Oval "P" Stamped barrel Winchester 1894

austinsguns

October 17, 2012 13:58

Hi, Does a mail order barrel with the oval "P" effect the value of a rifle?
Also, Can someone please give me a little insight on the oval "P" barrels.

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  Bert H.

  October 17, 2012 20:15

  Yes, the "(P)" marked barrels do (negatively) affects the value.
  
  Winchester first started marking their mail order replacement barrels with the "(P)" proof marking circa 1914. The "WP" proof mark was first used on the Model 1894 in May of 1905.

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  Ned Fall

  October 17, 2012 21:11

  European countries have laws requiring gun barrels to be tested (proofed) to insure that the barrel will not blow up when fired using normally loaded ammunition. Barrels are tested in a government testing facility (proof house) and when they past the test are stamped with a government proof mark. The United States has no such law but each maker tests the guns they make and mark them with a proof mark of their own choice. Te letter "P" in an oval is the Winchester proof mark. I have no idea when they started using it.

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