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September 22, 2011
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When did hammers & levers go from being case coloured to blued on the Winchester Model 1895? On the Model1886s, 1892’s, 1894s this was some time during WWI.
April 15, 2005
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mrcvs said
When did hammers & levers go from being case coloured to blued on the Winchester Model 1895? On the Model1886s, 1892’s, 1894s this was some time during WWI.
Actually, it was a few years before WW I. For the Model 1894, the case colored hammers, levers, and crescent butt plates began being phased out in 1914, and they were all but non-existent by the year 1916.
Bert
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
September 22, 2011
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Bert H. said
mrcvs said
When did hammers & levers go from being case coloured to blued on the Winchester Model 1895? On the Model1886s, 1892’s, 1894s this was some time during WWI.
Actually, it was a few years before WW I. For the Model 1894, the case colored hammers, levers, and crescent butt plates began being phased out in 1914, and they were all but non-existent by the year 1916.
Bert
Yes, that seems about right based on my observations and previous posts to this forum I couldn’t locate. What about the Model 1895?
September 19, 2014
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If anyone is thinking an answer to this question is going to be neat and all inclusive, they will be disappointed!! I perused the chapter on receivers in the 1895 book starting on page 94. Answers appear in or under the various pictures. Distilled they look like this. Two rifles in the 20,000 sn range had blued triggers but case hardened lever links. I saw no hardened and colored triggers. I did not see any lever being anything other than blued. Links were case hardened up to the 60,000 to 70,000 sn ranges. Hammers were case hardened up to the 70,000 to 80,000 sn ranges. Now, I did not try to cross reference the serial number ranges to dates, but expect anyone sufficiently curious may do so with the “when was your Winchester made” look up at the beginning of our forum. Now, were any 1895’s factory color case hardened for the receiver? I do not know but have not seen one yet except a couple admittedly done after market just for the fun of it. Tim
September 19, 2014
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Decided to throw in the dates just because. 60,000 was 1907. 70,000 was 1910. 80,000 was 1912. So now you also have a date range for the links and hammers being case hardened and colored. Cheers! Tim
December 9, 2002
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tim tomlinson said
If anyone is thinking an answer to this question is going to be neat and all inclusive, they will be disappointed!! I perused the chapter on receivers in the 1895 book starting on page 94. Answers appear in or under the various pictures. Distilled they look like this. Two rifles in the 20,000 sn range had blued triggers but case hardened lever links. I saw no hardened and colored triggers. I did not see any lever being anything other than blued. Links were case hardened up to the 60,000 to 70,000 sn ranges. Hammers were case hardened up to the 70,000 to 80,000 sn ranges. Now, I did not try to cross reference the serial number ranges to dates, but expect anyone sufficiently curious may do so with the “when was your Winchester made” look up at the beginning of our forum. Now, were any 1895’s factory color case hardened for the receiver? I do not know but have not seen one yet except a couple admittedly done after market just for the fun of it. Tim
tim tomlinson said
Decided to throw in the dates just because. 60,000 was 1907. 70,000 was 1910. 80,000 was 1912. So now you also have a date range for the links and hammers being case hardened and colored. Cheers! Tim
I’m in agreement with Tim’s great reference work, from the great book that Rob and Brad, put out on the M-1895. I understand the question on the post here, as far as hammers and levers go on the 95, as it does seem to make us take notice of the other models also, as Bert mentioned in comparison, and what Tim was saying about the links and levers. With Tim’s astute observance, the links that are color case hardened, stand out as we search to try to see parts that were and or weren’t C.C.H. It’s obvious that the blued only triggers from the factory, stand out against the C.C.H. links, as the extra care to harden these hardened interior links, we’re anticipated as a need, and not just for decoration, as were the hammers. IMO!
It is mentioned, in the book, that in the 2015 records office survey done, only four receivers we’re found to be case color hardened, at Winchester, (pg. 71) , making these extremely rare!
Tony
September 22, 2011
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Even just sticking to levers—any consensus relative to the Model 1895 as to which ones by date and/or serial number should be blued or case coloured,
December 9, 2002
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mrcvs said
Even just sticking to levers—any consensus relative to the Model 1895 as to which ones by date and/or serial number should be blued or case coloured,
Ian,
On page #99, in the Winchester M-1895 book, which is in the, “Levers and Links section”, which starts on page #98, one can see the forging drawing of the two piece jointed finger lever, unlike any other Winchester Model that we’re familiar with, naturally.
There is no mention of any Case Colored Hardened Levers, as they all appear to be a bright nitre blued finish, in this book! Even on the rare serial #814, as a rare C.C.H. receiver is shown on page #71, the lever is blued. Scanning through the book, I haven’t seen one with a C.C.H. lever, as I did see a few that show some honest wear of blued finish that has a very normal, and honest patina look to them.
It is my opinion, as a collector, and I am far from being an expert on this model or any other, if a M-1895 is encountered and has a case colored lever on it, I would have to say it’s an aftermarket finish. IMHO!
Tony
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