I picked up a 1892 in rough condition, the gun store had the serial number listed as MX 1454 and thought it was from the 1930’s.
I was looking at it with my flashlight and i could make out another serial number 18037 or 18337 (made in 1893) hard to see but it is there.
why would this gun get re-stamped and what does it mean?
what does this do for the value
can I get a certification of manufacture
https://files.mycloud.com/home.php?brand=webfiles&seuuid=c3267a36b840136ce5ef7b6573cee87f&name=i892
Looks like the original SN is 18037. The original SN looks to be pretty worn down, not stamped as deep typical of earlier production, and someone just stamped a new one–no rhyme or reason as to the lettering and numbering. The good thing is they didnt stamp over the original SN obscuring it. Doesnt help the value side of things though.
1892takedown @sbcglobal.net ......NRA Endowment Life Member.....WACA Member
"God is great.....beer is good.....and people are crazy"... Billy Currington
Hello Brad,
The original serial number is definitely open for interpretation. You might also try putting a piece of paper over the SN and lightly rub over that with a pencil. If will also post or send me photos of the caliber stamp, the upper tang, and the barrel address stamp. With those I can give you a range of production dates and therefore narrow down the possible original SN a bit.
Michael
Model 1892 / Model 61 Collector, Research, Valuation
Good morning Brad,
The style of tang stamp on your rifle was used between SN 247000 and 476000 which corresponds to production between mid 1904 and very early 1909. The fact that the caliber stamp is located on the left side of the barrel as opposed to being on top allows us to narrow down the possible DOM to after SN 414000 when this positioning begins to appear on barrels. Therefore the rifle was most likely manufactured during 1908 to the first months of 1909. The first digit of the original SN has been obliterated by wear and would be between 414000 and 476000. I could not make out the barrel address stamp but it would have been identical to the attached photo. The butt stock is a rifle style and not the much more typical carbine style.
I hope this helps
Michael
Model 1892 / Model 61 Collector, Research, Valuation
Thanks for the info.
So I would assume the value would be low enough to look for a better barrel, tube and stock from 1908.
The action feels tight and smooth.
But the barrel is shout out.
Lots of rust under the for-stock on both the barrel and tube.
I would love to make this a shooter.
Or should I just throw it in the gun safe and move on?
I only paid $325 for it, so I wouldn’t be out that much.
Thanks again for for all the info.
Your initial description used the word, “rough” and I wholeheartedly agree. There is of course, no collector value on that carbine, nor any component of that carbine. As a shooter, a shot-out barrel won’t get you far either. The most encouraging part you mention is a smooth action. If I wanted to make a shooter out of it, I think I would try to find a barrel with a decent bore. Were it mine, I would attempt to find a set of carbine wood as well. This would likely be easier to find than a barrel.
November 7, 2015
I have a bit older 1892 (1902) that came home with me mostly because it has a very slick action. The .32 bore wasn’t so great so it went off to be relined. Rifle has minimal collector value due to it’s 23″ barrel and an otherwise 70% condition so I didn’t lose much and it’s a fun shooter. OTOH don’t write off that bore until you shoot it. It doesn’t take many inches of rifling to make a passable plinker.
Mike
I agree with Mike. I picked up a 32 a few years ago intending to reline it for a cheap shooter. The barrel looks horrible. Before getting it lined I shot it. What a suprise. It shoot very well with gas checked lead bullets.
Still hard to look at, but have next to nothing in it and have had a lot of fun with it.
Dominic
I agree with the above comments regarding how problem-looking bores can sometimes shoot with acceptable accuracy. I have experience with this. As we know, it is not uncommon for these old Winchesters to have bores that are far from pretty. My input is that it is not necessarily the first load you try that brings a smile to your face. I have a .45-90 that has a bore that isn’t pretty. My first testing of it revealed a standard size target that was far too small to capture all bullets fired at it (at 25 yards!). Some experimentation with many different bullets finally resulted in a smile on my face – a group around two + inches at 50 yards. My point is it took me a while to get there – but I am glad I made the effort 🙂
I wish that MX stood for mexico military or something. That thing is so roached I want it to have a good story behind it. but trying to bring it back to any level of shooter reliability would be wasted funds. you could buy a good 92 shooter for $500ish.
where did you find this BTW? please tell me like arizona border town esate sale or pawnshop, south texas would be cool too could have belonged to Pancho Villa
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