Original Item: Only One Available. "John Wayne's favorite gun!" This fine rifle is chambered in the popular .38-40 caliber (Marked 38 W.C.F above the chamber) with a desirable 24 inch octagonal barrel and full-length magazine tube. Features the classic nickel blade front sight and iconic "buckhorn" adjustable rear sight. Serial number 8235 denotes year of manufacture as 1893, the second year of production. However, the first serial number was applied to a Model 1892 receiver in April of 1892, so this example is still made during the first 12 months of production.

Together with this gun we received a printout of a Cody Firearms Records Office online serial number search request. The museum has in its collection all of the old Winchester records, so they were able to consult the original factory and warehouse logs regarding the rifle. It indicates that the rifle had the serial number applied on January 23, 1893, and that it was ordered in 38 caliber with an Octagon barrel and Plain trigger. It further indicates that the order for the rifle was received in the warehouse February 06, 1893, and shipped out on August 01, 1893 as part of order 21542. There is no indication of where it was shipped. We see no evidence that it has had any changes from the factory configuration.

The address marking on top of the barrel is still fully legible:

The receiver tang still has the correct Winchester markings fully intact and easily legible:

MODEL 1892.
- WINCHESTER -
PAT. OCT. 14.1884.

Original walnut stocks are in very good solid condition with the classic dark red brown color of aged oiled walnut. They have no major structural issues, just scratching and denting consistent with use, and a small chunk missing near the rear receiver. There are also a few small chips missing on the fore stock. Features a crescent butt plate without a storage compartment.

The metal work is a nice aged gray and plum patina, with some light peppering in places on the receiver, and no signs of having been refinished. The barrel has a lovely plum patina, and really looks great. The action is in fully functional condition and cycles well, with no sticking. The bore on this rifle is in very good condition, showing a partly bright finish with clear lands and grooves. There definitely is some past wear and fouling, now cleaned away, and we would rate this probably a 7 out of ten, which is definitely better than many we see, especially in popular calibers such as .38-40.

Overall this is a very nice example of an iconic gun, fully cleaned and ready to display!

Specifications-

Year of Manufacture: 1893
Caliber: .38.40 Winchester
Cartridge Type: Centerfire Cartridge
Barrel Length: 24 Inches
Overall Length: 41 3/4 Inches
Action type: Lever Action Repeater
Feed System: round tube magazine

The Winchester Model 1892 was a lever-action repeating rifle designed by John Browning as a smaller, lighter version of his large-frame Model 1886, and which replaced the Model 1873 as the company's lever-action for pistol-caliber rounds such as the .44-40.

When asked by Winchester to design an improved pistol caliber lever action, John Browning said he would have the prototype completed in under a month or it would be free. Within 2 weeks, Browning had a functioning prototype of the 92. Calibers for the rifle vary and some are custom-chambered. The original rounds were the .32-20, .38-40, and .44-40 Winchester centerfire rounds, followed in 1895 by the new .25-20. A few Model 92's chambered for .218 Bee were produced in 1936-38.

The Winchester Models 53 (1924) and 65 (1933) were relabeled Model 1892's. Admiral Robert E. Peary carried an 1892 on his trips to the North Pole. and Secretary of War Patrick Hurley was presented with the one millionth rifle on December 13, 1932.

1,007,608 Model 1892 rifles were made by Winchester, and although the company phased them out by 1945, they are still being made under the Puma label by the Brazilian arms maker, Rossi, by Chiappa Firearms, an Italian factory, and by Browning in Japan. In its modern form, using updated materials and production techniques, the Model 1892's action is strong enough to chamber high pressure handgun rounds, such as .357 Magnum, .44 Magnum, and .454 Casull. Despite being designed for smaller cartridges, the 1892's dual forward locking-block action is actually stronger than Browning's rear-locked Model 1894.

The '92 goes to Hollywood
Although the Model 1892 made its debut after the closing of the American frontier, and the true "Guns that Won the West" were the earlier Models 1866 and 1873, nonetheless the '92 became an indelible icon of Western mythology through its use in hundreds of motion pictures and television shows, standing in for its older siblings. John Wayne famously carried Model 92s in dozens of films and owned several personally, some with the distinctive oversized "loop" lever. Other notable screen 92s were those of Chuck Connors in The Rifleman TV series, and Steve McQueen's "Mare's Leg" in Wanted: Dead or Alive.

Hollywood studios purchased the '92 in quantity because it was in regular production (until World War II) but looked sufficiently like Old West Winchesters to substitute for valuable antiques, and because in calibers .44-40 and .38-40 it could fire, together with the Colt Single Action Army "Peacemaker" revolver, the standard Five-in-One blank cartridge. This latter practice mirrored the real cowboys, who found it convenient to carry a rifle and a revolver chambered with the same ammunition.

NOTE: This gun is NOT considered obsolete calibre, so we are not able to ship to the United Kingdom. Please note that for international shipping, these MUST be shipped using UPS WW Services. International customers should always consult their country's antique gun laws prior to ordering.

Note: This gun is NOT considered obsolete calibre, so we are not able to ship to the United Kingdom.

IMA considers all of our antique guns as non-firing, inoperable and/or inert. Title 18, U.S. Code, Section 921(a)(16) defines antique firearms as all guns made prior to 1899. This law exempts antique firearms from any form of gun control or special engineering because they are not legally considered firearms. No FFL, C&R or any license is required to possess, transport, sell or trade Antique guns. All rifles and muskets sold by IMA that were manufactured prior to 1899 are considered Antiques by the US BATF (United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms). Therefore, all of IMA's Antique guns may be shipped to all US States and most nations around the world.

These antique guns are not sold in "live" condition, and are not tested for the the ability to feed or load any type of cartridge. They are sold as collector's items or as "wall hangers" not for use, and we make no guarantees regarding functionality aside from what is stated in the description. Any attempt at restoring an antique gun to be operational is strongly discouraged and is done so at the risk of the customer. By purchasing an antique gun from IMA you thereby release IMA, its employees and corporate officers from any and all liability associated with use of our Antique guns.

Pre-1899 Manufacture, no licenses required, allowed to ship to almost any deliverable address across the globe. Please note that for international shipping, these MUST be shipped using UPS WW Services. International customers should always consult their country's antique gun laws prior to ordering.