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I recently purchased an 1894 takedown rifle. The serial number is 282510. Using your serial number search, it indicates that the gun was manufactured in 1905. I removed the forestock and noticed that the year stamp on the gun is “3” (1903). I’d like to know if there is a logical reason for the difference (i.e. barrel was swapped or Winchester’s barrel production was so far ahead of the complete gun being assembled and shipped). Thank you!
I forgot to mention that the takedown collar has a “5” stamped on the inside, so I was wondering if that correlated to the 1905 manufacture date.
April 15, 2005
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Hello Kelly,
Your Model 1894 Take Down rifle was manufactured in October 1905. The “3” you see stamped on the bottom of the barrel is not a “year stamp”. Winchester did not begin the practice of date stamping barrels until sometime in 1920, and they did not make it a standard practice until 1924. The “5” you see stamped on the take down collar is not associated with the date of manufacture.
Bert
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
