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Does anyone know the serial number range and/or date when Winchester 1892 levers and hammers went from being case-coloured to blued? Thanks!
Online
My best guess is post-1915.
Bert
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
Okay, this sounds about right. I own 392633, which shipped 29 June 1907, and 908949, which shipped 12 September 1920. The first has case-coloured lever and hammer; the second, both are blued. Can anyone else pinpoint this further?
I have looked at almost 5000 Model 1892/92 rifles for my survey but have not tracked that detail. I have photos on 1700 of them so it might be possible to go back and take a look at a relative
narrow time frame to see if it is possible to discern the change. But all photos are not created equally by any stretch.
Could I get more information on both of your rifle and add them into my work?
Michael
Model 1892 / Model 61 Collector, Research, Valuation
My 1892 SRC was manufactured in 1915 and has a blued lever. It’s possible that my lever may not be original to the gun but the overall even wear matches the rest of the gun, which makes me think it is original.
mike bilodeau said
My 1892 SRC was manufactured in 1915 and has a blued lever. It’s possible that my lever may not be original to the gun but the overall even wear matches the rest of the gun, which makes me think it is original.
Mike,
That is good information. What is the serial number on your Model 1892?
Bert
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
In my collection, I have takedown # 613252, 1911, that has both hammer and lever case colored. I also have a standard rifle # 714961, 6-1913, that also has both case colored. My # 948754 SRC, 9-1926, has a blued lever and hammer. Big Larry
Bert,
The serial number of my carbine is 802632. As you know this gun wont letter because of the missing records so I took the date of 1915 from available online sources. If you also agree with that date I’ll feel certain. I hope this helps to narrow things down.
1915 by Madis
1916 by Red Book
http://s1224.photobucket.com/user/oldguy67/media/1894%20others/1892%20data/001_zps842fc052.jpg.html
[Image Can Not Be Found]
Mike,
As Paul pointed out, it is actually a 1916 vintage gun, which corresponds with my original estimate.
Bert
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
Bert,
So your best guess is that 1915 was that last year the levers were cch and begining in 1916 they were blued. Is that correct?
Also, all this time I thought my gun was 1915. oops LOL. The date I used was from Madis. One year off on the date doesn’t matter to me, either way it’s still only a vintage gun. however, could you please explain so I understand how and why there are discrepancies between Madis and Red Book and how you are sure Red Book is correct over Madis. Is there any list or data base out there that is 100% accurate for dating Winchesters?
Thanks in advance
Mike,
I do not know with any certainty what information George Madis used when he published his books. The information in the Red Book was derived from the Polishing Room serialization records (at the CFM). Those records contain the exact day, month, and year that the serial number was stamped on the receiver of each Model 1892. The CFM has the records for the Model 1892 serial numbers 1 – 917,240. You can get a letter from them with the exact date.
http://www.bbhc.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Serial-Number_Winchester-list.pdf
In answer to your question
Is there any list or data base out there that is 100% accurate for dating Winchesters?
Yes, the Red Book in chapter 8. Additionally, one of the upgrades planned for the WACA website is a serial number look-up table that will be based on the data in the Polishing Room records.
Bert
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
This goes under "enquirering minds want to know". I have just added yet another column in my survey of the 1892 regarding whether the hammer and lever are CAse colored or blued on the rifles. If yo uhave sent me information on your rifle(s) so far please also now send me the SN and what the finish is on these parts. I will add it into my work and also go back through the photo files of over 1000 rifles and add it into the work.
Thanks so much because I had so much free time on my hands and really nothing to do!
Michael
Model 1892 / Model 61 Collector, Research, Valuation
Michael,
Do I detect a hint of sarcasm in your voice 
Bert
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
Bert wrote:
Michael,
Do I detect a hint of sarcasm in your voice
If it was just a "hint" then I didn’t hit the keyboard hard enough while typing!!
I am just trying to figure out how to differntiate between well worn CC and well worn bluing???? Hmmm?
Michael
Model 1892 / Model 61 Collector, Research, Valuation
Michael,
Look at the side of the lever right next to the receiver frame, as that is a protected area that seldom shows any wear.
Bert
p.s. I was being a bit facetious when a used the term "hint"
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
Would the post 1915 date for changing to blued levers and hammers on the 1892 also apply to the 1894 models? I would think that if they made that change it would be accross the board but, The rifle below, s/n 769046 from 5-01-1915 is just blued and the next closest s/n I have going backwards is 621073 from 9-27-1913 and it also is blued on the hammer and lever. Any thoughts on this?
Paul
Paul,
I suspect that the serial number range for the change from CC to blued levers and hammers took place over a relatively wide serial number spread. I should have been clearer in my original response, and stated that.
I have a 1914 vintage Model 1894 Sporting Rifle that has CC parts. Without a detailed survey, it is just an educated guess for the 1915 time period being the transition point where the majority of the Model 1892s and 1894s were equipped with blued versus CC parts. Would you be willing to start a survey of the Model 1894s manufactured in the 1913 – 1917 time frame?
Bert
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
I guess that things like hammers and levers were just stored in bins and just grabbed as they were needed to put a gun together. Just like barrels that seem to have the wrong markings for the s/n range.
Paul
Just like Michael, adding something else to keep track of with everything else can sure use up your time but, that’s kind of what we are here to find out about on Winchesters. I only have 4 surveys going on right now which probably are of no interest to anyone else so I will see what I can do.
Paul
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