This is an early Winchester Model 1892 trapper with 16" barrel with an antique serial number in the 135,000 range.  According to the Madis Book, it was made in 1896.  I've only seen a small handful of 1892 trappers with serial numbers this low and this is the only one I've encountered in Caliber 32 WCF.  If you think Winchester carbines got used hard as utility guns during their working lives, that would often go double for a trapper.   Better make that triple for this one!  This one reminds me a lot of some of the 1873 short rifles and 1866 carbines you find on the pages of the Winchester Book by George Madis.  Many of these went South of the Border to Mexico, Central, and South America.  Like many Winchester trappers, this one has the shorter forend measuring 7 3/4" long.  Thus, the rear band sits back closer to the rear sight and the barrel address is placed on the forward section of the barrel. The address is pretty much worn away but you can see enough fragments to know its there and correct.  It comes with a Winchester Museum letter confirming this is indeed a real trapper. 

Overall condition is NRA Antique Poor with the metal showing a great deal of light to moderate pitting.  The markings are severely worn, especially the barrel address with only fragments visible.  Caliber marking is partially worn away.  Fortunately the serial number survived and is light but completely legible and letters correctly.  The upper tang address is probably the best in terms of markings...still good with all 3 lines visible including John Browning's 1884 patent date.  Originality-wise, this trapper is a little above average in terms of components.  It even has its original forend and buttstock...which is pretty unusual on a gun with this much abuse and neglect.  The only replacement parts on this carbine that I can find are the rear sight and the buttplate.  The rear sight is an original Winchester but has the 0 to 20 graduations on the ladder...should be "2 to 9" for an early gun.  The buttplate appears to be a hand-made replacement.  Both of these parts are incorrect but originals are still relatively easy to find and although not original to the gun, would at least make this carbine "technically" correct.  Repair-wise, this one has a few over the years....which is something you expect to find on an antique trapper whose survival rate is practically nil.  A few things we found: 1.  The upper tang has been mended near the hammer and it appears there is some repair work to the end of the magazine tube.  And 2. The stock has some minor chip and fill repairs...very nicely down and blended so well that they're pretty much invisible.   No extra holes in either the wood or metal.   Obviously, we're not dealing with anything approaching museum quality or collector grade here but nonetheless; it is a rare piece of Winchester history.  The action still works just fine...a true testament of John Browning's design.  The bore is in Fair+ condition....shows lots of use but rifling looks to be all there with no rings or bulges.  All in all, its a real trapper and a scarce antique survivor showing many decades of hard use.

Item# 8514

$2250.00