Outstanding Special Order Winchester Deluxe Model 1894 "Lightweight" Lever Action Takedown Rifle in Desirable .38-55 W.C.F.

This outstanding Winchester deluxe Model 1894 takedown rifle, manufactured in 1909 and chambered in the desirable .38-55 W.C.F., stands as a rare and highly collectible example among the millions of Model 1894s produced. While the vast majority of these rifles were standard working models, this special ordered deluxe variant combines several scarce features that significantly elevate its desirability.

According to the research of Oswalt and Hawk, based on 353,999 surviving ledger records, only 515 Model 1894s were special ordered with a 2/3 length magazine, approximately one in ten were takedowns, and one in twenty featured a pistol grip stock. This rifle also includes deluxe checkered stocks and a shotgun butt, which further distinguishes it, as only 10,512 were ordered with checkered stocks and 17,768 with shotgun butts. The lightweight profile barrel completes this rare configuration.

Factory markings include the Winchester oval proofs on top of the barrel and receiver at the breech, the two-line address and patent markings on the upper left of the barrel, nickel steel stamp, and caliber marking at the breech. The upper tang bears the three-line model and trademark information, and the serial number is marked on the bottom of the receiver. The lower tang and stock inlet display matching numbers and the model designation.

The rifle is equipped with a low-profile variation of Winchester’s No. 21 sporting front sight, an elevation adjustable notch rear sight, and a Lyman combination peep sight mounted on the upper tang for versatile aiming options.

Its woodwork features a beautifully figured, deluxe H-pattern checkered forearm and pistol grip stock, complemented by a hard rubber grip cap and a checkered hard rubber shotgun buttplate prominently marked with the Winchester logo.

This finely preserved Model 1894 takedown is a rare piece, combining multiple special order features that make it a prized addition for collectors of Winchester rifles and early 20th-century American firearms.