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Recently had a factory letter rechecked as it showed a M1894 1/2 oct. bbl. in 38-55, with a full magazine, as sitting in the warehouse for 5 1/2 years. Jesi said the original letter was correct.
I just don’t understand why it would sit in the warehouse so long? Big Larry
November 7, 2015
Offline
Does sound like a special order gun, any other unusual features? Wood looks nice.
No, it’s just a plain Jane rifle. I bought it due to its condition with a minty bore. Have shooting ammo for it, but have yet to get it out to the range. It is one of my favorite M1894’s. # 348731 was in the PR in 1907. Shipped in 1912. Thanks, Big Larry
Big Larry said
No, it’s just a plain Jane rifle. I bought it due to its condition with a minty bore. Have shooting ammo for it, but have yet to get it out to the range. It is one of my favorite M1894’s. # 348731 was in the PR in 1907. Shipped in 1912. Thanks, Big Larry
Larry,
That is 5 years from serialization to being shipped. Did it actually enter the warehouse (fully assembled) during 1907 also? Or was that a later date. I have seen numerous 1892’s that did not enter the warehouse until multiple years after the receiver was serialized.
Michael
Model 1892 / Model 61 Collector, Research, Valuation
Big Larry said
No, it’s just a plain Jane rifle. I bought it due to its condition with a minty bore. Have shooting ammo for it, but have yet to get it out to the range. It is one of my favorite M1894’s. # 348731 was in the PR in 1907. Shipped in 1912. Thanks, Big Larry
Isn’t the half octagon barrel and full magazine a special order?
Yes, the 1/2 oct. bbl. is a special order, but not the full magazine. If you ordered a 1/2 oct. bbl., unless you specified a special order 1/2, 2/3 or 3/4 length magazine, they sent a full magazine rifle. The full magazine is considered standard on all rifles.
The factory letter showed nothing special other than the 1/2 oct. bbl. plain trigger, and 38-55 caliber.
In the PR, 4-5-07. Sent to whse. 4-23-07, and shipped 10-17-1912. No other info available.
Whomever bought this rifle, took real good care of it. It is a true classic beauty. Has a small chip out of the stock. Does not detract from the overall appearance of the rifle. Thanks, Big Larry
The fact that it has a 1/2 Octagon barrel indicates that the rifle was special ordered by someone, as has already been mentioned. I think WallyB is correct … whoever special ordered the rifle, canceled the order and it just sat there until a) someone else ordered the same rifle and b) someone remembered there was one somewhere in the warehouse, searched the warehouse records to see where it was located, and then shipped it out. I’ve only had a few special order Winchesters, but the Warehouse in and out dates are usually within a day or two of the ‘in’ date.
Yes, it’s all just speculation and we will never know. It is a real nice rifle and for now, I am the proud owner of it. I just wish they could speak. Ha Ha . Thanks, big Larry
Big Larry said
Yes, it’s all just speculation and we will never know. It is a real nice rifle and for now, I am the proud owner of it. I just wish they could speak. Ha Ha . Thanks, big Larry
They may not speak but they sure can BARK.
Vince
Southern Oregon
NRA member
Fraternal Order of Eagles
“There is but one answer to be made to the dynamite bomb and that can best be made by the Winchester rifle.”
Teddy Roosevelt
OK, at this point I need to step in and discuss a misconception that several of you apparently have…
As listed in Winchester’s many catalogs, the 1/2 octagon barrel and the 1/2 magazine feature that was available on the various models was not a “special order” option. Instead, they were a no cost optional order. Winchester maintained a large supply of them on hand, and in many cases, they made small batches of rifles with those features for the warehouse storeroom supply (to prefill any orders received for them).
Bert
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
Bert H. said
OK, at this point I need to step in and discuss a misconception that several of you apparently have…As listed in Winchester’s many catalogs, the 1/2 octagon barrel and the 1/2 magazine feature that was available on the various models was not a “special order” option. Instead, they were a no cost optional order. Winchester maintained a large supply of them on hand, and in many cases, they made small batches of rifles with those features for the warehouse storeroom supply (to prefill any orders received for them).
Bert
Yeah, but 5 1/2 years? Must have been on the bottom of the pile. Thanks Bert. Big Larry
January 26, 2011
Offline
Here’s another one I am aware of………
1894 287510
Rifle, 32-40, RB, TD
SNA 12-1-1905
Date In 1-9-1906
Shipped 4-15-1911
I suppose it was unpopular due to the newer 32 WS cartridge that was out by that time. Or got lost in the warehouse for five years.
~Gary~
Folks,
Winchester did not always guess the best as to what the buying public wanted at the time. I am more familiar with earlier models, and can state that early in the production of the 1876 in 40-60 caliber, they produced batches that then sat in the warehouse for an interminable time. These then became fodder for being reworked to larger calibers to meet demands. I have the passage in mind, but seems to me Herb Houze talked about the extreme numbers that were refitted to either 45-60 or 45-75 because they were “too small” for the game and other demands of the west at the time. I have one carbine that was sold to a dealer and promptly returned to be refitted to 45-75 (my question is why bother purchasing it if it was returned so quickly, unless he was fed a set allocation by Winchester?). It is not all that uncommon for batched production rifles to have surviving specimens remain in warehouse for years. Bert is/was dead on about the features, too.
Tim
I am looking at a NWMP 76 carbine. All markings and serial check out but I am puzzled by the lack of caliber markings. I understand that 1st models weren’t marked but this is a 3rd model (39xxx) and supposedly should have the caliber marked on the barrel and the brass cartridge lifter.
Can anyone offer a plausible explanation?
Alan said
I am looking at a NWMP 76 carbine. All markings and serial check out but I am puzzled by the lack of caliber markings. I understand that 1st models weren’t marked but this is a 3rd model (39xxx) and supposedly should have the caliber marked on the barrel and the brass cartridge lifter.Can anyone offer a plausible explanation?
No I can not, but I can speculate that the Carbines may not have been marked because that was the only caliber offered as a carbine at that time. For what it is worth, the cartridge elevator was made from gunmetal (a.k.a. bronze) versus brass.
Bert
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
I know the relative obsolescence probably explains it, but I have a 66 that was received in the warehouse November 13, 1883 and shipped almost 15 years later on August 16, 1898. I guess they weren’t in high demand after the 73, 76, 86, 92, 94 and 95 came out! :-O
On an off-topic note, just hearing the word “warehouse” kind of makes my heart skip a beat. Imagine a warehouse chock full of that which we dream about, while those who worked there were probably like “ho hum”.
Huck Riley said
I know the relative obsolescence probably explains it, but I have a 66 that was received in the warehouse November 13, 1883 and shipped almost 15 years later on August 16, 1898. I guess they weren’t in high demand after the 73, 76, 86, 92, 94 and 95 came out! :-OOn an off-topic note, just hearing the word “warehouse” kind of makes my heart skip a beat. Imagine a warehouse chock full of that which we dream about, while those who worked there were probably like “ho hum”.
Some collectors’ photos cause me a “Whoa!” But for them, I figure they are in that “ho hum” league.
It is also possible, that after the receiver had a serial number applied ,it did not get used to make a full rifle for sometime after.Seems to me I have read before of receivers sitting for long periods of time ,before getting fully made into rifles.
Why I do not know.perhaps they end up on the bottom of a pile and do not get used till months or years later.
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