Found a 1915 made Win1892 for $200! D'Oh! Forgot pics!

[Four Fingers of Death]

Found a well worn, but still very serviceable 1892 in 32/20 with a worn and slightly pitted, but usable bore for $200. The finish is completely gone, but the rifle seems to be ok mechanically. It has had a replacement rear sight fitted, but is the original style of ladder sight which is fitted to my 1927 made one in the same calibre.

It is a round barrel 20" I think, half magazine style (this is the most common style in Australia). The forend cap protrudes from the front of the forend.

The stock has been split at one stage and has been glued up. The wood is worn down a tad in places such as the front of the rear handgrip/tang area.

I must get it home and clean it up.

As I drove home (I bought it in the next town, some 35miles away), I shook my head in disbelief, it never occured to me to take pics with my IPhone? Give yerself a quick slap upside the head fool!

[Beerd]

Nice find!
(So $200 Australian is how much $ U.S.?)
..

[scrapcan]

200AUD = 204.42 USD

good find

[northmn]

Finding a 32-20 in shootable condition is a buy. I do not know how collectors think in Australia but some here would cry if you fixed it up. If I wanted a shooter I would fix it up.

DP

[Four Fingers of Death]

These have been pretty common since the new gun laws came into effect in 1996 or therabouts. A lot of families, old guys couldn't be bothered getting licenses, gun safes, registering them, etc, etc, etc, so they were sold off and started appearing regularly in gunshops.

Nearly all are half magazine, round barrel carbines, that was always the most popular configuration here (not with me, I prefer the look of the full mag).

Collectors here are the same, if it is restored it drops value to a collector. I can't figure out that one, cause if its a car it is restored way better than it was when new???? But then again, I can't figure collectors out either.

As to value these were selling at $300-450 for shootable ones, but lately gunshops seem to have woken up to their value and the prices have gone up. I saw a few recently for $600 odd.

I will make a decision when I get it home and clean it up. With a barrel re-sleeve, a full length mag tube, new wood and a rust blue it would make a lovely rifle for my wife to shoot cowboy action with.

I had better haul a$$ back to the gunshop and take some pics next week or I will be disowned here, lol.

[northmn]

When I collected old military bolt rifles, I got a Turkish mauser for about $60. The wood had dry rot in it and the fit was horrible. I decided that compared to others I would sporterize the gun as its "original" condition was not even representative of a commonly used mauser. The bore was better than the others being offered. I think that when we get to a certain point resoration is better. Some of those worn, lsightly pitted bores will fool you when you shoot them as they tend to shoot fairly well.

DP

[missionary5155]

Howdy Four Fingers
Over here in Peru the favorite caliber in 1892 SRC´s was 44-40. I have seen 3 for sale in 26 years and bought all 3. Each was $200 except the last one which was $212.00 Only one (2nd) was fit to keep origonal. First & the 3rd both got the barrels shortened to get to a good muzzle. The first & third will clover leaf at 30 yards. The 2nd is just a bit loose at the muzzle and will clover leaf at 20 yards. The third has the largest throat I have yet come across in a 44-40 SRC at .346. But with a COW filler & 7 grains Unique under the Saeco 443 (.434) it does the cloverleafs at 30 yards.
I would buy it & shoot it and see what it will do. A fat enough boolit just may get enough bite to be an accurate 50 yard rifle.
Mike in Peru

[reivertom]

Great caliber! Great find indeed!

[Four Fingers of Death]

Howdy Four Fingers
Over here in Peru the favorite caliber in 1892 SRC´s was 44-40. I have seen 3 for sale in 26 years and bought all 3. Each was $200 except the last one which was $212.00 Only one (2nd) was fit to keep origonal. First & the 3rd both got the barrels shortened to get to a good muzzle. The first & third will clover leaf at 30 yards. The 2nd is just a bit loose at the muzzle and will clover leaf at 20 yards. The third has the largest throat I have yet come across in a 44-40 SRC at .346. But with a COW filler & 7 grains Unique under the Saeco 443 (.434) it does the cloverleafs at 30 yards.
I would buy it & shoot it and see what it will do. A fat enough boolit just may get enough bite to be an accurate 50 yard rifle.
Mike in Peru

I have a few of these old rifles, another 32/20 a half mag made in 1927, excellent bore, rear sights worn down, a 25/20 made in 1908 which has a full length mag and has been re-barrelled and a half mag 44/40 made in 1915, a bit rough in the bore, but shootable. The 44/40 did a swan dive to the back of the big safe and I haven't used it yet.