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July 19, 2013
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To clarify a subject of interest, what is the first month of production for the following models:
Henry, 1866, 1873, 1876, 1886, 1892, 1894 and 1895 ?
Bill
May 2, 2009
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The 73 ledgers shows September of 1873 as the month of a the first gun entered into the warehouse.
Bob
WACA Life Member--- NRA Life Member---- Cody Firearms member since 1991 Researching the Winchester 1873's
Email: [email protected]
April 15, 2005
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Model 1886 = May 1886
Model 1892 = April 1892
Model 1894 = September 1894
Model 1895 = November 1895
Bert
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
September 22, 2011
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I believe it was October for the 1886, but it might have been September.
April 15, 2005
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mrcvs said
I believe it was October for the 1886, but it might have been September.
Factory records show that it was May 1886.
Bert
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
July 19, 2013
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Bert H. said
Model 1886 = May 1886
Model 1892 = April 1892
Model 1894 = September 1894
Model 1895 = November 1895
Bert
Bert,
When establishing these dates, are they the polishing room stamping dates or are some warehouse receiving dates ?
Also, do you have the Henry & 1866 ?
Bill
April 15, 2005
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Both.
There no records for the Henry or early Model 1866.
Bert
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
July 19, 2013
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Thanks very much, Bert.
September 22, 2011
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Bert H. said
Factory records show that it was May 1886.
Bert
I stand corrected. Maybe they were not shipped until September or October, although this would be rather strange. I know of a 2 digit 1886 that wasn’t shipped until October of 1886. This obviously doesn’t mean that others, even with a much higher serial number, were not shipped earlier.
July 19, 2013
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Bert H. said
Both.
There no records for the Henry or early Model 1866.
Bert
When did polishing room stamp dates begin to be used rather than warehouse receipt dates ?
April 15, 2005
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Blueliner said
When did polishing room stamp dates begin to be used rather than warehouse receipt dates ?
The Polishing Room record books were created by Winchester employee George Hertel in the year 1885.
Bert
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
July 19, 2013
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Great factoid !! Thanks.
Bill
November 7, 2015
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Blueliner said
Great factoid !! Thanks.
Bill
Bert’s being modest. Up until several years ago George Madis’ production dates were accepted as gospel for Winchester build dates. Problem is we don’t know where George got his data. Several years ago Bert et al discovered what are now known as the polishing room books. As I understand it the polishing room is where the serial number is applied to the receiver. Life (for a firearm) begins when a serial number is applied to the receiver.
The collector community (for the most part 
) and BATFE have come around to the PRB way of thinking and it is now the accepted production date for most Winchesters.
April 15, 2005
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wallyb said
HiCan you state for sure that the BATF uses that data?
Walter
Yes, I can.
Bert
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
April 15, 2005
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wallyb said
Bert,Has the BATF changed?
Walter
Walter,
Define changed ?
Bert
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
December 27, 2007
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Dang! Bert. With that last response, you are sounding quite like a G-man. You should have been running for the High Office this time–likely would have won! Slick wit, Bert; slick.
May 23, 2009
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TXGunNut said
Life (for a firearm) begins when a serial number is applied to the receiver.
I always get a great chuckle at such statements. I suppose all those firearms out there that don’t have serial numbers are lifeless dead things that never found a beginning. I truly wonder how many millions of firearms made without serial numbers magically evaporated after the 64 gun act just because the government said a firearm isn’t a firearm until it has a serial number.
It would be like someone telling my grandfather he was never born because he didn’t have a birth certificate. There is at least some 77,000 Model 99 Thumb Trigger model rifles, some 600,000 Model 1902s, some 100,000 Model 60 & 60-As, some 300,000 Model 69s, some 100,000 Model 72s, AND some 300,000 Model 1904s that weren’t serialized by the Winchester Factory.
Sincerely,
Maverick
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https://winchestercollector.org/forum/winchester-research-surveys/winchester-reloading-tool-survey/
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