This is an extraordinary example (quite possibly the finest!) of a Winchester Model 1894 Lever Action .38-55 caliber Rifle that was manufactured in 1896. The rifle is accompanied by a letter from the Cody Firearms Museum. The Cody letter describes the rifle features as: "Caliber;38/55, Barrel type: Octagon" and "Trigger: Plain" and states that it was shipped from Winchester on February 20, 1897. The rifle has a full octagon barrel with full length magazine. The barrel has a Lyman "Semi-Jack" front sight with colored bead and a buckhorn, sporting style rear sight with screw-adjustable center insert. The rifle has a blued barrel, magazine, forearm cap, receiver and bolt. The loading gate is niter blue. The hammer, trigger, lever and crescent buttplate are color casehardened. The stock and forearm are straight grain American walnut with a varnish finish. The top barrel flat is roll-stamped: "-MANUFACTURED BY THE-/-WINCHESTER REPEATING ARMS CO. NEW HAVEN. CONN. U.S.A.-" in two lines ahead of the rear sight. "The caliber, "38-55" is stamped on the top barrel flat ahead of the receiver. The upper tang is roll-stamped with the first style marking: "MODEL 1894./-WINCHESTER-/PAT. AUG. 21. 1894" in three lines. The serial number, "16237", is stamped across the bottom of the receiver ahead of the lever.

Extraordinary, near new. The rifle retains 99% plus of the bright original high polish blue and vivid color casehardened finish with the very slightest storage marks. The loading gate and extractor have almost all of the nitre blue finish. The barrel and receiver markings are perfect. The stock and forearm are in near new condition and retain all of the original finish. Wear is limited to two shallow bruises on the left side of the forearm and several very minor handling marks. It would be extremely difficult to find a better example of an early production antique Winchester Model 1894 Lever Action Rifle, and we believe this to be the finest example extant!