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Winchester 92 14" Barrel.

breechman
Hello again, I just bought a Winchester 44-40 caliber 1892 rifle with a 14" barrel, Trapper model? serial #409700. Could someone tell me where to find the manufacture date as well as can I fire modern 44-40 rounds? It is mechanically sound with all the screws OK (no stripped down), came with the original patina and just a little cracked forend. Value of this gun? Thank you. Juan Pablo.

Breech
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Comments

11 comments

Date Votes
  • Snellstrom
    Date of Manufacture should be 1907. I don't know enough about the value to say anything, but it sounds valuable. I've never heard of a barrel that short but one of the experts will be along shortly to tell you value and their opinion of firing this old gun, if it were mine I would shoot it.
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  • BOBBYWINS
    Sounds interesting,but isn't the legal minimum bbl. length
    on a rifle 16"?

    BW

    IT'S WHAT PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT THEMSELVES THAT MAKES THEM AFRAID.
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  • richbug
    BW- He is in Chile...

    My border collie is smarter than your honor student.
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  • 1KYDSTR
    The only thing I can reccommend is that you try writing the Cody Firearms museum, and find out if the barrel was ORIGINALLY "14. There were many options on these guns and the shorty barrels were one of the major value adding (to modern collectors)elements that you can get in a model '92. Unless I am erroniously recalling this little tidbit, I believe that the Chilean (I believe several South American countries issued them as well) military once issued model '92's as service weapons. It would be really neat to have one of those. If it is in good condition, and the "14 barrel can be proved to be factory original by a letter from Cody, it will be worth very serious money.

    "When I cease learning...I'm dead"(Me)
    "When I was 14 I used to marvel at how ignorant my old man was...by the time I was 21 I was truelly amazed at how much the old bugger had learned in the intervening 7 years!" Samuel Clemens
    "History is written by winners"(Patton)
    "You get a lot farther with a kind word and a gun than you do with a kind word alone!"(Al Capone)
    "There is nothing lower than the human race...except the French" (Samuel Clemens)
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  • captkirk3@dslextreme.com
    Buenos Dias Senor; The last Model 1892, Trapper Model in .44-40 Caliber I saw,.... Sold for $2500.00....and this was in Seattle, Washington about 5 years ago.......

    Captain Kirk, Tech Staff
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  • BOBBYWINS
    OOOPS!!

    Didn't notice that,richbug.[:I]

    Sorry,
    BW

    IT'S WHAT PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT THEMSELVES THAT MAKES THEM AFRAID.
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  • bobinwis
    For a long time, BATF had the 13, 14, 15 inch Winchesters listed as NFA firearms and regular mortals could not own them. In BATF publication Firearms Curios or Relics ATF P 5300.11 (3-2001), quite a few short barrels are listed by serial number in Section III as now being CURIOS & RELICS. I didn't see this serial number present, but #409959 is listed. If you don't live in the U.S. it is probably a moot point but if ever considering bringing it into the U.S. you should get a ruling from them on its classification. I would guess your chances would be pretty good. Odds are pretty good that this may be an original short barrel.

    1907 is the year of mfr. per the Blue Book. As far as shooting modern loads, the barrel should have 'Proof Steel' stamped on it. They started doing this after smokeless was developed and they upgraded their steels. It it's not there, I would be very leery of shooting it.

    Regards, Bob
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  • breechman
    Thank you for all you that helped. According to my files, just Handguns, American Rifleman and Handguners magazines, the 14" 44 WCF rifle was the shortest made ,yet very scarce. According to what was posted it's worth to keep as an investment. During the "Guerra del Pacifico", Chile against Bolivia and Peru (they lost...) Chile used some 1873 winchesters along with Remington Rolling Blocks and some european weapons. Thank you.

    Breech
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  • Bert H.
    quote:Originally posted by bobinwis
    As far as shooting modern loads, the barrel should have 'Proof Steel' stamped on it. They started doing this after smokeless was developed and they upgraded their steels. It it's not there, I would be very leery of shooting it.

    Regards, Bob


    That is not a true statement. "Proof Steel" barrels were not introduced until the mid-to-late 1930s. The original smokeless powder barrels manufactured by Winchester (starting in August of 1895) were marked "NICKEL STEEL BARREL" "ESPECIALLY FOR SMOKELESS POWDER"

    If any original Model 1892 is in sound mechanical condition (regardless of the specific manufacture date) it is safe to shoot any modern ammo that properly fits the chamber... The Model 1892 is a very strong action[^]. What should be avoided, is shooting jacketed bullets unless the barrel is marked "NICKEL STEEL" or "PROOF STEEL".

    Bert H.

    Real Men use a SINGLE-SHOT!
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  • Bert H.
    quote:Originally posted by breechman
    Thank you for all you that helped. According to my files, just Handguns, American Rifleman and Handguners magazines, the 14" 44 WCF rifle was the shortest made ,yet very scarce. According to what was posted it's worth to keep as an investment. During the "Guerra del Pacifico", Chile against Bolivia and Peru (they lost...) Chile used some 1873 winchesters along with Remington Rolling Blocks and some european weapons. Thank you.

    Breech


    Hello Breech...

    The 14-inch Trapper Carbine is indeed quite rare, but it was not the shortest factory produced barrel length for a Model 1892. The rarest length manufactured was 12-inches.

    Bert H.

    Real Men use a SINGLE-SHOT!
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  • breechman
    Thank you all, I can't wait to shot this legendary gun!!!

    Breech
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