26 | WINCHESTERCOLLECTOR.ORG • Fall 2022 notably in South America. Unusual guns such as the “Baby Carbines” sold during this period are now being returned to the U.S. from these other countries. One of the most unusual orders, according to Ed was from a movie studio in Hollywood. Paramount Studios are reported to be this studio. The order was for carbines; the price was very low. (If my memory is right, this order was for less than one hundred guns and the price was about $12 each.) Winchester had many components on hand which could be assembled to fill the order and the result was the very rare Model 1892 Carbine – rifles such as number 981114, discussed here. Standard magazine retaining bands were used and the rear barrel bands are of carbine style, especially made to fit these octagon barrels. StandardWinchester 1892 rifle sights are usually found on these special guns and the markings are of standard 1892 style. Carbine stocks and buttplates are usually found on these guns, and assembly numbers were not usually used. Many of these rare guns have had the forend wood removed, apparently to make them “look older” and the majority of these “hybrids” have seen much abuse and use and bad storage. Most of these special guns are in the serial range near this gun and all of them viewed have been in caliber .44 W.C.F, most popularly called the “44-40.” Octagon-barreled Saddle Ring Carbine s/n 954946, formerly owned by Les Colvin, who authored the letter at far right. Note the Oval-P Mark ahead of the Definitive Proof Mark and the dovetail on the bottom side of the barrel, ahead of the carbine forend, originally intended for the forend cap tenon in a rifle configuration. Phil LeVasser collection, photos by Rob Kassab.
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