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Rare Documented Special Order Winchester Model 1894 Fancy Takedown Sporting Rifle with Casehardened

Currency:USD Category:Firearms & Military Start Price:5,000.00 USD Estimated At:18,000.00 - 27,500.00 USD
Rare Documented Special Order Winchester Model 1894 Fancy Takedown Sporting Rifle with Casehardened
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Estimate: $18000 - 27500
Manufacturer: Winchester Model: 1894
Early production Winchester Model 1894 Takedown Sporting Rifle with rare casehardened receiver. This rifle is accompanied by a letter from the Winchester Arms Museum that states it was shipped from the Winchester warehouse on October 26, 1896. The letter describes the rifle features as 38/55, octagon barrel, plain trigger, checkered stock, pistol grip, Lyman front and rear sights, Blank in rear seat, takedown and casehardened. The rifle has a blue finish on the barrel, magazine, forearm cap, bolt and loading gate. The receiver, hammer, lever and crescent buttplate are color casehardened. The stock and forearm are highly figured fancy grain walnut with "Style H" checkered panels and oiled piano finish. The pistol grip has a black hard rubber cap embossed "WINCHESTER REPEATING ARMS". The barrel has a Lyman folding combination front sight and a factory blank in the rear sight dovetail. A Lyman folding combination rear sight is mounted on the receiver tang. The top of the barrel is roll-stamped "-MANUFACTURED BY THE-/-WINCHESTER REPEATING ARMS CO. NEW HAVEN. CONN. U.S.A.- in two lines ahead of the rear sight dovetail. The caliber designation, "38-55" is stamped on the top of the barrel in front of the receiver. The serial number, "16400" is stamped across the bottom of the receiver ahead of the lever. Winchester Model 1894 rifles with special order casehardened receivers are rare. This rifle is pictured on page 82 of "THE WINCHESTER MODEL 1894" by Robert Rennenberg.
BBL: 26 inch octagon
Stock: walnut checkered
Gauge: 38-55 WCF
Finish: blue/casehardened
Grips:
Serial Number: 16400
Condition:
Fine. The rifle retains 85% of the original blue finish. Most of the blue finish is present on the barrel, magazine, forearm cap, takedown collar and bolt, wear is limited to some very minor finish loss on the barrel edges. The markings are crisp. The blue finish on the loading gate has faded to a plum colored patina. The case colors on the receiver, lever and crescent buttplate have a mottled silver-gray patina. The fancy grain walnut stock and forearm retain most of the oiled finish. Most of the finish wear is confined to the forearm. The stock and forearm have minimal scratches and handling marks. The checkered panels are sharp. This is a fine example of a very desirable early production special order Winchester Model 1894 Fancy Takedown Sporting Rifle with casehardened receiver.