Model 1892 Winchester "Puzzle"
I recently requested a serial # check on a 92, .44-40
cal., from the Cody Firearms Museum.
The report came back showing that the 92 in question
was an .44-40 cal. octagon barrel, rifle.
Here's where the puzzle starts.
The serial # is on a carbine.
I e-mailed Waddy at Cody and asked him to recheck.
He did. It shows a rifle.
I have examined this weapon very carefully, comparing
it to other carbines. I paid special attention to the
saddle ring staple. The staple is mounted in the exact position on the receiver. I went as far as to remove the
staple to check the holes.
The staple holes are the correct diameter and are
counter sunk correctly. I honestly believe it is an
original carbine.
The thing that has me wondering is this:
The serial # is 432XX, which according to my list,
puts it early to mid 1894. The info from Cody states
it was ordered 5-7-1895. My list shows that 1895
started with serial # 73509. Cody states that it was
shipped 2-27-1896. 1896 serial numbers starts at
106,722. This is about two years and 63,500 serial # difference.
Why would a standard carbine sit around so long?
Is it possible that there was a mis-entry in the records?
What am I missing here?
Anybody have any ideas about this puzzle?
Taperloc.
cal., from the Cody Firearms Museum.
The report came back showing that the 92 in question
was an .44-40 cal. octagon barrel, rifle.
Here's where the puzzle starts.
The serial # is on a carbine.
I e-mailed Waddy at Cody and asked him to recheck.
He did. It shows a rifle.
I have examined this weapon very carefully, comparing
it to other carbines. I paid special attention to the
saddle ring staple. The staple is mounted in the exact position on the receiver. I went as far as to remove the
staple to check the holes.
The staple holes are the correct diameter and are
counter sunk correctly. I honestly believe it is an
original carbine.
The thing that has me wondering is this:
The serial # is 432XX, which according to my list,
puts it early to mid 1894. The info from Cody states
it was ordered 5-7-1895. My list shows that 1895
started with serial # 73509. Cody states that it was
shipped 2-27-1896. 1896 serial numbers starts at
106,722. This is about two years and 63,500 serial # difference.
Why would a standard carbine sit around so long?
Is it possible that there was a mis-entry in the records?
What am I missing here?
Anybody have any ideas about this puzzle?
Taperloc.
0
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A guess would be that Winchester had it sitting around for awhile before complete assembly and shipping. S&W had done this in the past in using up old frames,doing final assembly and shipping a year or two after making the frame.I think Colt may have even done this with some cylinders at times.
As far as rifle or carbine maybe originally destined for a rifle but only carbine barrel available at assembly time? Paper SNAFU?
Retired Air Force Msgt--NRA Life Member since 19710 -
Hello John...
First, pull up a chair and sit a spell[:D]
OK, what you have discovered concerning the date of manufacture and the shipping date on your Model 1892 is exactly what I have been harping about for the past 18 months or so (ever since I started posting on this forum). The published Winchester serial number to DOM cross reference lists that were first written by George Madis (and copied by nearly everyone else... Fjestad, Flayderman, and a host of websites) can NOT be trusted[:(]. I have stated that at least 3-dozen times on this forum in the past. DO NOT (repeat that several times) ever rely on the current published lists!!! What you discovered is VERY common, and I have found many other examples that were even further in disagreement with the published dates. Winchester did not build or ship their firearms in exact numerical sequence... in fact, they very seldom made them in numerical sequence. OK, I will step down off of that soap box (at least for today[:D]).
Now, to try and explain why your Model 1892 does not match the factory records at Cody. Several things could have happened... the worker in the warehouse could have simply entered the data for an entirely different gun in the entry line for your gun's serial number, or he could have reversed entries with the preceeding (or following) gun. I would suggest calling Waddy back, and asking him to check the preceeding and following entries for a SRC (including the DOMs). Be sure to tell him that you are very sure that you have a factory correct SRC, but that it does not match the original record entry. I have found at least a dozen examples of the second senario while researching Model 1885s. I have also found examples of consecutive serial numbers that were 15+ years apart for the dates when they were received in the warehouse and shipped.
Bert H.
Real Men use a SINGLE-SHOT!0
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