Original U.S. Winchester Model 1892 .32-20 WCF Repeating Rifle with 24" Octagonal Barrel Made in 1893 - Serial 33431

Original Item: Only One Available. "John Wayne's favorite gun!" This fine "frontier used" rifle is in .32-20 caliber (Marked 32 W.C.F. above the chamber) with a desirable 24 inch octagonal barrel and full-length magazine tube. Features the classic front sight and iconic "buckhorn" adjustable rear sight. Serial number 33431 denotes year of manufacture as 1893, the SECOND YEAR OF PRODUCTION. The address marking on top of the barrel is still fully legible:-

— MANUFACTURED BY THE —
— WINCHESTER REPEATING ARMS CO. NEW HAVEN. CONN. U.S.A. —

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 deep red brown color of aged oiled walnut, and have a lovely polished glow. They have no major structural issues, however there is definitely wear from service, including dents, gouges, and some small chunks missing. The fore stock has some chipping where it meets the receiver, and the butt stock does show some stress cracks on the right side. Features a crescent butt plate without a storage compartment.

The metal work is a nice aged patina, with the finish overall now showing a dark plum color. There is some evidence of past peppering, now cleaned away, but no major pitting or major oxidation. We can see that some of the screws are a bit chewed up from servicing in the past, while others have been replaced. The magazine tube also looks to have been replaced with a factory original. The action is in fully functional condition and cycles well, with no sticking or excessive slop. The bore is in very good condition, showing a mostly bright finish with clear lands and grooves. There is evidence of past oxidation and fouling, now cleaned away, but overall it is quite nice, probably rating about a 6-7 out of 10. We did notice that there is a bit of a counterbore at the muzzle, probably from removing damage.

Overall this is a very nice "frontier used" example of an iconic gun with a lovely bore, ready to display!

Specifications-

Year of Manufacture: 1893
Caliber: .32-20 Winchester
Cartridge Type: Centerfire Cartridge
Barrel Length: 24 Inches
Overall Length: 41 5/8 Inches
Action type: Lever Action Repeater
Feed System: 15-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.