WRACO overstamp 1894 "Price Pirates" short rifle|Winchester Rifles|Forum|Winchester Collector

Wow, would have thought this would get a lot more comments.

I have my theory on these, but I’m sure others have more info that could chime in.

In my limited research I have found:

Model 1893’s with stamp

Model 1897’s with stamp

Model 1892’s with stamp

Model 1894’s with stamp

I believe these are all ghost guns that took a walk from Winchester by employees, or were part of bankruptcy asset auctions from 1931.

There are too few for it to be much more than a few guns between 1897 & 1905.

These should have just been parts guns left in storage of the refinishing room.

The key is the 1893 shotguns that Winchester would exchange for 1897 shotguns.

When “price pirate” or other guns arrived, they probably went by the original memo/order to mark them the way they did with the 1893’s.

Simple enough for a company to just ship a new standard gun from inventory than to refinish a rifle, especially if damaged.

This may have become overwhelming as more discount houses’ rifles start showing up for repair.

I have seen several ads from Winchester starting in 1905 saying they will no longer service such altered firearms from unscrupulous dealers.

Also noted, much later, Winchester used patent law licensing to reclaim inventories of dealers that didn’t comply with retail price schedules.

Winchester also stopped selling guns to Sears and Roebuck in 1904. A law suit over rebates was also filed by Sears and settled 1910/1913.

I also believe there are a few more out there, not many, but fear and even ignorant owners & law enforcement may keep them hidden or destroyed.

Most people don’t know about the Federal Firearms act of 1938 since it was repealed by GCA of 1968.

Until that law, excluding the NFA of 1934, no federal law required serial numbers or had penalty for removal or alteration.

In this situation, the altered serial number was done by the factory, also at a time when no federal law prohibited such.

Bert, thank you for the reply and comments.

Has ATF ever commented or had issues with these?

I know some are antique era guns as well.

Unfortunately this mystery is trying to find a 115 year old post-it note, in a haystack, that was burned, in a place that no longer exists.

Maybe some records will be found someday, even the Cody museum said other library collections may surface information.

The Connecticut forum members need to hit estate sales in New Haven to find old employee notebooks.

Interesting that I was backwards or just wrong in regards to the 1893’s.

Hard to generate a good pathology based on google searches alone.

An interesting note on my 1894, the knurling mark on mine has forward slashes only, like /////////, on other pics I’ve seen it is a square mesh pattern.

My theory on the knurling before the overstamp was applied, to give the letter punches bite on the hard metal.

Back when I was gunsmithing we would use masking tape & a guide to punch in caliber markings on new barrels.

Masking tape wasn’t available until 1925.

As for my barrel having the 1905 (WP) proof mark, this is where I’m thinking these were parts guns, lunch box specials, etc.

They made there way out of Winchester, probably a few pieces at a time. Good long winter coat the get the barrel out.

Ok, since I didn’t do the whole “how much is it worth” thing, I’m thinking maybe we should call them “Sneak” Winchesters,

And since these are some of the rarest Winchester guns, they should be 2 times or 3 times the value of a regular old gun from the same period.

After all, with them being so rare, how can anyone not have one in there collection, if not all 4 types? 

Thanks again for the info, I hope others can chime in as time goes on.