I recently found this 1918 (if my book is correct) Model 92 .44 WCF in a pawn shop. The owner is really into metal detector equipment so long story short I traded an older metal detector and $150 for it. I got it home disassembled it and gave it a good cleaning/oiling, the parts all look good but the bore is pretty dark with some pitting, I knew the condition before buying so no surprises anywhere. I’m guessing it has been re-blued sometime during it’s life, it has a chip by the butt plate among other things so definitely not a pristine rifle but everything functions good, cycles good, is fun to shoot, and I think it deserves more than sitting in a corner of a pawn shop. I’m not sure if the marking on the front left side of the receiver means something?
Oh by the way, if you look on page 24 of the fall 2024 WACA magazine, the guy with the big grin holding a model 70 .243, that’s me
Hello Doug,
Model 1892 s/n 863126 was manufactured in April 1919. The entire gun has been refinished, and the sling studs are aftermarket additions. If it has a decent bore and shoots good, you did well on the deal for it.
The marking on the receiver frame was not factory applied, but it has been seen before. I believe that Mike Carrick wrote a brief article about that marking (refer to the Summer 2023 Winchester Collector magazine, pg. 49) – Summer 2023 (winchestercollector.org)
Bert
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
Bert H. said
Hello Doug,Model 1892 s/n 863126 was manufactured in April 1919. The entire gun has been refinished, and the sling studs are aftermarket additions. If it has a decent bore and shoots good, you did well on the deal for it.
The marking on the receiver frame was not factory applied, but it has been seen before. I believe that Mike Carrick wrote a brief article about that marking (refer to the Summer 2023 Winchester Collector magazine, pg. 49) – Summer 2023 (winchestercollector.org)
Bert
Thanks for the info Bert, I will check out the article!
Hello Doug,
Thanks for reaching out via email regarding your “Pine Tree” marked 1892 SRC. I di in fact record these rifles as part of my overall Model 1892 research survey that I am conducting. That effort has just over 20,000 individual rifles entered into it of which I have identified 94 identical rifles to yours. Can you please look at the lower tang of the receiver where it contacts the lever and see if it is marked with an import companies stamp?
Thanks
Michael
Model 1892 / Model 61 Collector, Research, Valuation
twobit said
Hello Doug,Thanks for reaching out via email regarding your “Pine Tree” marked 1892 SRC. I di in fact record these rifles as part of my overall Model 1892 research survey that I am conducting. That effort has just over 20,000 individual rifles entered into it of which I have identified 94 identical rifles to yours. Can you please look at the lower tang of the receiver where it contacts the lever and see if it is marked with an import companies stamp?
Thanks
Michael
Thanks for the speedy reply, yes there are 2 markings on the lower tang. The first one, closest to the trigger is stamped Century Arms INC , the second one is more difficult to make out and some characters look partially stamped but appears to be ST M_RANS WT, I will also upload some photos
Wisota said
twobit said
Hello Doug,
Thanks for reaching out via email regarding your “Pine Tree” marked 1892 SRC. I di in fact record these rifles as part of my overall Model 1892 research survey that I am conducting. That effort has just over 20,000 individual rifles entered into it of which I have identified 94 identical rifles to yours. Can you please look at the lower tang of the receiver where it contacts the lever and see if it is marked with an import companies stamp
Thanks
Michael
Thanks for the speedy reply, yes there are 2 markings on the lower tang. The first one, closest to the trigger is stamped Century Arms INC , the second one is more difficult to make out and some characters look partially stamped but appears to be ST M_RANS WT, I will also upload some photos
Thanks so much. That is in fact Century Arms, located in St Albans, Vermont. I have reached out to them in the past trying to get any additional info regarding when and how many of these rifle were imported back to the US but no luck so far.
Michael
Model 1892 / Model 61 Collector, Research, Valuation
twobit said
Wisota said
twobit said
Hello Doug,
Thanks for reaching out via email regarding your “Pine Tree” marked 1892 SRC. I di in fact record these rifles as part of my overall Model 1892 research survey that I am conducting. That effort has just over 20,000 individual rifles entered into it of which I have identified 94 identical rifles to yours. Can you please look at the lower tang of the receiver where it contacts the lever and see if it is marked with an import companies stamp
Thanks
Michael
Thanks for the speedy reply, yes there are 2 markings on the lower tang. The first one, closest to the trigger is stamped Century Arms INC , the second one is more difficult to make out and some characters look partially stamped but appears to be ST M_RANS WT, I will also upload some photos
Thanks so much. That is in fact Century Arms, located in St Albans, Vermont. I have reached out to them in the past trying to get any additional info regarding when and how many of these rifle were imported back to the US but no luck so far.
Michael
You’re welcome, hopefully they give you some info it would be interesting to know the numbers.
Doug
Wisota said
twobit said
Wisota said
twobit said
Hello Doug,
Thanks for reaching out via email regarding your “Pine Tree” marked 1892 SRC. I di in fact record these rifles as part of my overall Model 1892 research survey that I am conducting. That effort has just over 20,000 individual rifles entered into it of which I have identified 94 identical rifles to yours. Can you please look at the lower tang of the receiver where it contacts the lever and see if it is marked with an import companies stamp
Thanks
Michael
Thanks for the speedy reply, yes there are 2 markings on the lower tang. The first one, closest to the trigger is stamped Century Arms INC , the second one is more difficult to make out and some characters look partially stamped but appears to be ST M_RANS WT, I will also upload some photos
Thanks so much. That is in fact Century Arms, located in St Albans, Vermont. I have reached out to them in the past trying to get any additional info regarding when and how many of these rifle were imported back to the US but no luck so far.
Michael
You’re welcome, hopefully they give you some info it would be interesting to know the numbers.
Doug
Not just the total number but also when the importation took place. The second most common importer is marked HEGE and have German proof marks on them. These also include a date stamp and appear to have occurred during the middle of 1972. So, if a 25 year old employee was working for them in 1972 he would now be 77 years old. There shouldn’t be any problem tacking this tuff down. It’s in a file cabinet right down the hallway!!
Michael
Model 1892 / Model 61 Collector, Research, Valuation
twobit said
Wisota said
twobit said
Wisota said
twobit said
Hello Doug,
Thanks for reaching out via email regarding your “Pine Tree” marked 1892 SRC. I di in fact record these rifles as part of my overall Model 1892 research survey that I am conducting. That effort has just over 20,000 individual rifles entered into it of which I have identified 94 identical rifles to yours. Can you please look at the lower tang of the receiver where it contacts the lever and see if it is marked with an import companies stamp
Thanks
Michael
Thanks for the speedy reply, yes there are 2 markings on the lower tang. The first one, closest to the trigger is stamped Century Arms INC , the second one is more difficult to make out and some characters look partially stamped but appears to be ST M_RANS WT, I will also upload some photos
Thanks so much. That is in fact Century Arms, located in St Albans, Vermont. I have reached out to them in the past trying to get any additional info regarding when and how many of these rifle were imported back to the US but no luck so far.
Michael
You’re welcome, hopefully they give you some info it would be interesting to know the numbers.
Doug
Not just the total number but also when the importation took place. The second most common importer is marked HEGE and have German proof marks on them. These also include a date stamp and appear to have occurred during the middle of 1972. So, if a 25 year old employee was working for them in 1972 he would now be 77 years old. There shouldn’t be any problem tacking this tuff down. It’s in a file cabinet right down the hallway!!
Michael
I just stumbled on to a thread, “Winchester 1892 Imported by Century Arms” and read you’re post where you told what you’ve learned about these rifles, very interesting! Thank you for all the work and all the info!
Doug
Chuck said
Michael, hope you can find out about these. It is quite common for Military rifles to have import stamps. Many guns were left overseas and later returned back to the US. I think this process started in 1968?
Yes, the GCA of 1968 was the culprit.
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
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