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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[mglentz4125]

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.

Thank you good sir! I appreciate your expertise and identification. Much appreciated.

 

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[pepperj]

Congrats on the great recovery of the rifle.
It makes one wonder what happened to the owner as that rifle would have been one if the thee most important possessions back in the day.

 

[Hunk-a-lead]

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.

awesome find and great save. not much of a gun guy but wow, big time gratz

 

[E-Trac-Ohio]

Excellent !!!

 

[eyemustdigtreasure]

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.

Sweet...!
I too, found a butt plate, a few weeks ago - hoping to find the rest of the rifle...! An important item for someone to (lose?), eh??

 

[CoinHunterAZ]

It's an old one for sure, looks like an 1894 to me. It looks like the tubular magazine that would have been below the barrel is missing too. There might be more parts buried there.

 

[RTR]

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.

I blew up one of your pix.

for better detail....I don't think that metal portion (in the far right) of this pix. is suppose to be bent like it is.Might be why the rifle was discarded ?

 

[GaRebel1861]

That's a very cool find!

 

[Kype]

I blew up one of your pix. View attachment 1987716 for better detail....I don't think that metal portion (in the far right) of this pix. is suppose to be bent like it is.Might be why the rifle was discarded ?

nice observation. i agree. whats a good rifle with a bent stock like that. or the orginal owner got mad at something such as a missed shot while hunting and swong it agaisnt a tree and tossed it. sat there ever since until now. really great find. i would hang it on my wall.

 

[mglentz4125]

I blew up one of your pix. View attachment 1987716 for better detail....I don't think that metal portion (in the far right) of this pix. is suppose to be bent like it is.Might be why the rifle was discarded ?

I believe it was run over at some point. I found a clock today with pieces scattered all over the place. In the 1950s there were rows of pine trees planted / harvested / replanted, rinse repeat.

 

[uglymailman]

Cool find. Some guy that say's he's found Jesse James buried jar of coins always found them because a gun was half way from a marker to the loot, barrel pointing toward the money. Might check down range for 25, 50 and 100 feet. Good luck.

 

[jewelerguy]

cool find for sure. Missing the magazine and in the next to last pic you can see where the rear stock attaches to the receiver is bent

 

[RTR]

How about a measurement for the caliber ,any luck ?

 

[mglentz4125]

How about a measurement for the caliber ,any luck ?

Its too rusty to make out the serial number or any other identifying info. Can I just measure the opening at the end of the barrel??

 

[RTR]

Its too rusty to make out the serial number or any other identifying info. Can I just measure the opening at the end of the barrel??

That will work Make it as accurate as you can.And get a good pix. of the muzzle

 

[RTR]

Some good info here https://winchestercollector.org/models/model-1894/

 

[RedLeaf]

That is so incredibly cool, I like to find obsolete cartridges, when others i detect with may not get excited over just another spent cartridge, they are small pieces of history & traces of human activity.... but, to find an intact rifle is awesome.

 

[eyemustdigtreasure]

That is so incredibly cool, I like to find obsolete cartridges, when others i detect with may not get excited over just another spent cartridge, they are small pieces of history & traces of human activity.... but, to find an intact rifle is awesome.

Right, and finding ANY parts to a weapon is rare for me, so I'd be overwhelmed with joy,
to find that rifle...! Still looking......

 

[Winchester416]

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.

Wow, what areas of the State do you hunt?

Do you find all this on private land?

 

[scruggs]

Congrats on A magnificent find!