Vintage Winchester 1892 .32WCF
Posted: 08 Dec 2019 07:32
As some of you know, my family has a first generation Colt SAA chambered in .32WCF that was issued to an ancestor by the State of Texas and the Texas Rangers. It dates back to about 1904 and has been in the family since new. As such I have been looking for a deal on a real Winchester from the turn of the last century knowing a functional, relatively decent condition, and "un-refinished" version I can afford would be a needle in a haystack but...
I may have found one local private sale and want to know what to look for and if I'm getting a good deal. Sure, I can search completed items on Gunbroker but there's not a lot of sales on 120 year old good original condition rifles chambered in an obsolete cartridge.
The gun dates to 1901 and has an octagon barrel, fore end cap, and crescent butt plate. It has what looks like the original sights and no extra holes drilled. Bluing looks fair for it's age (it's not yet "brown"). Seller says: "The bore is clean with no pits and the rifling is still visible. The action works fine loading from the magazine tube and ejecting the spent cartridge after firing. The metal is free of rust and the wood is solid with no cracks or gouges."
I plan on making up a handful of .32-20 dummies to cycle through it before I buy it. Anything I should be aware of or look for and what is a ballpark value on such a rifle?
I may have found one local private sale and want to know what to look for and if I'm getting a good deal. Sure, I can search completed items on Gunbroker but there's not a lot of sales on 120 year old good original condition rifles chambered in an obsolete cartridge.
The gun dates to 1901 and has an octagon barrel, fore end cap, and crescent butt plate. It has what looks like the original sights and no extra holes drilled. Bluing looks fair for it's age (it's not yet "brown"). Seller says: "The bore is clean with no pits and the rifling is still visible. The action works fine loading from the magazine tube and ejecting the spent cartridge after firing. The metal is free of rust and the wood is solid with no cracks or gouges."
I plan on making up a handful of .32-20 dummies to cycle through it before I buy it. Anything I should be aware of or look for and what is a ballpark value on such a rifle?