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Went to a local auction yesterday, there was a model 1892 in 25-20 cal. is this a common cal. for this rifle, by the seriel no. it was made in 1907, it sold for 750.00 did I pass on a good deal, I know a lot depends on condition? terry
The 25-20 WCF caliber is the least desirable in the Model 1892 so it commands the lowest price. It is, however, the most economical of the Model 1892 calibers to shoot, if you reload. It is n longer a common caliber and the ammo manufacturers gouge the consumers when they make a production run. New 25-20 ammo runs around $73 for a box of 50 while 44-40 new ammo can be found for under $40 per box of 50.
"This is the West, sir. When the legend becomes fact, print the legend."
Personally I love the 25 20. It sounds nice when its shot. Its very accurate and works great for a varmint gun. Id have to say the 32 20 is the least desireable. Its slow as a pig and no bang for the buck. Yes ammo is expensive but all 92s are except the 44 40.
Just my thoughts.
November 7, 2015
Offline
25WCF is a cool round, just a little hard to find brass for. I have a few 32WCF rifles but someday I want a 25. I think it will be a bit harder for me to load but I’d like to try. Little rifle cartridges are so underrated and so much fun. Hope the bore is nice, should be fun.
Mike
Hello,
The 25-20 is not rare by any stretch of the imagination. Though I have certainly seen rifles for sale that claim it is. Based on more than 11,400 rifles which I have surveyed the 25-20 makes up almost 25% of the total production. The 25-20 was a very popular choice for some fine deluxe grade 1892’s. I would tend to agree that it is not the least desired. I personally own quite a few of them.
Do you happen to have more information and/or a link to the auction so that I might add the gun into my survey?
Michael
Model 1892 / Model 61 Collector, Research, Valuation
The 25-20 also is one of my favorite calibers and is a fun caliber to shoot. I have 2 Model 1892’s in this caliber and 1 Low Wall. That having been said, according to the NRA Museum, the 25-20 was that least popular of the 4 main calibers (they ignore the 218 Bee). http://www.nramuseum.org/guns/the-galleries/the-american-west-1850-to-1900/case-20-colt-winchester/winchester-model-1892-lever-action-rifle-(1).aspx
"This is the West, sir. When the legend becomes fact, print the legend."
That having been said, according to the NRA Museum, the 25-20 was that least popular of the 4 main calibers (they ignore the 218 Bee). http://www.nramuseum.org/guns/the-galleries/the-american-west-1850-to-1900/case-20-colt-winchester/winchester-model-1892-lever-action-rifle-(1).aspx
I wonder what unique research they did to make this assertion or did they just copy something previously written and assumed to be correct. One might assume that it is least popular (by number manufactured) since it did not come into production until a few years after the rifle’s introduction but the cartridge was quite widely produced in the Model 1892.
Michael
Model 1892 / Model 61 Collector, Research, Valuation
Online
Just to add more food for thought, I too disagree with the NRA Museum’s statement. In addition to the Model 1892/92, the 25-20 was the predominant cartridge made in the Model 53, and was continued in the line in the Model 65, and the Model 43. Winchester did not discontinue it until well after the 38 & 44 WCF had long been dropped from production. Both the 25-20 & 32 WCF were finally discontinued in 1951.
Bert
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
tsillik said
Went to a local auction yesterday, there was a model 1892 in 25-20 cal. is this a common cal. for this rifle, by the seriel no. it was made in 1907, it sold for 750.00 did I pass on a good deal, I know a lot depends on condition? terry
Like you posted a lot depends on condition, but if in decent condition i think $750.00 was a pretty good buy. I also have a 1892 in .25-20 that i just purchased a few months ago and it cost me 1K. It was made in 1911.
November 7, 2015
Offline
In my limited wanderings the 25-20 in 1892’s or 53’s is not scarce but finding one with a good bore is another matter. Seems to be a common issue with many of the affordable 1892’s I run across but the smaller calibers seem to have rougher bores. My local orphanage has three 1892’s and a 53 in 25-20, maybe more, in this small sample it’s likely the most popular chambering.
Mike
TXGunNut said
My local orphanage has three 1892’s and a 53 in 25-20, maybe more, in this small sample it’s likely the most popular chambering.
Mike, you may be extremely insightful or maybe there just are more 25-20’s available because no one wanted them.
My experience with bore condition of the 25-20 in the Model 1892’s parallels yours in that I never see a good bore. I’ll venture a guess that the 25-20 was less popular overall but the people who did buy them liked them so much that they shot the heck out of them ’till they wore out the bores. Another possibility is that due to the small caliber and low recoil they were used more by kids, who tended to be more careless about bore maintenance.
My Low Wall in 25-20 has an outstanding bore but it has been re-lined. It started out as an original 25-20 (SS) and was re-lined along the way to a 25 W.C.F. so I don’t know if it was due to a worn barrel or due to the unavailability of 25-20 SS ammo. At any rate, it’ll drive a tack at 100 yards or less (can’t see much farther than that).
"This is the West, sir. When the legend becomes fact, print the legend."
twobit said
Hello,The 25-20 is not rare by any stretch of the imagination. Though I have certainly seen rifles for sale that claim it is. Based on more than 11,400 rifles which I have surveyed the 25-20 makes up almost 25% of the total production. The 25-20 was a very popular choice for some fine deluxe grade 1892’s. I would tend to agree that it is not the least desired. I personally own quite a few of them.
Do you happen to have more information and/or a link to the auction so that I might add the gun into my survey?
Michael
It was an auction solutions in Omaha nebr on last Saturday, it was on proxibid too. don’t know if that will help you. terry
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