Looking for information on my classic 1894 30 wcf.

[Weebs]

(This gun is not for sale, this gun will not be put up for sale)

Backstory:
30ish years ago my grandfather gave me this rifle when I started hunting. He knew it was very old and he made me agree that I would use it and it wouldn't sit around collecting dust.

It has harvested a lot of deer over the years (unfortunately none by me) and a bear.
Rifle:
So the rifle is a model 1894 with a 4 digit serial number. 3955 to be exact. Chambered in .30 WCF. I've heard there's a chance this rifle wasn't originally chambered in 30/30 for the serial number year but I'm unsure.

Overall it's in good condition for a 124 year old rifle. The internals are very clean and function perfectly. The barrel is bright and clean with great rifling. The stock has 1 chip out of it near the action and a host of dings from the over a century of use. It has more of a crescent shaped stock which I believe was a factory option. The metal is in good condition and there is no pitting. I want to clean up the metal but I'm going to leave it how it is until having it appraised.

It has a lymen peep sight on it that is screwed in with the original screws. I've heard over the years that it may have been a factory option with the peep sight from the factory.

What I'm looking for:
Hopefully the NWFA hive has some knowledge of if this rifle is factory original. Also I'd like to get it appraised to see how I should be insuring it (if it's actually worth decent money). Again, the rifle will never be for sale, it's worth more to me than money ever will be.

Any info would be awesome!

Here are some pictures of it. I didn't include a picture of the roll mark on the barrel for the caliber or a pic of the buttstock. Whoops.

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[Heyjoe]

Nice! Can't help you with value. Gunvaluesboard.com would be a great place to obtain the information you seek and I'm sure a few of our outstandingly knowledgeable members will chime in shortly.

Damn nice though!

Edit: you can still add pics of the roll stamp in your OP or comment with said. I for one am interested.

 

[RVTECH]

You have a very unique rifle.
The Winchester DOM website puts yours in 1894 which is rare in itself.
Early Winchester Mod 94 CARBINES are where the collector market really concentrates as there are far fewer EARLY carbines than say the Mod 94 'Klondike' which is a 26" octagon barrel model of which I have an 1899 model of.
I see yours does NOT have a saddle ring and I do not see a hole for it and I do not know when Winchester started adding them.
You might want to contact Winchester and actually pay for a letter on yours. The early years of Winchester were tumultuous with a lot of differing information about exactly when and how many early models were produced. If I recall I was reading some Winchester history once and the earliest one known of was like # 273 and the next was #400 something.
There is no #1 Winchester mod 94 as Winchester was going crazy about this time trying to get the rifle out to retailers and there are many gaps in serial numbers due to manufacturing issues.

 

[Andy54Hawken]

Many Winchesters have a date stamp on the under side of the barrel , near the receiver...be advised that this date may be a few years different that what a serial number dates in at.
Andy

 

[Medic!]

As stated above. You have a carbine. Not a rifle.
All carbines were saddle ring up until 1932. But you could have it omitted for fifty cents.

A rare bird indeed. To bad you didn't retire it when you got it.


Edit: Not saying it's not beautiful the way it is.

 

[v0lcom13sn0w]

to me, what good is a gun that doesnt get used? i can understand/appreciate maybe like "it was my grandpas rifle and i dont wanna mess it up" or something like that.

i think your rifle is beautiful the way it sits with the wear!! it obviously has stood the test of time and served you well! good luck!