The forgotten Winchester..

[mglentz4125]

Early this fall I stumbled across a very old cabin (inhabited 1820s - 1890s range). I was finding axes, farm equipment, horseshoes, cookware, pots, pans, coins. Your usual "pioneer starter kit" kind of stuff. Then the butt plate of a rifle right before it started to rain buckets. Once I knocked the crud off I realized that the butt plate still had the screw in place so concluded: if the screw was stuck in the butt plate then there was a fair chance that the rest of the gun was in there as well and returned. I believe that is a forgotten 1894 Winchester lever-action rifle my friends. Bucket lister for me. Cheers! ** UPDATED: 26 inch barrel. Added some more pics. Any gun experts please correct me if the model is not accurate.

 

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[billb]

Early this fall I stumbled across a very old cabin (inhabited 1820s - 1890s range). I was finding axes, farm equipment, horseshoes, cookware, pots, pans, coins. Your usual "pioneer starter kit" kind of stuff. Then the butt plate of a rifle right before it started to rain buckets. Once I knocked the crud off I realized that the butt plate still had the screw in place so concluded: if the screw was stuck in the butt plate then there was a fair chance that the rest of the gun was in there as well and returned. I believe that is a forgotten 1873 Winchester lever-action rifle my friends. Bucket lister for me. Cheers!

Congratulations on your nice recovery

 

[SD51]

Wow, how does a Winchester end up buried?

 

[RTR]

THATS pretty cool ! In the last pix. it looks like you might be able to get a serial # off it.

 

[RTR]

Original 1873s >> https://www.collectorsfirearms.com/160-winchester-model-1873

 

[ArfieBoy]

Wow! Great recovery! Good thinking on finding the butt plate. Congratulations, and I'm just a little envious! Thanks for sharing!

 

[DeepseekerADS]

I think I'll vote Banner on this!

In my 8 years here this is the first antique rifle I've seen post as "found".

It be pretty darned cool

Edit: Banner vote in!

 

[CreakyDigger]

That is an exceptional find! I wonder if a craftsman could put a stock back on it.

 

[bologna321]

Amazing recovery, don't think I've seen a whole one on here

 

[Cletus]

unreal !! hard to believe that someone would just walk away and let a rifle lay on the ground. Awesome find !!!

 

[mglentz4125]

I am still in shock and have been carrying it around all day. I am not 100% certain on the model tho. Any Winchester experts out there?

 

[Kype]

yup, thats an amazing find. congrats

 

[Prairie Prowler]

Super Find Congrats !!

 

[Doublebarrel]

Looks like a 1894 model to me

 

[Kype]

has the octagon barrel. plus all wood is gone. its old.

 

[oldmxrat]

That's a very cool find, congrats!

 

[crashbandicoot]

Can you read the caliber?That might give a clue as to the model.

 

[mglentz4125]

Looks like a 1894 model to me

I think you are right!

 

[Digger RJ]

Early this fall I stumbled across a very old cabin (inhabited 1820s - 1890s range). I was finding axes, farm equipment, horseshoes, cookware, pots, pans, coins. Your usual "pioneer starter kit" kind of stuff. Then the butt plate of a rifle right before it started to rain buckets. Once I knocked the crud off I realized that the butt plate still had the screw in place so concluded: if the screw was stuck in the butt plate then there was a fair chance that the rest of the gun was in there as well and returned. I believe that is a forgotten 1894 Winchester lever-action rifle my friends. Bucket lister for me. Cheers! ** UPDATED: 26 inch barrel. Added some more pics. Any gun experts please correct me if the model is not accurate.

Nice!!! Congrats!!!

 

[ToddsPoint]

That's an 1894. You can tell by the cutouts on the top of the receiver for the locking lug. With a straight grip and 26" octagon barrel that configuration would be called a sporting rifle. Serial number would be on the bottom of receiver toward barrel. Caliber marking would be on barrel, left side near receiver. If you can get the serial you can easily find the year it was made. It would be fun to attempt a restoration on that thing.