In order to participate in the GunBroker Member forums, you must be logged in with your GunBroker.com account. Click the sign-in button at the top right of the forums page to get connected.
Options
1894 short barrel / takedown question
critter3030
Member Posts: 29 ✭
Hi Guys. Just acquired a Winchester 1894 and have a couple questions. The gun (serial No. 353,082) is a takedown, 32 special with a 20 inch octagon barrel and crescent butt plate. Very nice gun with the 32 special rear sight and a marbles no. 3 front. Takedown is tight and functions well. The gun (mostly) appears original. Still a good bit of original blue and unmolested wood. The action is excellent and everything functions fine. Bore is very good and it's already proving to be very accurate.
So here's my question. I bought the gun assuming that the barrel was shortened. The price was too good. My suspicions appear correct but I wanted to run it past the experts. Everything looks right but the tape measure says otherwise. Muzzle to center of the front dovetail is 1 1/16 inch. I understand it should be 15/16. The barrel is 20 and 5/16" from muzzle to front of the bolt. I know it should be closer to exactly 20 inch but was not certain if the takedown feature altered the way the barrel should be measured. Forend length is 9 3/8". So, any chance this is not a shortened gun. I'm thinking about cleaning it up and possibly putting on a different front sight but I don't want to mess with an original gun. I know that I can order a letter to confirm the features of this gun and will do that if the experts think it would be worthwhile.
On a side note. I've been struggling to raise/lower the 32 special rear sight on the gun. Anyone know if there's a trick. Don't want to force it.
Thanks for any information you can provide.
Added: I should clarify that my I am wondering if the gun was originally manufactured as a "short rifle" with a 20 inch barrel or if it started out with a 26 inch barrel and was cut after being purchased. Thanks.
So here's my question. I bought the gun assuming that the barrel was shortened. The price was too good. My suspicions appear correct but I wanted to run it past the experts. Everything looks right but the tape measure says otherwise. Muzzle to center of the front dovetail is 1 1/16 inch. I understand it should be 15/16. The barrel is 20 and 5/16" from muzzle to front of the bolt. I know it should be closer to exactly 20 inch but was not certain if the takedown feature altered the way the barrel should be measured. Forend length is 9 3/8". So, any chance this is not a shortened gun. I'm thinking about cleaning it up and possibly putting on a different front sight but I don't want to mess with an original gun. I know that I can order a letter to confirm the features of this gun and will do that if the experts think it would be worthwhile.
On a side note. I've been struggling to raise/lower the 32 special rear sight on the gun. Anyone know if there's a trick. Don't want to force it.
Thanks for any information you can provide.
Added: I should clarify that my I am wondering if the gun was originally manufactured as a "short rifle" with a 20 inch barrel or if it started out with a 26 inch barrel and was cut after being purchased. Thanks.
Comments
To raise or lower the 32 Special sight, pinch the ears between your thumb and finger and pull backward. You should hear a small click. Now raise or lower. When it is where you want, push forward and hear another click locking it back in place.
Also, forgot to mention in my initial post that the gun has a half mag.
I think generally barrels on rifles usually are slightly over on length. The spec you have given I would say is well within original dovetail locations .A nice clear picture though may provide more info.
If you know someone who is a Cody member or a member of the Winchester Arms Collector Association maybe they would request a serial number search for you. Members of each get a certain number of "searches" free. Once that number is exceeded a s/n search is still less expensive than a factory letter, and those searches include all the same info as a letter. Of course if you want the letter after the search you still pay full boat for the formal factory letter.
Finally, you could consider joining one of those or organizations.
According to Reneburg's book the front sight on all rifles should be 1.00" and this is exactly what I have on the two rifles I have currently .This is muzzle to center of dovetail.
I think generally barrels on rifles usually are slightly over on length. The spec you have given I would say is well within original dovetail locations .A nice clear picture though may provide more info.
Bob Renneberg and I are very well acquainted, and in recent years, we have worked together to increase the published information for the Model 1894/94, 55, and 64. That stated, I can emphatically state that the correct dimensional distance to the center of the front sight dovetail is precisely 15/16" (.9375), not 1.0". The bottom forward edge of the dovetail cut is exactly .75"
Hi Guys. Just acquired a Winchester 1894 and have a couple questions. The gun (serial No. 353,082) is a takedown, 32 special with a 20 inch octagon barrel and crescent butt plate. Very nice gun with the 32 special rear sight and a marbles no. 3 front. Takedown is tight and functions well. The gun (mostly) appears original. Still a good bit of original blue and unmolested wood. The action is excellent and everything functions fine. Bore is very good and it's already proving to be very accurate.
So here's my question. I bought the gun assuming that the barrel was shortened. The price was too good. My suspicions appear correct but I wanted to run it past the experts. Everything looks right but the tape measure says otherwise. Muzzle to center of the front dovetail is 1 1/16 inch. I understand it should be 15/16. The barrel is 20 and 5/16" from muzzle to front of the bolt. I know it should be closer to exactly 20 inch but was not certain if the takedown feature altered the way the barrel should be measured. Forend length is 9 3/8". So, any chance this is not a shortened gun. I'm thinking about cleaning it up and possibly putting on a different front sight but I don't want to mess with an original gun. I know that I can order a letter to confirm the features of this gun and will do that if the experts think it would be worthwhile.
On a side note. I've been struggling to raise/lower the 32 special rear sight on the gun. Anyone know if there's a trick. Don't want to force it.
Thanks for any information you can provide.
Added: I should clarify that my I am wondering if the gun was originally manufactured as a "short rifle" with a 20 inch barrel or if it started out with a 26 inch barrel and was cut after being purchased. Thanks.
Based on what you have stated above, the odds are very high that it has been cut down from 26". The forend stock on the majority of 20-inch barreled Model 1894 Short Rifles was 8-3/8" in length. What is the barrel diameter at the muzzle?
Bert - The diameter at the muzzle averages about .742 inches. Thanks for the information.