Model 1892???

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SawtoothGrin

Inactive
Hello all! Brand new member today. Already have been reading posts for the last 3 hours. I love my firearm addiction!

I was given, by my father, a Winchester Model 1892. According to Winchester it was manufactured in 1896. It is in immaculate condition! No rust, not a single ding in the stock, foregrip or any of the metal parts (completely original and well oiled). Has octagonal barrel and chambered in 44 WCF. I definitely am not looking at selling it, but am curious as to what they go for. Any and all information on value or history is appreciated.
 
$300 or so, but I'd probably give you $350 if you decided to sell it ;) Actually looking at Gunbroker or some of the other auction sites will give you the best idea of current market values.
 
I would say well over $1,000 if it is genuine but I would be very careful. the condition you describe does not fit what you would expect from a 116 year old gun, even with the best of care I could not imagine anything going that long without at least superficial rust, blueing wearing off, stock scratches, and other cosmetic blemishes. it sounds to me as if it has either been refurbished or it is a convincing fake. either way I doubt you could get more than $500 out of it. my brother in law had a 1895 winchester from 1904 that had all of the wear you would expect from a gun that old but still very good condition, it was appraised this year at $900 and he ended up selling for $700 just because of the times. if it is indeed as perfect as you say it would probably be worth thousands, but finding a collector that is not quite as suspicious as I and finding someone willing to pay it's full worth are going to be major hurdles if you should ever try to sell it.
 
I will buy them all day at $1000. A Model 1892 rifle in .44-40 in near 100% condition will easily bring $4000, maybe $5000 to the right person.

Tahunua is right, though. Folks do tend to overestimate condition, which is why pictures are so important in doing an evaluation, even an informal one. Still, there are old rifles that have been perfectly preserved and they do turn up from time to time, so I never assume that "it is too good to be true."

Jim
 
Yep, original Winchester Model 1892 big bore's in primo condition bring big bucks - $4K minimum sounds about right.



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Well part of the reason it would be as valuable or even more valuable than the above estimates, is because of how rare such a gun is in stated condition. Occasionally a gun in such condition is refinished, and possibly very well, to where it fools some people. No refinished 1892 is worth the above estimates.

Another question here is what type of features does the gun have? Special order features such as non-standard barrel lengths, rear sights, half magazine, half round/half octagon barrel, all effect the value. Some 1892s were "trapper" models meaning 18 in barrel or shorter, which are more sought after and more valuable but may be subject to NFA rules. Occasionally an 1892 and the like will have a cut down barrel which severely decreases the value. Antique (before 1899 production) 1892s are also generally worth more. Occasionally such a gun will be re-chambered to 44wcf because it was a popular caliber at the time. Model 1892s were also in 32wcf, 38wcf and 25-20. A 38-40 could use AFAIK all of the same parts except barrel. Original chambering would need verified before any serious value estimate can be given.

In short, much more info is needed. Considering the info given, a value estimate is premature and ambiguous.
 
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AFAIK changing a .38-40 to .44-40 would involve only a barrel change. Changing a .32-20 or .25-20 to one of the larger calilbers might be possible but it wouldn't be feasible.

Jim
 
Some 1892s were "trapper" models meaning 18 in barrel or shorter, which are more sought after and more valuable but may be subject to NFA rules.
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It is my understanding that early short barrel "trapper" models that qualify as C&R are specifically exempted from NFA regulation.
 
Thanks for the replies. After close inspection it does appear to have possibly been re-blued and re-varnished. If it is refurbished all the more reason to keep it. The tube magazine is protruding past the barrel about a 1/4 inch. Seems to be escaping from where it should be attached near the receiver. this doesn't look right, but my smithing skills are only for my invaluable weapons. So, I don't dare mess with it. Would any of you like to see pics anyways?
 
FWIW, most refinished guns usually carry a 50% or more devaluation, depending upon what the refinish did to the original stock lines & metal stampings/lettering, from another in completely original condition.


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what Petah said but there are some things you can do that does little to hurt the value of a gun, for instance an old military rifle with an oiled stock that's heavily scratched and dinged. you can take super fine sand paper to it to t get rid of the top layer of oil and dirt/crud, superficial scratches, and make the more serious ones less visible and then using the same type of oil originally used such as linseed oil and it will do very little to nothing to hurt value while on the other hand completely sanding down to get rid on all scratches and gauges, restaining the wood and then giving it a clear coat finish will severely injure the value.
 
The magazine tube on a 92 rifle is not attached to the receiver, it just sits in a hole. It is kept from moving forward by a crosspin through the magazine ring and a lip on the magazine plug fitting into a slot in the bottom of the barrel at the muzzle.

Note that if removing the magazine tube on those guns, you first remove the magazine plug (careful the spring doesn't kink), then drive out the cross pin in the magazine ring. The tube can then be pulled forward. To remove the magazine ring, use a rod the size of the magazine tube to turn it; it is curved and trying to drive it out like a dovetail will damage it and the barrel.

Jim
 
Occasionally an 1892 and the like will have a cut down barrel which severely decreases the value. Antique (before 1899 production) 1892s are also generally worth more. Occasionally such a gun will be re-chambered to 44wcf because it was a popular caliber at the time. Model 1892s were also in 32wcf, 38wcf and 25-20. A 38-40 could use AFAIK all of the same parts except barrel. Original chambering would need verified before any serious value estimate can be given.

In short, much more info is needed. Considering the info given, a value estimate is premature and ambiguous.
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Winchester 73, the TFL user that won the west
Last edited by Winchester_73; Yesterday at 09:30 PM.
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Another rechambering that is possible is changing the .44WCF to a .44Rem. Mag
And, your rifle started out as a black powder cartridge and back then corrosive primers were used so how does your bore look?
 
Some dimensional differences aside, I would stongly recommend against firing the .44 Magnum in an original Winchester 92 or 73. Those guns were just not made for that kind of pressure.

Jim
 
There has been a great deal of improvement in steels, whether they be ordinary soft steels or various forms of nickel steel. No attempt with be made here to describe steels, as the subject would require and entire book. Thirty years ago, very little was known about heat treatment..

If you had a Winchester Model 1892 manufactured in 1905 and an identical model manufactured in 1935, assuming the original gun to be in perfect condition inside and out, you might place them side by side and notice absolutely no difference at first glance. Careful study, however, will reveal that the later gun is manufactured better, with a minimum of tolerance, slap, looseness or whatever you may choose to call it. That, however, is the minor part of the of the whole thing. There will be little laboratory resemblance between the material of which the two gun are manufactured. Changes and improvements are being made constantly, and where changes in the quality of steel or the strengthening of certain parts through heat treatment are made, the factory rarely, if ever, makes any announcement. If these same Model 92 rifles were fired with a Magnum .38/40 load, it is quite possible that the earlier gun might go to pieces, while the later one would be perfectly safe. These facts must always be considered in handloading.


Complete Guide to Handloading by Philip B Sharpe. First Edition 1937, Chapter XXX, Magnum Handgun and Rifle Possibilities. Mr Sharpe was born in 1903, died 1961.
 
Sir,
You should not include the '73 & the '92 in the same sentence.
The only action weaker than the 1873 Winchester would be the Smith IMO,
And that would be the rubber cased Smith.
I am of the opinion that the 1892 action is stronger than the 1894 and have shot a 1892 that was reamed out to .44Rem Mag.
I would include that one should stick non-jacket bullets.
 
Yep, I'm with Jim: YOU can (but I won't).

Especially an original/early Winchester Model 1892, besides the later Winchester Model 92 with somewhat better steel(s).

FWIW, in the 1960's & 70's, a popular mail-order option was a .44 Mag barrel "kit", to upgrade .38-40 or .44-40 Model 1892/92 Winchesters to .44 Mag (about $29.95, IIRC).
AFAIK, most of those rifles so converted soon failed in one way or another, simply because the strength required to contain .44 Mag pressures required more than just a barrel of modern steel - the inferior action, bolt & locking lug strengths will soon come into play.

No, they didn't usually fail on the 1st shot, and maybe not on the 100th - but fail they did, sooner or later.

I elect to not be behind the trigger of something destined for failure - YMMV.


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I entered this thread to bring into it the possibility of a 1892 Win being converted either with a reamed chamber and now I learn, a replacement barrel in .44Rem Mag.
That it isn't safe is good advice to all. But that certainly doesn't remove the possibility that a '92 hasn't been so changed.
The one I know about was reamed out back in the '70s and it wasn't done by the owner. He took it to a LGS that had been doing this.
I do know who now inherited this old rifle and I do not know the serial range but the family was informed as to the value of this rifle and it was in fine condition and a saddle ring also. I will certainly try and forward this information to them.
I did a google and found a little on this here.
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/archive/index.php/t-43210.html
The old neighbor that owned the 92 also had a Ruger carbine in 44mag and that's probably a big reason he had the 92 converted, anyway he had Remington ammunition that was loaded back then for rifle only and so stated on the packaging.
 
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