Does anyone know a good place to go to find out the value of a rifle? I have a winchester model 1892 in 30 WCF a friend would like me to find the value of. would also like to know when it was manufacutred. I had found a place at one time where all you had to do was type in the serial number and it told you the year it was made, but cannot remember the name of the page. any help would be appreciated. God Bless.

This will give you the date. http://armscollectors.com/sn/windates.htm Value is alot harder. It all depends on condition and things like that.

QuoteI have a winchester model 1892 in 30 WCF

Interesting, at least to me. I didn't know they made a '92 in 30 WCF, mostly because I thought the action would be too short to handle the longer cartridge. The ones I see these days are chambered for shorter cartridges, like the 44-40, .357 mag, and the .45 Colt. In fact, mine has trouble with long, heavy bullets loaded in .45 Colt cases.
 
Now I'm sorta wondering if there's more than one size of the '92 action, but the larger version is (I think?) the 1886, and is usually chambered in 45/70 or other large capacity cartridges.
 
Like I said, sort of interesting, anyway.
 
:)
 
Daryl

let me correct that Daryl, I myself have a model 1894 in 30 W.C.F. my friends gun is a 1892 38 W.C.F. my mistake!
I typed in the serial number and it seems my buddies gun was manufactured in 1911 and mine in 1903, thanks for the links. God Bless.

Quotelet me correct that Daryl, I myself have a model 1894 in 30 W.C.F. my friends gun is a 1892 38 W.C.F. my mistake!

Aw...ok. That makes more sense.
 
:)
 
Daryl

Quote from: Daryl;88333Aw...ok. That makes more sense.
 
:)
 
Daryl

I think Daryl knew all along what it was... he was just being nice about it, and maybe leading on that he was wrong (when he knew he wasn't)...I'm just impressed at you'alls knoldge about the older guns.

I knew it couldn't be a '92 in 30WCF. They were only made in short cartridges. I've been trying to buy a '92 in 25/20 WCF but no luck yet.    .....Paul H

I checked the serial number on my krag and it is actually older than my 1894 by 3 years. God Bless.

QuoteI checked the serial number on my...

Patience... Patience.... It's almost time to set the hook....
 
Next he'll be asking about how to get a Cruffler.
 
Paul

seeing as I don't know what a "cruffler" is I researched quickly, this was the first article I found"
 
RSM's Thoughts on Becoming a Cruffler

RSM on Getting Started as a Cruffler

Cruffler?

This is about the C&R Federal Firearms Licence. Try prononcing "CRFFL" and you get something like "Cruffle." "A Cruffle" is then, by some torurtured logic, a firearm that can be purchaed with the C&R FFL. "To Cruffle" then is to purchase (and otherwise work with) Cruffles. A "Cruffler" is, therefore, one who Cruffles.

On a fairly regular basis, we get something along these lines on the C&R list:

> Hello everybody. I am new to the list and just received my
> C&R yesterday and now for my first question. Now what?

Since everyone was a new C&R FFL holder at some point, I think almost all of us empathize with the question.

To begin with, there is lots of helpful advice about the mechanics of what to do at
http://www.cruffler.com/becomingcruffler.html

I live in California and as a result my C&R FFL can't be used to buy pistols except out of state and face-to-face. Based on that and my experience over the last three years as a Cruffler and fairly extensive experience as an "old gun" buyer before that, here is what I would suggest doing:

First, consider guns that you already have or have had. For example, at the time I received my license in November 2000 I had a nice Finn 39 Mosin-Nagant and a couple of other M-Ns. At one time, I also had a bunch of "long Mausers" that got sold when I ran out of storage room and decided that these were my "least fun" guns. As a result of this review, I decided that while I might want more M-Ns and long M98s eventually, these weren't really as "urgent" as some of the other things I could buy.

Second, consider your "domestic arrangements." How much room do you have to store guns? If married, how will your wife respond to A) the money being spent and B) the arrival of a whole bunch of guns (and loading equipment, cleaning supplies, etc., etc.) into the household? Storage space was a significant problem for me, my wife was OK with about a $100 to $200 a month "habit" but my feeling was that she wouldn't be all that enthusiastic about a whole bunch of guns arriving at about the same time. (The old "why do you need so many" issue.) This suggested that I would probably be best off with a few reasonably good guns in the $200 or less category than a whole bunch of interesting but cheap rifles. Your situation and needs probably will be different, but you need to think these issues through.

Another factor is time. Business was slow at the time I got started, so I went on sort of a "buying binge" while I had time to work on new acquisitions. If you have a steadier job, I would suggest a "go slow" approach after giving in to your natural urge to "buy something now." (A $50 - $75 Mauser or M-N will cost you less in the long run than letting frustration build up until you can't stand it any more and discover you have bought $1,000 of guns in a single afternoon's work.) The more you can learn and look before you leap, the better off you are going to be.

To actually get started, pretend you are going to Las Vegas. Pick an amount of money that you feel free to gamble with. I used $700 as my limit and that seems to be a good working number. (Note: initially it was $500 but then I was tempted by an SKS and a Swiss K31 and needed to add a bit more to the pot to make the "plan" work. Beware, this is the slippery slope of Crufflerdom!)

Divide the money into two more or less equal "pots."

The first "pot" is for one or two "quality" rifles. In my case, it was an excellent Swede 96 Mauser and a Swiss K31, but there are any number of other possible choices. These are the start of your real collection (as distinct from your accumulation) and definitely should be "pride of ownership" guns for you. I would also throw out the idea of using this money to buy guns that you know you want but where there a sense from the list of guns that are about reaching the end of their supply. (For example, at the time this was written the Swede Mausers and Finn 39s seemed to be about reaching the end of their "run.") Even on a very limited budget you should be able to find at least one "pride of ownership" gun for about $100, such as a "VG" condition Finn 39. These should turn out in the long run to be guns you are happy you bought, but if you make a mistake, well hey, its gambling money anyway.

The second "pot" is your "what the ****" money. Shotgun News and things like the Centerfire / Century / AIM catalogs and websites are a great temptation to "kid in a candy shop" behavior. Use this money to "scratch the itch" to buy a couple of cheap M-Ns, a Yugo Mauser or SKS and/or a $70 beat-up Enfield or whatever. $200 will buy an assortment of maybe 3 or 4 guns and if one wanted there are times that $300 would buy 10 to 12 rifles on the Century "3-fer" and "4-fer" plan. (Tell yourself the truth; is "now where could I put..." running around in your head?). Think of this as an opportunity for a variety of "C&R Learning Experiences." Some of the stuff may be good and most of it interesting. At the same time, don't be surprised if something gives you a grand introduction to the concept of "junk gun." And dealing with dealers can be, well, interesting. (For example, I bought a "Czech VZ/24" that was really a Yugo M24/47 marked as a VZ/24 by the importer and the dealer didn't know the difference.)

One of the advantages of your "what the ****" guns is that they provide an inexpensive environment for learning some of the skills of being a Cruffler. You'll be a lot less upset discovering the "Oh S**t!" factor in disassembling and cleaning of these old guns with a $40 M-N than a $250 Swede. It is also far less intimidating to contemplate cleaning and refinishing the stock of a $60 Mauser than it is a $1200 all-correct M1 Garand.

On top of the "pot" money, don't forget ammo, books, accessories (Slings and bayonets! It seems that one can't do without slings and bayonets.) and the mundane necessities like cleaning equipment and supplies. In all likelihood if you are going to shoot your C&R guns much you also need to take up reloading unless you plan to limit yourself to things with common and inexpensive ammo like 8mm Mauser and 7.62x54R. (At $1.00 a round, ammo for some "exotics" makes them painful to shoot even if the recoil isn't too bad.)

In general, it seems to make sense to learn the ropes about buying with your "what the ****" money then moving on to your "pride of ownership" guns with a little experience under your belt. On the other hand, the gods will not strike you dead if you "go about things backwards," particularly if there is something you want that may not be available later

Again, this is my approach, not revealed wisdom of the gods. It seemed to work for me, although I have to confess that I went over my $500 limit rather quickly. Call it another case of "do as I say, not as I do."

Good luck and have fun.

RSM

 
I just want you guys to know that this could never happen to me!!!!:hat:
 
but seriously, you are probably right Paul. I never gave these older guns a second glance before I joined THL, now I find them fascinating. I like the fact you can spend a 100.00 and have a gun, and shoot it to boot. not to mention with a little TLC you can get it looking pretty good. This intrigues me much more than buying a brand new rifle! we will see where it goes. I believe the virus is already spreading!!! God Bless.

Quote from: bigsbetter;88375I think Daryl knew all along what it was... he was just being nice about it, and maybe leading on that he was wrong (when he knew he wasn't)...I'm just impressed at you'alls knoldge about the older guns.

I had an idea, but I'm usually not too quick to doubt what someone MIGHT have.
 
I've thought I was right several times before, and then found out I was mistaken...
 
So, I figured I'd ask.  You never know when you'll learn something new around here.
 

 
Daryl

QuoteI never gave these older guns a second glance before I joined THL, now I find them fascinating.

Our work is done. :D
 
 

QuoteI've thought I was right several times before, and then found out I was mistaken...

I was wrong once... It happened when I thought I was wrong but it turned out I was right. :D
 
Paul

QuoteI was wrong once... It happened when I thought I was wrong but it turned out I was right. :D

Yep.  My dad even admitted that there was a time once when he thought he was wrong.  Turned out he was mistaken.
 
For me, well, it's more common...
 
:D
 
Daryl

Well I have been wrong so many times I have lost count, gotta be one of the most experience trained guys ever to tred a path.
 
Heck even growing up and working for Dad if there was a mistake made it was my fault for not asking questions until it was clear to me or clear to him.
 
:huh:

Quote(I) gotta be one of the most experience trained guys ever to tred a path.

I dunno AL. I might take the challenge on that one. We should get together and compare scars...
 
Paul