Win 1894 38-55 4 digit S/N Picking it up today!

[huntrick64]

I have wanted a vintage 38-55 for over 20 years and never could seem to afford one. I am finally picking one up today! I'm thinking it was actually manufactured in 1894 as the S/N is 5XXX. Full length mag, straight grip, 26" octagon. I will probably want to kill a deer with it once, then put it up. Plan on shooting black in it. Will post pics once I get it in my hands, a lot can happen between now and then.

[OverMax]

Curious: Was the older 1894 38-55 barrels made of nickel steel?

[modified5]

Very nice!!
i love the 94. I have one that I picked up as a stripped receiver that was built in 1898.
It too was a 38-55. I put an octagon 30wcf short rifle barrel on it. Still need furniture and to blue it.
I look forward to your pics.
Congrats on a fine find.

[pietro]

.

Congrats !

Some 14,000-odd Model 1894's were made in 1894, so it's a 1st year gun, in one of the 2 original chamberings (.32-40 & .38-55).

All Model 1894 standard barrels, up to late-1895/early-1896, were made of black powder rated "ordnance" steel (a carbon steel alloy).

Any .32-40 or .38-55 Model 1894 with a barrel marked "nickel steel" would have been a Special Order gun.

Nickel steel barrels were standard for every .25-35, .30WCF, & ,32 Special made prior to the introduction of "proof" steel barrels, marked as such, or not. (the nickel steel barrel marking didn't become consistent until after about SN 12,000).

Around 1899, however, Winchester was experimenting with a different steel alloy for barrels, and those barrel were marked "extra steel" - and are usually found in the 45,000-75,00 SN range.

Keep in mind that, due to Winchester's "parts bin" method of parts storage & installation, there was no definite SN or year "break", when a new part showed up - Winchester assemblers simply grabbed whatever part they laid their hands on, for the particular part they were installing at the moment.

I hope that you'll post some good pics of your find.

I further hope that it'll prove to have some "Special Order" features, that enhance it's true value.


.

[huntrick64]

Here she is! There's a catch though. I got there and he had two of them for sale! The 1894 manufactured 38-55 as well as a 1906 manufactured 30 W.C.F. I couldn't pass them us so now I have them both. The 30 W.C.F. has a pristine bore and is in very good shape. It also has the "nickel steel" stamped barrel and the express 3-leaf sight. Now I have to sell something to keep them both. 1st line of pics is the 38-55:

193678193679193680193681

193682193683193684193685

[Blackwater]

Wow! What a nice pair of nice old vintage guns! You're one lucky fella'! Enjoy them, and let us know how they shoot, will ya'?

[modified5]

They are hard to pass up when they come available aren't they? :D
I too have a 1906 in 30wcf, but mine looks like it had a harder life than yours.
Nice pieces and I hope they shoot well!!

[OlDeuce]

Here she is! There's a catch though. I got there and he had two of them for sale! The 1894 manufactured 38-55 as well as a 1906 manufactured 30 W.C.F. I couldn't pass them us so now I have them both. The 30 W.C.F. has a pristine bore and is in very good shape. It also has the "nickel steel" stamped barrel and the express 3-leaf sight. Now I have to sell something to keep them both. 1st line of pics is the 38-55:


193678193679193680193681

193682193683193684193685

This is so cool :-) When I read this I was hoping to see external rail screws on your 4 digit Ser.# 38-55..........When numbers get that low you have a 50-50 chance to get one! ...Very Happy for you .....................Ol Deuce

[OlDeuce]

Oh BTW....Good Looking Rifles :2_high5::guntootsmiley::guntootsmiley::guntootsmi ley::awesome:

Ol Deuce;)

[Bzcraig]

Not great pics but a buddy owns this one. It too is 38-55, bright shiny bore and beautiful patina. Yup, serial #34. You guys with these beautiful old rifles really make me covet them!

[huntrick64]

I'm speechless regarding #34!

If you will, check out the tang on my 38-55 (top set of photos). I was thinking it was missing the tang sight when I bought it, but a closer inspection shows the bottom hole not even drilled. I would think if there was one that would not be drilled, it would have been the top hole. Any of you ever seen this before on these older 94s? Compare the tang on my 38-55 to the tang on my 30 WCF. I guess the real answer is to order the letters from Cody.

[OlDeuce]

I'm speechless regarding #34!

If you will, check out the tang on my 38-55 (top set of photos). I was thinking it was missing the tang sight when I bought it, but a closer inspection shows the bottom hole not even drilled. I would think if there was one that would not be drilled, it would have been the top hole. Any of you ever seen this before on these older 94s? Compare the tang on my 38-55 to the tang on my 30 WCF. I guess the real answer is to order the letters from Cody.

I saw that! On the Letters from Cody.........Hmmm I pd for 2 letters and they weren't even close to what I had..... One old 1894 I had was a solid
frame and the letter said it was a take-down Now how can that be.......The info from the factory I believe was gathered from pay records! Monday guns, and Friday guns.....Hangovers & Beer Fridays LoL.......Ol Deuce
193730

[Reverend Al]

It'll be interesting to see what you find when you slug the bore on your vintage .38-55. I had a '94 round barrel rifle mfg in 1899 and when slugged it measured out with a .384" groove! I had a Lyman mould at the time that dropped bullets at .379" and I could push them right through the barrel with a cleaning rod ... and with not too much effort! If yours is big in the bore too then you'll need a large diameter mould (if the loaded rounds will still chamber?) or a dead soft bullet and hope for it to slug up with your black powder loads.

[Bad Ass Wallace]

Really enjoy seeing original old Winchesters, the oldest '94 that I have is 1904 in 32/40

They are not '94's, but a pair of consequitive serial numbered 92's in 38WCF (4xx2 & 4xx3)


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v152/BAWallace/IMG_0014_zpsc06ff707.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/BAWallace/media/IMG_0014_zpsc06ff707.jpg.html)

[Scharfschuetze]

I couldn't pass them us so now I have them both.

You are a wise man my friend.

While my Winchesters are not as old as yours, they are a treasured possession. The Model 64 in a Pre-War model and the 94 is a carbine from the 50s.

[OlDeuce]

I love my wall !!!The Old Winchesters are worth getting when they come up for sale !!!! Ol Deuce

[TXGunNut]

....Hmmm I pd for 2 letters and they weren't even close to what I had..... One old 1894 I had was a solid
frame and the letter said it was a take-down Now how can that be.......The info from the factory I believe was gathered from pay records! Monday guns, and Friday guns.....Hangovers & Beer Fridays LoL.......Ol Deuce

If you'll contact Cody Firearms Museum they'll be happy to re-check the info in the letter. Sometimes the info is misinterpreted or misread but it doesn't happen very often.

[OlDeuce]

....Hmmm I pd for 2 letters and they weren't even close to what I had..... One old 1894 I had was a solid
frame and the letter said it was a take-down Now how can that be.......The info from the factory I believe was gathered from pay records! Monday guns, and Friday guns.....Hangovers & Beer Fridays LoL.......Ol Deuce

If you'll contact Cody Firearms Museum they'll be happy to re-check the info in the letter. Sometimes the info is misinterpreted or misread but it doesn't happen very often.

I've thought about doing that! but Time has passed....'91? is when this was done ! I've heard Kennedy has a good handle on the records now!
I'm only 100 miles from the Museum! Thanks for your Good words......

Ol Deuce

[highwall3855]

I have handled #8 and #24 both 38-55's. I have been told that some of the very first 94's never left the factory because they were having heat treating problems and some did not make the grade. If you look at Bzcraig's post of #34 you will see in the pic. of the serial number A hardness indent on the flat bellow the number and above the lever link, both #8 and#24 had this, and both were standard oct. 38-55's.
Wonderiful old rifles!




I've thought about doing that! but Time has passed....'91? is when this was done ! I've heard Kennedy has a good handle on the records now!
I'm only 100 miles from the Museum! Thanks for your Good words......

Ol Deuce

[Iowa Fox]

Some very nice Winchesters guys. I don't think many ever got sold into this farm state, they're hard to find here as most are in collections.

[OlDeuce]

194763

Time sure flies.............Its been more than 30 years I've had this rifle! and she does shoot as well as I can see;) The smoke and big Boom
is a great feeling.......the only one at the range!!!:D:D

Ol Deuce

[OlDeuce]

Curious: Was the older 1894 38-55 barrels made of nickel steel?

Winchester add more side material to the 1894 after the the external rail screw guns! so if they don't have the external rail screw ,they would be
Nickel Steel for sure!!!!

Ol Deuce

[huntrick64]

I don't know when it started, but my 1903 manufactured model 94 in 30 WCF has Nickle Steel stamped in the barrel. My 38-55 which is S/N 5XXX was manufactured late 94 or early 95, but doesn't have the external rail screws. It is NOT stamped Nickel Steel. Doesn't mean it doesn't have it, but it isn't stamped that way. Now, it is my understanding that when they started making the 30 WCF in the 94 they were made with Nickel Steel to withstand the pressures of smokeless. The one think I am absolutely accurate on is, that it is easy to find someone who knows more about these than me.

[OlDeuce]

With the introduction of the smokeless Powder is where all the changes were geared up to in the 1894 ! Haven't followed any of the other rifles of this
error......(to many of them) lol...........Ol Deuce

[northernlead]

I have 1894 32win spec,thought about having it bored to 38-55.Will see

[OlDeuce]

I have 1894 32win spec,thought about having it bored to 38-55.Will see

NorthernLead Thats not a bad plan.....32WS is to small for a gong match but 38-55 is right on!!! You'll like it!! You should check
with John Taylor He's good and He's part of the forum!!! John Taylor Machine ! Ol Deuce

[The_Doctor]

38-55 is the BEST lever cartridge EVER!!

I love my old '94, made in 1900. (I have others, but this one is my favourite!!)

Once took a grouse with it at a paced off 48 yards... in heavy brush!

took off the top quarter inch of its head with a 255 grain hard cast lead flat nose.


http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t224/Gunrunner45/DSC06340_zpsc0b5aa28.jpg (http://s161.photobucket.com/user/Gunrunner45/media/DSC06340_zpsc0b5aa28.jpg.html)

I think the 38-55 is simply the best lever cartridge ever developed!

I also have the 16 inch trapper version, but it's newish - from the 1990s. LOL


The_Doctor


Congrats on your purchase, Huntrick!!

[Chill Wills]

Boy, if the rest of that rifle looks that good, you have a nice one. Not a lot of metal finish but the wood in the wrist looks good and no splinters.
That tang sight is a #1 I think, from what I can see in the picture.
Nice!