Old Winchester 30WCF with Photos! Help!

[KB1LTG]

Gentlemen,

My Great Uncle recently passed and left me several guns, one of which is an partially octogan, partially round barreled Winchester Lever Action marked with 30WCF on top of the barrel. The action is as sound as can be, it actually feels tighter and way smoother than some of the modern leverguns I have cycled. Can anyone tell me about this gun? I presume it is safe to shoot with modern 30WCF ammo? I registered over at the Winchester forum but I have to be approved by a mod before I can ask they guys who collect them. Here are a few photos including the wacky looking serial number.







Any assistance or info on the gun would be much appreciated!

Best Regards

 

[RainDodger]

If you don't have an answer by tonight, I can look up your serial number and tell you when it was made... but there's a Winchester collector site online (can't remember the name) that lists all manufacturing dates by serial number. You should be able to find that site fairly quickly. I'm sure someone will answer you before that though.

Nice rifle! Keep it in the family! The .30 WCF is the same as a .30-30 and ammo is readily available. Once you verify the bore is clean and clear, should be no problem shooting it. Nothing "wacky" about the serial number that I see.

Enjoy!

Edit: I have a Model 94 with a serial number of 1303xxx and it was manufactured in 1942. So that can give you a quick idea of the age of yours...

 

[303tom]

That is a Special Order Winchester Model 1894 Lever Action Rifle, does it say Nickel Steel Barrel Especially for Smokeless Powder right next to the rear sight ? If yes then it will handle today`s factory .30-30 ammo. I am going to say it`s worth is some where between 2500 & 3500 bucks, that is a nice looking one !............Lets know how you come out with her.............

 

[The Bushmaster]

Manufacture date 1898 if it's a Mod 94. If I guess right it is a Mod 92 manufactured in 1896.

 

[Art Eatman]

http://www.winchesterguns.com/suppo...e-Dates-by-Year----2012-Scanned-Documents.pdf

That rifle dates to 1898. A Type 1.

From the photos for that good a condition? Beaucoup $$$. Check some of the gun auction listings for pristine and near-pristine prices. Somewhere north of $1,500 to $2,000.

I had a rusty clunker Type 1 of 1902 manufacture. It shot okay. Yours? Careful handling if you shoot it. I wouldn't carry it around in rough country as a hunting rifle, though.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

That is a Special Order Winchester Model 1894 Lever Action Rifle, does it say Nickel Steel Barrel Especially for Smokeless Powder right next to the rear sight ? If yes then it will handle today`s factory .30-30 ammo.

The .30 WCF (.30-30) was never a blackpowder round and all Model 94 made for .30 WCF are capable of shooting modern .30 WCF ammunition, if in good condition.

If I guess right it is a Mod 92 manufactured in 1896.

The Model 92 receiver is much too short for the .30 WCF and it was never offered in that cartridge.

From the photos for that good a condition? Beaucoup $$$.

Right you are, Art! That is one great rifle!

 

[Don McDowell]

It's a 30-30 in todays cartridge nomenclature. You can buy ammo for it most any place.
The model 94 chambered for the 30wcf was always in nickel steel and designed to accommodate smokeless powder. So todays factory loads are good to go, especially in a rifle in that fine of condition.
It would be worth a hefty sum of cash to the right Winchester collector.

 

[yzguy87]

Very nice!!! I love old guns! And the fact that it is a family heirloom makes it more valuable than any price a non family member could put on it IMO anyway!

 

[The Bushmaster]

Yup...I stand corrected. I looked it up and you are right Vern.

 

[witchhunter]

Nice piece, that was the bees knees in 1898!!!! it still is today for some of us.

 

[Jim Watson]

That is a NICE rifle.
Winchesters don't hold the bluing on their receiver very well; gray or brown receivers with plenty of blue on barrel, magazine, and lever are common. Yours is in unusually good condition. I don't doubt 303tom's estimate, if not reblued, and I can't tell.

Winchester serialization charts are all over the place. Even the "official" list admits to "estimates." Getting it right is especially important for this rifle because the usual charts show it in 1898 as a BATF Antique But there is a listing on the Gunbroker board that has rifles in the 116000 range in the warehouse in 1901.
There is a thread there on Madis vs the BATF.

Bert H. on the Gunbroker board works in the Cody museum and has the polishing room records which are more complete than warehouse and shipping records. You might check with him. Or pay for a letter from the museum and get it in print. This rifle is worth it.

http://forums.gunbroker.com/forum.asp?FORUM_ID=2
http://forums.gunbroker.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=245213

 

[Vern Humphrey]

Winchesters don't hold the bluing on their receiver very well; gray or brown receivers with plenty of blue on barrel, magazine, and lever are common. Yours is in unusually good condition. I don't doubt 303tom's estimate, if not reblued, and I can't tell.

It's Model 94 Winchesters made in '63 and later that don't take re-bluing. The Model 94 was the test bed for the engineering and materials changes that Winchester later applied to (and virtually ruined) the Model 70. As a result, Model 94s made in '63 and later have a receiver that cannot be reblued using standard methods.

This is an early Model 94 and is made to the highest standards and of the finest materials of the era. It can certainly be reblued -- but that would impact on its value, so I wouldn't even try it.

 

[Jim Watson]

Yes, I know, Vern, but we are not talking about the cheapened 1964 guns or REbluing them.

The old nickel steel Winchesters were rather known for "flaking" of the receiver bluing. As I said, it is common to see them with a lot of finish loss on the receiver and not much gone from the barrel and magazine. The Blue Book has a particular caution on percentage grading of flaking blue guns. And there used to be a lot of them described as such back when we got our advertisements in print rather than onscreen.

The OP's is NOT flaking and is therefore a very nice example.
I hope he pays attention to some of the money numbers and doesn't put a lot of plinking wear on what is a rather unusual rifle.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

Much of the problem with bluing on the Model 94 centers around one of its main virtues -- it's so easy to carry. Your hand just naturally curls around the receiver and the rifle balances and carries so easily. After a few years of this, the bluing begins to wear away and leave a gray finish.

 

[AKElroy]

Much of the problem with bluing on the Model 94 centers around one of its main virtues -- it's so easy to carry. Your hand just naturally curls around the receiver and the rifle balances and carries so easily. After a few years of this, the bluing begins to wear away and leave a gray finish.

A look I love to see. Mine are all newer, an ugly AE that I picked for $100 with a broken firing pin, a 1974 top eject, a 1980 trapper, and the required 336. I am looking forward to them seeing the wear of use you describe, may take passing it to my son before it really starts; I'm kind of a freak for keeping them protected.