Early Winchester Model 1895 Flatside 25" Octagonal .38-72 WCF Lever Action Rifle, 1896 Antique

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  Lot #1253  (Sale Order: 253 of 353) 
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Description Terms of Sale
Item Description: Translate description

Make: Winchester

Model: 1895

Serial Number: 1831

Year of Manufacture: 1896

Caliber: .38-72 Win. (38-72 W.C.F.)

Action Type: Lever Action with Internal Box Magazine

Markings: The top of the barrel at the receiver is marked “38-72 W.C.F.”. The top of the barrel in front of the rear sight dovetail is marked “-MANUFACTURED BY THE- / -WINCHESTER REPEATING ARMS CO. NEW HAVEN, CONN. U.S.A.-”. The top tang is marked -“WINCHESTER / MODEL 1895.”-. The bottom tang is marked “1831”. The bottom of the trigger plate is marked “PAT. NOV. 5. 1895 / NOV. 12. 1895”.

Barrel Length: The octagonal barrel has been cut to 25".

Sights / Optics: The front sight is a steel base dovetailed to the front of the barrel, the dovetail and blade are not original to the gun. There is a dovetail for a rear sight, currently filled with a blank. The left of the receiver is drilled and tapped with a Lyman 21 receiver sight installed; we do not know if the Lyman sight was installed at the factory.

Stock Configuration & Condition: The stocks are two piece smooth walnut with a straight grip, straight comb, steel crescent buttplate and a Schnabel tipped forend with a black triangle inlet into the wood at the nose. The stocks have scattered nicks, dings, scuffs and scratches. There are cracks in the wrist with a repair through the wrist. There are notable dings on the right of the forend. The LOP measures 12 1/2” from the front of the trigger to the back of the buttplate. The plate has mostly worn to white with scattered surface erosion. The stocks rate in Good-plus overall condition as repaired Antique.

Type of Finish: Blue, Case Hardened Hammer & Trigger Plate

Finish Originality: Original

Bore Condition: The bore is dark. The rifling is worn, but visible. There is erosion and pitting scattered through the bore. In this writer's opinion, the bore rates about 4 out of 10.

Overall Condition: This rifle retains about 20% of its metal finish. There is scattered remaining finish, mostly in protected areas or around raised features, with a little on exposed flats. There are scattered nicks, scuffs, and scratches. There is some scattered light surface oxidation and erosion. The action shows operational wear. The screw heads range from sharp to tool marked with usable slots. The markings are generally clear, the trigger plate patent markings are obscured by erosion. Overall, this rifle rates in Very Good condition as Antique.

Mechanics: The action functions correctly. We have not fired this rifle. As with all used firearms, a thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance standards.

Box, Paperwork & Accessories: None.

Our Assessment: The 1895 Winchester was the first model to incorporate a non-detachable box magazine. This is the model Teddy Roosevelt called his “Big Medicine” that he used in hunting here and in Africa. The rifle became the preference of major powers worldwide, with Russia alone purchasing nearly 300,000 1895’s just before World War I. The Model 1895 was designed for the new generation of cartridges utilizing smokeless powder and spitzer (pointed) bullets, and many of its original chamberings remain popular today. With its quick handling characteristics, box magazine and pointed bullet capability, the Model 1895 changed the world of sporting rifles forever.

This is a particularly early 1895 chambered for .38-72. While a potent cartridge, able to fire a 275 grain projectile at nearly 1,500 fps, it was developed as a black powder cartridge at the outset of the smokeless era. The cartridge was swiftly replaced by faster and more powerful smokeless cartridges. The rifle is in Very Good condition and appears to have been someone’s favorite. The barrel has been shortened with a repair to the stock, showing honest wear consistent with its age of nearly 130 years. An early “flatside” model, the receiver and magazine have a different profile than the later production rifles. This along with its octagonal barrel makes it a nice find for the collectors. Who knows? Maybe the handloaders may get it back out on the range or in the field for another century. Please see our photos and good luck!


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This item is part of Lock Stock Barrel Premier Auction May 2025 Day 2
 Sunday, Jun 1, 2025 | 9:00 AM  Mountain
 
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Early Winchester Model 1895 Flatside 25" Octagonal .38-72 WCF Lever Action Rifle, 1896 Antique
Early Winchester Model 1895 Flatside 25" Octagonal .38-72 WCF Lever Action Rifle, 1896 Antique
Lot number: 1253
Seller: Lock Stock & Barrel Auctions
Event: Lock Stock Barrel Premier Auction May 2025 Day 2
Ends: Sunday, June 1 | 9:00 AM  Mountain

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