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August 31, 2023
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A Winchester rookie here who needs some feedback.
Was able to obtain this 1894 Takedown in 30WCF, octagon barrel, earlier this summer. Sent off for a Winchester letter. It indicates the items mentioned here are correct. But goes on to say the stock was a pistol grip with checkering and a shotgun butt when it left factory. As you can see from the pics, this has a rifle butt and crescent style buttplate. Screws are buggered a bit but not bad, but the fit is really good. The front sight is Lyman with brass bead while the rear sight is a barrel mounted Marables which is probably incorrect. You can see the location of the original Lyman rear sight on the side of the receiver as noted on the letter. Not terribly concerned about the sights but the stocks give me pause. Would like any comments on the fit and finish of these with respect as to possible replacement. Seems odd to me that someone would replace checkered pistol grip and shotgun butt to switch over to a rifle style. Especially on being a takedown. Also, the letter says 1900 ship while The Winchester Handbook, Madis lists this serial number falling in the 1897 period. Which is more correct – letter or book? Is it possible the letter is incorrect.
More questions than answers but, look forward to feedback. l am content with how it looks for a 125-year-old rifle.
Thanks.
Keith Davis
November 7, 2015
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Keith Davis said
A Winchester rookie here who needs some feedback.
Was able to obtain this 1894 Takedown in 30WCF, octagon barrel, earlier this summer. Sent off for a Winchester letter. It indicates the items mentioned here are correct. But goes on to say the stock was a pistol grip with checkering and a shotgun butt when it left factory. As you can see from the pics, this has a rifle butt and crescent style buttplate. Screws are buggered a bit but not bad, but the fit is really good. The front sight is Lyman with brass bead while the rear sight is a barrel mounted Marables which is probably incorrect. You can see the location of the original Lyman rear sight on the side of the receiver as noted on the letter. Not terribly concerned about the sights but the stocks give me pause. Would like any comments on the fit and finish of these with respect as to possible replacement. Seems odd to me that someone would replace checkered pistol grip and shotgun butt to switch over to a rifle style. Especially on being a takedown. Also, the letter says 1900 ship while The Winchester Handbook, Madis lists this serial number falling in the 1897 period. Which is more correct – letter or book? Is it possible the letter is incorrect.
More questions than answers but, look forward to feedback. l am content with how it looks for a 125-year-old rifle.
Thanks.
Keith Davis
I suspect the letter/ledger may be incorrect about the butt stock but if SN is correct the letter dates will be correct. I’d ask our friends at Cody to verify.
Mike
April 15, 2005
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The CFM factory letter and the various dates that it lists are 100% accurate. The dates of manufacture information published in the various books by G. Madis are grossly inaccurate!
In regard to the many existing incongruities between the current configuration of your Model 1894 and the factory letter, I highly suspect that the lower tang, stocks, and the sights were all hi-graded and used to enhance a different rifle. Unfortunately, that is not an overly uncommon occurrence.
While the butt stock fit is very good, the forend stock fit is poor, as it is noticeably undersized. Based on the appearance of both stocks, my bet is that they have been refinished.
Bert
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
November 7, 2015
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Good points, Bert. I forget how easy it is to swap the lower tang on an 1894. The missing parts would certainly be a nice upgrade to the appropriate rifle.
November 8, 2011
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The extra holes in the receiver probably made it a target for swapping parts off of.
June 4, 2017
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The up grading of 1894’s is common because at that point in time Winchester standardization of parts was excellent. You screw one part off and another on, a nice piece of wood is a big upgrade. It’s very possible it’s on a gun in a non-letter-able range and a previous owner made a few bucks. sb is probably right. T/R
