeviprdude Member Posts: 39 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Just received a winchester 1892 that I bought. The barrel is drilled and tapped for a scope which the pictures didn't show and buyer failed to mention. None of them came from the factory like that did they.
  • viprdudeviprdude Member Posts: 39 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    I have cleaned enough to discover the letters under the receiver.

    They are JRACO and nothing else. No numbers above or below these mystery letters.

    This gun has an octagon shaped barrel and no rings to hold the front grip to the barrel or vice versa.
  • viprdudeviprdude Member Posts: 39 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Also, I do not have money to pay for a serial number search. There should be plenty of information for me to find an answer to this firearm.

    I cannot find anywhere anything that explains these letters unless number are with them (in this case, no numbers are with the letters)
  • Spider7115Spider7115 Member, Moderator Posts: 29,702 ******
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by viprdude
    I have cleaned enough to discover the letters under the receiver.

    They are JRACO and nothing else. No numbers above or below these mystery letters.

    This gun has an octagon shaped barrel and no rings to hold the front grip to the barrel or vice versa.


    Are you sure it isn't WRACO which would be Winchester Repeating Arms Company? I don't have any idea what JRACO is. Also, what is the exact barrel length from the muzzle to the face of the bolt? Are you sure it isn't a cut down rifle?
  • Bert H.Bert H. Member Posts: 11,279 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    It is either a factory "Short" Rifle, or a cut-down Sporting Rifle. Trapper Carbines were made with a round barrel only, and they will have a saddle ring the vast majority of the time.

    The bottom of the receiver is stamped "WRACO" versus "JWRACO", and the stamping was put there by Winchester when they refinished the gun back near the turn of the century. Without the serial number, there is no possible way to research it through the Cody Firearms Museum. You might try removing the butt stock and examining both sides of the upper and lower tang for any markings (it is remotely possible that the serial number was transferred to the tang before it was obliterated on the receiver frame.

    Edit: For those who have not ever seen one, here is a picture of what the "WRACO" stamp looks like...

    WRACO.jpg
  • Bert H.Bert H. Member Posts: 11,279 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by viprdude
    Also, I do not have money to pay for a serial number search. There should be plenty of information for me to find an answer to this firearm.

    I cannot find anywhere anything that explains these letters unless number are with them (in this case, no numbers are with the letters)


    Madis briefly discusses it in his tome "The Winchester Book".
  • viprdudeviprdude Member Posts: 39 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    I used my cell phone camera 1280*960 resolution (still bad quality) for pictures.

    I thank you very much for the speedy response.

    I read on Wikipedia (not the best source I know) the opposite of what you said concerning the Trapper carbines and the barrels. (Wiki said that most trappers were octagon shaped vs what you said, but I believe you more so than Wikipedia, haha)

    I can see the W now after having you confirm it, whoever stamped it way back did not get all of the W on there and I can see the O was almost double stamped.

    I need to know how to take this firearm apart so I can see if it has a serial number. I am posting pictures soon so please stay tuned!
  • viprdudeviprdude Member Posts: 39 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    I would say the barrel length is 15 and 3/8 inches. I would not even give 1/16th of an inch off of that measurement.
  • viprdudeviprdude Member Posts: 39 ✭✭
    edited November -1
  • rsnyder55rsnyder55 Member Posts: 2,526 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Are you sure about the measurement to the face of the bolt. I'm thinking if you are correct, this may be a problem?
  • viprdudeviprdude Member Posts: 39 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    1014091356b.jpg

    I cannot tell if it is cut-down or not. I would believe I could tel the difference but then again I thought the letter W was a J (to be fair, it looks like a J in the picture if I was not provided with the reference picture)
  • viprdudeviprdude Member Posts: 39 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by rsnyder55
    Are you sure about the measurement to the face of the bolt. I'm thinking if you are correct, this may be a problem?


    Yes, I measured three times and I am positive this is the measurement. Any explanations and responses are much appreciated!
  • Bert H.Bert H. Member Posts: 11,279 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by viprdude
    quote:Originally posted by rsnyder55
    Are you sure about the measurement to the face of the bolt. I'm thinking if you are correct, this may be a problem?


    Yes, I measured three times and I am positive this is the measurement. Any explanations and responses are much appreciated!


    Did you include the portion of the barrel that is threaded into the receiver frame? If not, run a cleaning rod down the bore until it bottoms out on the bolt face (action closed), mark & measure it.

    An original Winchester Model 1892 barrel would be either 15" or 16" (+/- 1/8").
  • viprdudeviprdude Member Posts: 39 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by Bert H.
    quote:Originally posted by viprdude
    quote:Originally posted by rsnyder55
    Are you sure about the measurement to the face of the bolt. I'm thinking if you are correct, this may be a problem?


    Yes, I measured three times and I am positive this is the measurement. Any explanations and responses are much appreciated!


    Did you include the portion of the barrel that is threaded into the receiver frame? If not, run a cleaning rod down the bore until it bottoms out on the bolt face (action closed), mark & measure it.

    An original Winchester Model 1892 barrel would be either 15" or 16" (+/- 1/8").


    When doing this method, it measured 15 and 7/8 of an inch.
  • Spider7115Spider7115 Member, Moderator Posts: 29,702 ******
    edited November -1
    You may have to start a new thread (postings are limited to 10 replies) but is the magazine tube slightly longer than the barrel? It appears to be but it may just be the angle of your side-view picture.
  • viprdudeviprdude Member Posts: 39 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by Spider7115
    You may have to start a new thread (postings are limited to 10 replies) but is the magazine tube slightly longer than the barrel? It appears to be but it may just be the angle of your side-view picture.


    Yes, this is correct. The magazine tube is slightly longer than the barrel.
  • Spider7115Spider7115 Member, Moderator Posts: 29,702 ******
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by viprdude
    quote:Originally posted by Spider7115
    You may have to start a new thread (postings are limited to 10 replies) but is the magazine tube slightly longer than the barrel? It appears to be but it may just be the angle of your side-view picture.


    Yes, this is correct. The magazine tube is slightly longer than the barrel.


    Based on that fact, I have to opine that your barrel has been cut down but Bert will have the final say.
  • viprdudeviprdude Member Posts: 39 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Thank you for the speedy response spider. I wish I could get a serial number for this firearm but that WRACO label has been torturing me.

    I do not know how to disassemble this weapon so any help I can get on that would be greatly appreciated!
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