The Serial Number puts this one in the 1924 date range. The guns bore is still as new. It is the tightest takedown I have examined, actually requiring a small bit of force to line the two halves together...

1894 30-30 Winchester in a half magazine Take Down model...26 inch barrel length.





giz

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Just as you would not assemble a fine S X S shotgun dry i.e. no lubrication on the knuckle, you should apply just the smallest drop of oil to the mating surfaces of a take down rifle. Neglecting to do so invites galling the surfaces, damaging a really fine vintage Winchester. I have owned several take down Winchesters, a M/94 .25-35 half round half octagon and an 1886 Extra Lightweight .33 W.C.F. and a couple of M/95's a .30-06 and a .35 Winchester. I shot them all and hunted with the 1886. Congrats on a really fine vintage Winchester.

Giz, you sure come up with some very nice guns. Can I borrow your magnet?

Out here in California I bought into the myth that the Winchester was the gun that won the west. BS! Looks like most of 'em were shipped to Maine. Well, gotta go. Nancy Pelosi is waiting in my hot tub (barf!) with some wine and cheese. Hey. I'm in California, remember?

You do come up with some nice ones!

There is a built in compensating system of sorts to deal with a loose takedown in the Winchesters. It's found on the 86, 92 & 94.

You have to take the forend wood off. There are 3 screws that enter the barrel shroud from the inside and tightening those just a bit will dimple the surface to the outside faceing the receiver so it tightens the fit when assembled.
Somewhat crude I guess considering the compensating ring set up on the M12 but effective.

A quick glance at the face of the barrel shroud will tell if the screws have been advanced (3 small bright spots on the surface) to tighten the joint up or if the rifle is still enjoying it's fine tight factory fit.

A bit of lube is an excellent suggestion to prevent damage.

Sweet Winchester!

I have a Winchester Model 1894 takedown, made in 1899, in .30-30 caliber.
It's a full-sized rifle, octagon barrel, and looks marvelous. An old guy GAVE it to me about 15 years ago (it, and six other rifles and shotguns).
It's been refinished, no doubt, but whoever did the refinishing years ago did an excellent job. All the markings are crisp; not one mark from amateur use of the polishing wheel.
Alas, the bore is badly pitted and looks like a gopher hole. I scrubbed and left the bore coated in Hoppes No. 9 for days on end, changing out every few days.
It took me weeks, but I finally got that bore down to where no green was showing on a patch. And I believe the rifling looked deeper, even as badly pitted as it was.
It locks up tightly too. So tight, that I usually have to take a big metal hammer and (muhahahaha! you should see the look on your face! Gotcha!)
Nah, nothing that drastic. It just takes a string counter-twist to break it free, even with a little lube on the mating surfaces.
I've fired it a few times. No indication of headspace. Whoever worked it over probably tightened the headspace too.
Every few years I get tempted to have that barrel relined, to make it into a shooter, then realize that I probably wouldn't shoot it much anyway.
The express sights -- three of ` em -- are marked 50, 100 and 200. Each has its own rear sight that flips up for the specified range.
It's a fun, interesting rifle to own. I love to show it to friends when we get to talking guns. Seems that few people today have ever seen a Winchester take-down, or even heard of such a thing.
One non-shooter remarked, "Wow! That's an assassin's gun, huh?"
I had to fill him in on why the takedowns were created, according to what I've read:
In the old days, many hunters got to their camps via the train. The take-down models were much easier to pack on the train. Bringing a rifle case on the train invited theft more readily than a bag half that length.
At least, that's what I've read concerning why the takedown was created.
Takedown Winchesters are neat. Now, if Marlin would create a takedown model for its 1895, in .45-70 caliber, I think they'd sell plenty.
I understand that some specialized gunsmiths have converted Marlin 1895s to takedowns, but I'd like to see a factory offering.
Wouldn't that be soooooooo totallyyyyy kewl?