92 Trapper at auction|Page 2|Winchester Rifles|Forum|Winchester Collector

twobit said
Within the first 288,000 Model 1892’s manufactured there were 5,387 short barreled carbine produced.  Of those the 16 inch is the most common at 2,495 then the 15 inch at 1,713 and then the 14 inch at 958 examples.  17, 18, and 12 inch examples start to get into hen’s teeth range. Beyond 288,000 the disparity between 16 and 14 inch configurations decrease.  I have sampled 154 additional 16 inch examples compared to 128 additional 14 inch examples. Condition being equal then rarity will drive the price.  
Michael
  

Bert,

That is not what my data shows.  Between the ledger data and the additional “population” information the 16 inch option is more popular/common.

Michael

Bert H. said

twobit said

twobit said
Within the first 288,000 Model 1892’s manufactured there were 5,387 short barreled carbine produced.  Of those the 16 inch is the most common at 2,495 then the 15 inch at 1,713 and then the 14 inch at 958 examples.  17, 18, and 12 inch examples start to get into hen’s teeth range. Beyond 288,000 the disparity between 16 and 14 inch configurations decrease.  I have sampled 154 additional 16 inch examples compared to 128 additional 14 inch examples. Condition being equal then rarity will drive the price.  
Michael
  

Bert,
That is not what my data shows.  Between the ledger data and the additional “population” information the 16 inch option is more popular/common.
Michael
  

Thanks for the correction.  Your survey is invaluable as it quantifies the potential production numbers.
Bert
  

Thanks.  SO glad that I haven’t been wasting time over all these years!! 

mrcvs said

twobit said

cj57 said
https://www.proxibid.com/lotinformation/101787118/the-pinnacle-trapper-outstanding-original-and
Here’s a very nice trapper that sold last week, hammered at 65k
  

So this is a pretty much perfect  example of how trying to establish the “value” of a rifle is REALLY tricky!!  The $65,000 “Pinnacle Trapper” at Poulin apparently was only worth $32,313 when it sold this past December at RIA!!!  Now THAT is some kind of inflation!!  These rifles have no real set in stone value.  The value is purely driven by how much one or two guys want it and whatever satisfaction they derive from that ownership.  https://www.rockislandauction.com/detail/4096/1009/winchester-model-92-saddle-ring-trappers-carbine
Michael
  

What do you think the OPs carbine is really worth?
Also, what it brings in a few weeks may not even reflect true value in that a bidding war might ensue and then if resold not too much later, without a bidding war, it could bring considerably less.
  

That is almost impossible to answer for SO many reasons.  For me personally, I am not a “trapper” fan.  First, I just don’t like them.  I see them as too much like a toy gun.  Especially the shortest barreled ones.  Therefore, MY value is going to be less than a lot of others.  Second, they are A LOT more common than past authors and most collectors think that they are.  If you read this thread that I started I document some of the incorrect number that many people use to justify rarity.  https://winchestercollector.org/forum/general-discussions-questions/research-answering-questions-and-the-trouble-with-madis-and-pirkle/   Third, the value of a dollar is much more different amongst collectors who have more or fewer of them to spend.  By this I mean that if I have $150,000 to spend in a year on my Winchester hobby I will be much more willing to spend one or two thousand more on a particular rifle than a guy who has $2000 to spend in a single year.  Our value of what we “value” (money) is different to us.  

Here is another example of crazy supposed values of a rifle.  I have now seen this rifle for sale four individual times in 8 years.  It was first sold at Julia’s in March of 2018 for $9200.  It was subsequently listed at Merz for $15,000.  Then, in October of 2025 it was “sold at RIA” for $5875!!!  THEN.. agian it was listed at Merz in March of 2026 for $27,500 where it still sits.  https://www.merzantiques.com/product/w4463-special-order-winchester-1892-pistol-grip-checkered-rifle-in-caliber-25-20-m/

Back to your original question.  The OP’s trapper is probably worth someplace between $6000 and $20,000.  Or much higher if the Poulin buyer, and his competition are still in the game.  Or maybe not.

Michael

Besides the opinions, our members also provided us with some great additional information and comparisons that many of us will use again and again!

It will be interesting to see where it ends up on the $$$$ spectrum!

Tony

TXGunNut said
At the end of the day (or when the auction ends) it’s worth whatever a willing buyer and seller say it’s worth. It doesn’t have to make sense to us. 
 
Mike
  

Mike –

I agree.

I also understand the dilemma owners/sellers are in when they try to figure out what they should ask for their gun if they want to sell it. Auctions are one way to go but they’re not for everyone.  

steve004 said

Here is another example of crazy supposed values of a rifle.  I have now seen this rifle for sale four individual times in 8 years.  It was first sold at Julia’s in March of 2018 for $9200.  It was subsequently listed at Merz for $15,000.  Then, in October of 2025 it was “sold at RIA” for $5875!!!  THEN.. agian it was listed at Merz in March of 2026 for $27,500 where it still sits.  https://www.merzantiques.com/product/w4463-special-order-winchester-1892-pistol-grip-checkered-rifle-in-caliber-25-20-m/
Back to your original question.  The OP’s trapper is probably worth someplace between $6000 and $20,000.  Or much higher if the Poulin buyer, and his competition are still in the game.  Or maybe not.
Michael
  

Michael – 
Not to make this a competition but I’ve seen it for sale more times than four.  And Merz has had it up for offer at least three times – spanning 37 years. Here it is in his 1990 catalog.  A large part of his catalog #67 featured the James Huntley Model 1892 short rifle and trapper carbine collection.  This rifle was mixed in with it so I wonder if Jim hadn’t owned it?
I sure wouldn’t have minded buying it for $5875!  I wouldn’t even mind paying the juice on that amount.
  

WOW!!  That is amazing to have and resold that rifle so many times.  Any chance that the catalog has more 1892 rifles with the serial numbers listed?

Michael

safestuffer said
Hello everyone,
For those interested in current market value of these guns and curious to see what a high condition example sells for in a normal auction setting, the Trapper recently discussed here is now available
https://www.gunauction.com/buy/17416886
 
Apologies if this post violates any rules of the forum. I am the owner of this rifle, if that matters
  

Well, we ended up fining out what this one was worth – a bit over $11,000.

I thought it would go higher than that. 

At Cody, 10 years ago, what would this trapper have sold for you think? 

Chris D said
I thought it would go higher than that. 
At Cody, 10 years ago, what would this trapper have sold for you think? 
  

Chris good point, and I can understand you’re view on the possibility of going higher, but their are also a fair amount of collectors willing to go after the well used and abused “trapper’s”, as the use during the earlier times than the 1920’s when this one was manufactured near the end of it’s production life, saving it’s condition and use during the rugged “Cowboy”, and “Bandito”, days, are a difference. IMO! 

Not taking anything away from this high condition specimen.

Tony