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I´ve been offered a 1894 standard model rifle, octagon barrel, in 25-35 caliber…serial number is few numbers over 3000. Condition of the rifle is not particularly good, only “mediocre” I would say. Question is: is cal. 25-35 possible caliber because the serial is so low? Also, when was the rifle manufactured? I know Madis says it`s a first year issue, but this can´t be true (number is under 3100). Does the gun have any premium? (I haven´t seen it yet, only couple of cell-phone-pictures)
If you use the RESOURCES tab above, it will show that the rifle in question was manufactured in 1895.
"This is the West, sir. When the legend becomes fact, print the legend."
Your question is there a premium to to purchasing a low Winchester serial number. The serial number is not considered low to the vast number of collectors as it is a 4 digit serial number. For myself I would pay a premium for the rifle if it looked decent and was all there as I happen to like 4 digit serial number and lower Winchesters. The caliber is also desirable and it may be a First Model Winchester Model 1894, which would jump it much higher on the collectible scale.
Now when you try to sell the rifle you may not find someone that is willing to pay a premium for the 4 digit serial number. From a Red book of Winchester price guide it will not increase the value.
Collecting is all about Condition, Condition, Condition. The other issues will then determine how much you want to spend. I personally am upside down on a couple of guns because I liked them. I figure I purchased a new pickup that cost me $ 20,000 to drive over a couple of years, why not spend my money on something that I enjoyed.
I have a 1894 Winchester 30 WCF:
The date of 7-9-1895 is the ” in warehouse date”
The s/n application date is 5-17-1895
Winchester 1894
Serial number: 4860
Caliber: 30 WCF
Date in: 7-9-1895
Barrel: round
Trigger: Plain
Shipped: 7-9-1895
Condition: All original except for rear site elevator, Blueing turning brown at about 20%, receiver silvered.
One of my favorite 1894s. Paid $ 1000 for it at least 12 years ago.
If you are looking to make money on this item, I would look at it from the condition point of view.
Enjoy the hunt.
No, I am not after “making money” as collecting Winchesters here in Northern Europe isn`t very profitable hobby…just wondering. But here are some other thoughts about the case: 1) The gun has so-called type 1B receiver, type 1 hammer and type 2 upper tang markings – everything seems possible for a serial tad over 3000, am I right? 2) The gun has a shotgun butt and normal 26-inch octagon barrel with standard sights, so nothing unusual there. 3) But as the serial says, production date should be somewhere around May-July 1895, I guess? Renneberg says that the caliber 25-35 was first introduced sometime during the year 1896 and the earliest specimen in caliber other than 38-55 is number 5056, so this rifle predates that about 2000 rifles. So, I am still wondering if everything is correct and possible? I have only three lousy pictures about the gun and it is not possible to get more just now..the price is low (very low actually) and the gun seems to be in acceptable condition, so I was thinking about buying it for curiosity…IF everything I described happens to be factory original, would this really be the first known rifle in 25-35 caliber?
Standard Sporting Rifles were typically equipped with a crescent stock and plate so it’s either a special order or the stock is not original to the gun. A Cody serial # search would answer a lot of your other questions….
If you can’t convince them, confuse them
As far as I can see from the pics, the buttstock looks original to the gun (and it is not so easy to swap model -94 stocks here in peripheria…). Can´t do the serial search from here…
Allright, that was it…the guy who introduced the rifle to me, misread the serial: actually it is little over 30 000, which makes it just an ordinary 25-35 rifle. Guess I just forget it.
Leverfan said
As far as I can see from the pics, the buttstock looks original to the gun (and it is not so easy to swap model -94 stocks here in peripheria…). Can´t do the serial search from here…
If you join our association you will be able to post pictures and have multiple resources, as in the vast knowage base of its members. In addition, a member who has an extra serial number search with Cody or access to a copy of the early Winchester logs would be able to supply the information. We are a noncompetitive group who share knowledge and resources, and who enjoy sharing in each other’s success in collection of unique Winchesters. We will all be happy if you were to acquire a fist of a kind model.
By the way, there is no reason not to give the complete serial number in a post.
Vince
Southern Oregon
NRA member
Fraternal Order of Eagles
“There is but one answer to be made to the dynamite bomb and that can best be made by the Winchester rifle.”
Teddy Roosevelt
Leverfan,
I realize you found the rifle to be in the 30,000 S/N range. Regardless, you may also be interested to know that the 25-35 WCF was chambered in the Model 1894 during the summer of 1895, and that the first 25-35 rifles went into the Winchester warehouse in July of 1895 according to research of the first 353,999 Model 1894 factory records published in the ARMAX Journal of the Cody Firearms Museum, Vol.V. of 1995, with the 25-35 WCF and 30 WCF appearing in the WRACo catalog No.55 of August, 1895.
Like Vince says, there are a lot of benefits to collectors when they join WACA, one of which being a subscription to our quarterly magazine, The Winchester Collector, and access to all of the back issues since 1981.
https://winchestercollector.org/magazine/?perpage=-1
Anyone unfamiliar with the 1995 ARMAX survey of the Model 1894 will be very interested in our next issue…
Thanks,
Brad
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