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Antique Winchester #s

capgun
Bert has given information that radically changes what makes an 1894 an antique (by about 100000 guns). These guns are bought, sold, and mailed across the country, and obviously 2/3 of what are normally considered antiques are being transferred in violation of Federal Law. Are 1892 numbers also that far off? Sounds like we need to get an accurate listing of what Winchesters were really made before 1899. All of the major companies and dealers I buy from use the generally accepted information in the Winchester Book, Winchester Dates of Manufacture book or Proofhouse.
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  • Herschel
    I am not a lawyer so my legal advice is worthless but for a person to be prosecuted for not conforming to the Gun Control Act of 1968 I believe the govt would have to prove in court that the gun was made post 1898. I personally would trust Bert's date of production figures.
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  • Bert H.
    Hello capgun,

    Yes, the Model 1892 numbers are off by a large number as well. If you have not yet read the Sticky topic posted by David Kennedy (the former Curator of the Cody Firearms Musuem), I recommend doing so - http://forums.gunbroker.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=317678

    I recently co-authored a Winchester valuation guide book, and in it (Chapter 6) there is a brand new Wincehster serialization listing for most of the pre-64 models. The data contained in Chapter 6 was primarily derived from the Polishing Room Serialization Records (held at the Cody Firearms Musuem). I will post an abbreviated copy of the true Winchester "Antique" serial number cut-offs in my next reply to this topic.
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  • Bert H.
    As promised, the below list contains the true "Antique" serial number cut-offs for each Winchester model that spanned the pre/post 1898 timeframe. The serial numbers cut-offs were derived directly from the Polishing Room Serialization Records Books.

    Henry Rifle ... all
    M-1866 ... all
    M-1873 ... 525750
    M-1876 ... all
    M-1883 Hotckiss ... 84551
    M-1885 Single Shot ... 82492
    M-1886 ... 118646
    M-1887 Lever Action Shotgun ... all
    M-1890 ... 64748
    M-1892 ... 103328
    M-1893 Shotgun ... all
    M-1894 ... 53941
    M-1895 ... 19567
    Lee Navy Straight Pull ... 13679
    M-1897 ... 63867

    Note that for each model that has a serial number is listed, it is different than what Madis published.
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