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December 19, 2006
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Would anyone, especially Twobit, offer an opinion on the ratio of walnut to gumwood stocks on later model 92 SRC’s?
I’ve seen some examples of carbines that sure look like they have walnut stocks and fore ends but not absolutely certain. Any positive way to tell? Maybe take the butt plate off?
Thanks for any comments.
Jolly
March 20, 2009
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Jolly Bill said
Would anyone, especially Twobit, offer an opinion on the ratio of walnut to gumwood stocks on later model 92 SRC’s?I’ve seen some examples of carbines that sure look like they have walnut stocks and fore ends but not absolutely certain. Any positive way to tell? Maybe take the butt plate off?
Thanks for any comments.
Jolly
Hello Bill,
Sorry, but I have not kept tabs on the number of walnut stocked 92 carbines in my survey. I can say that they are quite uncommon for sure and it would be somewhat difficult to clearly differentiate them based on some of the lousy photos that I see.
Michael
Model 1892 / Model 61 Collector, Research, Valuation
December 19, 2006
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Michael,
Thank you for your comments.
I have 4 later M92 SRC’s and cannot tell for certain what kind of wood they have. I think I have to sit down with them and study the wood real close and even take off the butt plate for clues. Not as easy for the fore end wood.
Jolly
March 20, 2009
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Jolly,
I was REAL tempted to bid on this pair of rifles so that I could end up with the 1892 SRC. Talk about gorgeous wood on a carbine and in 44 WCF caliber! But the financial timing just isn’t good right now so it will go on down the road.
Michael
Model 1892 / Model 61 Collector, Research, Valuation
March 20, 2010
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Bill,
Would have to agree with Michael, you dont see many guns with gumwood stocks, at least I havent. They seem to be found predominantly in later SN ranges. Depending on the condition of the wood, its sometimes hard to differentiate between walnut and gumwood. I dont recall coming across gumwood on a rifle, all the examples I can recall were on carbines. Would say though, if there is gumwood on the buttstock, they almost always have gumwood forearm wood. Have heard of examples that had a walnut forearm but gumwood buttstock. Gumwood and walnut are very similar in their density or specific gravity. It seems as if a lot of the gumwood buttstocks are quarter-sawn wood as opposed to a slab cut. Also, the grain pattern differs from walnut in that it has a more open grain. Will have the appearance of being more to the yellow side than the yellow/orange/brown finished color of walnut. The gouges in gumwood will darken significantly, especially if they were repeatedly oiled.
The best I can offer are a few pics of gumwood stocks for comparison.
1892takedown @sbcglobal.net ......NRA Endowment Life Member.....WACA Member
"God is great.....beer is good.....and people are crazy"... Billy Currington
March 20, 2009
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1892 TD
I think you meant to type “You don’t see many guns with walnut” in your first line of the reply. Your images are classic gumwood for sure!!
Michael
Model 1892 / Model 61 Collector, Research, Valuation
March 20, 2010
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Sorry Michael, I misread your statement from above, but still believe gumwood is harder to find on a carbine than walnut, thats just based on an impression of what ive come across–could be totally wrong. May be that Im not paying good enough attention, have to admit, dont normally go for the carbines unless there is a rarity factor involved.
Chris
1892takedown @sbcglobal.net ......NRA Endowment Life Member.....WACA Member
"God is great.....beer is good.....and people are crazy"... Billy Currington
March 20, 2010
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Here are pics of a 94 that could throw you off, one I sold a long time ago. Is it gumwood or walnut? Or does it have a walnut forearm and gumwood buttstock?
1892takedown @sbcglobal.net ......NRA Endowment Life Member.....WACA Member
"God is great.....beer is good.....and people are crazy"... Billy Currington
June 26, 2013
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1892takedown said
Here are pics of a 94 that could throw you off, one I sold a long time ago. Is it gumwood or walnut? Or does it have a walnut forearm and gumwood buttstock?
I vote for walnut forearm and walnut buttstock. The buttstock definitely looks like walnut to me, but the forearm is a bit harder to determine.
March 20, 2009
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1892takedown said
Here are pics of a 94 that could throw you off, one I sold a long time ago. Is it gumwood or walnut? Or does it have a walnut forearm and gumwood buttstock?
Didn’t I read someplace that Winchester was working on a cross pollenating Walgum tree????
And that gun is exactly why I have not tried to figure out within my survey!
Michael
Model 1892 / Model 61 Collector, Research, Valuation
June 26, 2013
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Or maybe it was Gumnut?
March 20, 2010
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My take is they are both walnut based on the overall color, grain color, color in areas where there are dents or scratches, grain flow and where you can see the open grain pattern on both pieces of wood. You also have to consider the overall condition of the gun. The more use and wear gumwood gets, the nastier it tends to look (like the pic above of the carbine I use to hunt).
1892takedown @sbcglobal.net ......NRA Endowment Life Member.....WACA Member
"God is great.....beer is good.....and people are crazy"... Billy Currington
April 15, 2005
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Chris,
I too would bet that both stocks are walnut. In my ongoing survey of the Model 1894/94, Winchester began using Gumwood on the Model 1894 SRCs in early 1904, and discontinued using it (reverting back to walnut) by the year 1925. Serial number 1063948 was manufactured in March, 1930, several years after the use of Gumwood had been discontinued.
Bert
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
December 19, 2006
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Thanks everyone for your comments and for posting pictures of some examples.
Some of the ’92 carbine wood is pretty obvious, either walnut or gumwood I would say. But others, kinda tough.
Seems tho that the later guns could more likely be gumwood?
And Michael, that’s quite chunk of walnut on that carbine you show.
Jolly
November 7, 2015
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twobit said
Jolly,I was REAL tempted to bid on this pair of rifles so that I could end up with the 1892 SRC. Talk about gorgeous wood on a carbine and in 44 WCF caliber! But the financial timing just isn’t good right now so it will go on down the road.
Michael
There’s something about a feathery grained piece of walnut, very difficult for me to resist. Timing very poor for me right now too but today I fondled a few old Winchesters just for giggles anyway.
Mike
December 19, 2006
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Here’s the stock and fore end wood on my ’92 SRC SN 982248. Any thoughts on what it is? Walnut or gumwood?
Thanks, Jolly.
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June 26, 2013
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Jolly Bill said
Here’s the stock and fore end wood on my ’92 SRC SN 982248. Any thoughts on what it is? Walnut or gumwood?Thanks, Jolly.
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Looks like walnut to me.
Don
June 26, 2013
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Here’s one on Merz’s website. In my opinion, this carbine has a gumwood buttstock mis-matched with a walnut forearm.
http://merzantiques.com/photo/w821-winchester-model-1892-src-with-3-4-mag-tube
Don
March 20, 2010
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Bill,
Looks like walnut to me.
Don,
Think your right (looking at the close up of the wood grain on the forearm). Ive heard they exist that way, with walnut forearm and gumwood buttstock. Looks like someone has added some color to the wood at one time. Aside from the wood, that carbine of Merz is a pretty rare variant IMO. 1892’s in 38-40 are the least likely to have any special order features compared to the other 3 calibers.
1892takedown @sbcglobal.net ......NRA Endowment Life Member.....WACA Member
"God is great.....beer is good.....and people are crazy"... Billy Currington
April 15, 2005
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The SRC on Merz’s sight has a swapped forend stock (and it is walnut). The fact that the barrel band is installed backwards is a clue that somebody had it apart.
Bert
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
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