M1892 Winchester Saddle Ring Carbine

[Slamfire]

I have never seen a M1892 saddle ring carbine with a short magazine tube. Got to examine this one and it looked factory.

The rifling was perfect, bright and no pitting. It is in caliber 38-40. I did not take a picture of the serial number but it was in the hundreds of thousands. The owner bought it 60 years ago, took off the saddle ring because it made noise. Now he wishes he had it.







The owner always wanted a 38-40 revolver, so he made one. The barrel came from a 10 mm S&W revolver. I got to shoot it and it shot very well. The 38-40 cartridge was pleasant to shoot in this M27 frame.

His Son is going to end up owning some real interesting firearms.





Here were some five in one movie cartridges the guy had. Never seen these before either.

 

[CraigC]

Neat old rifle but the aftermarket front sight makes me suspect the magazine could've also been shortened. Is the old dovetail cut for the front sight still in the barrel? If not, it was definitely shortened.

 

[Float Pilot]

There were several choices when ordering a model 92 (or any other Winchester) That is what is called a Button Magazine. They were fairly popular at one time.
However, as that is a big difference in wear and patina between the barrel and the receiver, it may be a parts gun. Plus something is just not right about the fore-arm wood.

 

[JWF III]

but the aftermarket front sight

That was the first "red flag" that I noticed.

That is what is called a Button Magazine.

Plus something is just not right about the fore-arm wood.

Actually that is what is called a "Half Mag". The "Button" magazines don't extend beyond the forearm. Also, button mag rifles (actually all '92 rifles) have a metal forearm cap. Carbines do not, they have rings that go all the way around both the barrel and forearm. That is why the forearm looks like "something is just not right".

that is a big difference in wear and patina between the barrel and the receiver, it may be a parts gun.

The differences in the finishes, unless there were other red flags, I wouldn't worry too much about. I have 4 '92s that were left to me by my father. A couple of them look the same, and I know they are each factory original. A difference in finish between barrel and reciever is not that uncommon on old Winchesters.

What your friend has there is a Half-Mag, Saddle-Ring Carbine. I'd call it a rather rare specimen as I can't recall ever seeing one in person.

Not having the saddle ring, and not having the correct front sight will detract from it's value.

I'm wondering how well it shoots? I'm betting that it shoots low. (Just looking at how tall the front sight is compared to how low the factory "buckhorn" rear is. I may be wrong in my guess.)

Wyman

 

[Float Pilot]

Wyman, What I thought looked odd was the amount of exposed barrel towards the end of the fore stock. Although the more I looked at it the more I think it is just an optical illusion created by the over-sized front sight.
I thought that the half mag short rifles (below) have a more obvious connection to the barrel via a support.

While I always thought of the button magazine tubes as being flush on the short rifles, it sure looks like a button mag mounted on his carbine. The shorter fore-stock would make it seem a touch long. Like this one.

I would be interesting to check the serial number date and see if the barrel stamping font is correct for the receiver date.

 

[CraigC]

That's not really a half magazine or a button mag. A half magazine would be longer and a button would have a different forend with a steel cap, not a band.

 

[Slamfire]

The rifle was as the Gentleman bought it 60 years ago. The only alteration he had made was to remove the saddle ring.

My recollection was that the bluing on the barrel was thinner towards the muzzle, where you might grab the rifle, and of course non existant around the receiver sides.

It was a very smooth action and a carbine that I would have been happy to own.

The owner did not want me photo graphing the serial number, and I don't remember other than it was in the hundred's of thousands. Like 200,000 or 300,000.

 

[Silent Sam]

Border rifle?