SOLD: Rare First-Year of Production Winchester Model 1894 .38-55 Takedown

SOLD: A very rare first-year of production Model 1894 chambered in the very desirable .38-55. This rifle is a special order takedown variant. It was ordered with a round barrel and a crescent buttplate. This rifle came from a ranch in the vicinity of Post Falls, Idaho.  Serial number under 10,000!  (# 911X.)  Great mechanical condition. The takedown mechanism is nice and tight. (Has no rattle or looseness, so I suspect that it was only rarely disassembled in the 126 years since it was made.)  Original walnut furniture is in very good condition and appears to be original, with some slight shrinkage at the buttplate heel. Has some attractive cross-grain in the foreend and in the grip area. The rifle’s bluing is largely intact, especially on the top of the bolt. (Barrel: 50% blued with some scattered pitting. Receiver: 80% blue. Bolt top: 90% blue, Lever plate: 90% blue, Lever: 40% blue, Magazine tube:  50% blue, Buttplate: 70% blue.) Very good shootable bore with some shine, distinct rifling, and just a bit of light pitting. Buckhorn stair-step rear sight appears to be original. This would make a great practical shooter, and also has considerable collector appeal. The hard-hitting .38-55 is factory-loaded by Winchester, HSM, and Black Hills Ammunition, with bullet weights between 240 and 255 grains. Early Model 1894s are very difficult to find with this much finish.  All-in-all, this is a nice honest “fresh off the ranch” takedown Model 1894 that was made in 1894!  (PMYR-KK-855)