Hello all,

I first saw this rifle listed on Gunbroker back in 2016 out of Dyersburg, TN.  At that time it had a tang peep mounted on it.  You can look at a small section of my spreadsheet below and see that  rifle is not really all that uncommon a configuration.  At the time it is part of a group of probably 500 identical rifles.  The majority of them had half magazines.  The barrel markings are unique because the rifles are made up of earlier manufactured barrels which had the Type 3 address stamp positioned on the left flat just above the metal forend cap.  The tang stamp style found on most of this group is actually the Type 7 which does not have the Model designation on it or the long dashes before and after the lower two lines of print.  This is why the Model designation stamp was required on the left flat of the barrel.  Easily identified as a later addition since the caliber designation is not the typical in this style of stamp.

The second image shows a slightly expanded portion of my data and the distribution of the tang stamp style found.  There are actually three different styles in use.  The Type 5 which still has the ‘MODEL   92″ designation on it and the Type 6 and 7 with any Model designation.  Prior to SN 96262 when Winchester serialized the Model 53 in the Model 92 sequence Model 92 had the Type 5 tang stamp and the Model designation also stamped on the left side of the barrel.  Subsequent to that SN the Model 92 rifles instantly begin being manufactured with the Type 6 tang stamp which had been on the Model 53’s since their inception.  Obviously the Type 5 marked receivers were made earlier and being used up.  The Type 6 marked receivers were basically Model 53 receivers used for 92’s.  Why the Type 7 marked tang shows up is not something I have figured out yet. 

I would love an image of the upper tang stamp on the rifle in question please.

Michael

twobit said
Hello all,

I first saw this rifle listed on Gunbroker back in 2016 out of Dyersburg, TN.  At that time it had a tang peep mounted on it.  You can look at a small section of my spreadsheet below and see that  rifle is not really all that uncommon a configuration.  At the time it is part of a group of probably 500 identical rifles.  The majority of them had half magazines.  The barrel markings are unique because the rifles are made up of earlier manufactured barrels which had the Type 3 address stamp positioned on the left flat just above the metal forend cap.  The tang stamp style found on most of this group is actually the Type 7 which does not have the Model designation on it or the long dashes before and after the lower two lines of print.  This is why the Model designation stamp was required on the left flat of the barrel.  Easily identified as a later addition since the caliber designation is not the typical in this style of stamp.

The second image shows a slightly expanded portion of my data and the distribution of the tang stamp style found.  There are actually three different styles in use.  The Type 5 which still has the ‘MODEL   92″ designation on it and the Type 6 and 7 with any Model designation.  Prior to SN 96262 when Winchester serialized the Model 53 in the Model 92 sequence Model 92 had the Type 5 tang stamp and the Model designation also stamped on the left side of the barrel.  Subsequent to that SN the Model 92 rifles instantly begin being manufactured with the Type 6 tang stamp which had been on the Model 53’s since their inception.  Obviously the Type 5 marked receivers were made earlier and being used up.  The Type 6 marked receivers were basically Model 53 receivers used for 92’s.  Why the Type 7 marked tang shows up is not something I have figured out yet. 

I would love an image of the upper tang stamp on the rifle in question please.

Michael

  

Michael, how many fancy, checkered pistol grip, octagon, full mag, rifle butt, large caliber 1892’s do you have in your study?

twobit said

Chuck said

twobit said

 

Michael, how many fancy, checkered pistol grip, octagon, full mag, rifle butt, large caliber 1892’s do you have in your study?

  

I think I got your answer.  Only 15 fit that description… BUT I do not have wood classifications for all of them so they in fact may not all be “fancy” grade.  6 of them are takedown frame.

  

Thank you.  I know you have told us before, but how many 92’s do you have in your survey?  Thanks for the data for the takedowns.  That puts my gun in that group.  Trying to justify my purchase to my wife.  She was with me when I bought my first 1892.

Most M1892’s are beaters, unless they are 25-20’s or 32-20’s. Sometimes even 38-40’s. The 44’s seem to get the worst wear. The 44 SRC, the most popular of the M1892/92 series, can bring big bucks with no condition at all. I have seen many grey guns go for $4,000+. There are very few surviving after Hollywood got most of them. I have one from 1925, with a blued bbl. and grey receiver, a good bore, and unturned screws, that I paid $4,500 for.   Big Larry

tionesta1 said
Michael,

While we are on your survey topic.  How many 1892’s do you have in semi deluxe configuration. Mine is a 32-20, pistol grip I checkered, octagon barrel, full mag. Below is the Work sheet on it. I believe you already have it in your survey, but I’m curious to know how many in this particular configuration do you have.

Thanks,

Al

  

Al,

I will have to go back and look at images for ALL of the checkered rifles, with and without pistol grip to determine the wood type.  I have not had column for that data and just never got around to doing it.  I will create a new page in my workbook for just those rifles.  Sorry for the “non answer”

Michael

twobit said

Thank you.  I know you have told us before, but how many 92’s do you have in your survey?  Thanks for the data for the takedowns.  That puts my gun in that group.  Trying to justify my purchase to my wife.  She was with me when I bought my first 1892.

  

Chuck I have 17,800 rifles so far.  And don’t go trying to get me involved in justifying rifle purchases!! 

Michael

  

I have always wondered where the rest of these guns are?  I can’t believe there aren’t more out there?  Take a look at all the other lever action models. Guns like this are frequently found.  I would find it hard to extrapolate numbers for this type gun.

Bert, I agree.  But, why are the deluxe 1892’s in 44 and 38 so extra hard to find?  My opinion has been that if a person has one of these he doesn’t need to advertise it for sale because he already has a list of buyers.

Bert H. said

Chuck said

Bert, I agree.  But, why are the deluxe 1892’s in 44 and 38 so extra hard to find?  My opinion has been that if a person has one of these he doesn’t need to advertise it for sale because he already has a list of buyers.

  

I suspect that the percentage of them as compared to the whole is lower for the Model 1892 than it is for other Models (e.g. 1886 and 1894).  The total number of Model 1892s that were sold to export sales is also suspected to be higher than most other Models.  We know through the ongoing research surveys that a large number of Model 1892s went to South America (Argentina and Brazil), and that a very substantial number of them went to Australia & New Zealand, and that also has an impact on how many we see available here in the U.S. today.

  

I have around 1.8% of the 1892/92 rifles after 17,800 samples. The largest contributor that is foreign is by far from Australia with more than 10% of my samples.  For the Model 61 .22 cal rifles I have 2.4% with 8850 samples out of the 349272 manufactured.   These are almost ALL from the US with very little international contribution.

Special order rifles as the percentage of production for the 1892’s declined during the model life of the rifle.  One of my projects is to look at the annual occurrence of various features over the years.  Sporting rifle production was by far in the minority during the 1920’s for the Model 1892.  SRC’s were the predominant configuration being manufactured. 

Michael

Chuck said

twobit said

I have around 1.8% of the 1892/92 rifles after 17,800 samples. The largest contributor that is foreign is by far from Australia with more than 10% of my samples.  For the Model 61 .22 cal rifles I have 2.4% with 8850 samples out of the 349272 manufactured.   These are almost ALL from the US with very little international contribution.

Special order rifles as the percentage of production for the 1892’s declined during the model life of the rifle.  One of my projects is to look at the annual occurrence of various features over the years.  Sporting rifle production was by far in the minority during the 1920’s for the Model 1892.  SRC’s were the predominant configuration being manufactured. 

Michael

  

That is interesting. But why wasn’t the 1894 effected in a similar fashion? I know that this question is not really in your realm of research.

  

Chuck,

Bert will certainly chime in but the 94 did have the same production trend.  From 1927 into 1929 carbines totally dominate the 94 production.  Sporting rifles are very uncommon.

Michael

Bert H. said
One of the reasons that the Model 1894 saw a higher production of the fancier grade rifles was the fact that Winchester offered the Model 1894 in more rifle variations than the Model 1892.

1. Standard Sporting Rifles (solid frame & Take Down)

2. Fancy Sporting Rifles (Solid frame & Take Down)

3. Extra Lightweight Rifles (Solid frame & Takedown).

In my survey of the Model 1894 for the years 1907 through 1931, I have documented 9,363 specimens, and of that number 3,982 are “Rifles” or 42.53% of the total surveyed. The Model 1894 Rifle production was actually quite robust through 1927, then it began a noticeable downward production trend (the Model 55 rifle was competing with the Model 94 rifle for sales). At the same time the Rifle production began its Swan Song, the production of the Eastern Carbine took off.

Bert

  

I was thinking about this last night.  The 92 did not stop the production and sales of the 73. Bob will know when the 73 production stopped.  Along with the fact that the 94 came along with more powerful cartridges.  I am now thinking that both of these cut into the 92 sales.  I guess if I were to order a fancy gun during this period I probably would have ordered a 94.