Winchester Mdl. 1892 Century Arms?

[Phideaux]

Hi Folks, long time lurker here but now I have a question maybe someone can help with. I recently acquired a Winchester Mdl. 1892 in 40 WCF and the serial number would say it was made about 1918. When cleaning up the gun I noticed, on the receiver under the lever, its stamped Century Arms St. Albans, VT. I'm familiar with Century Arms military rifle imports but not with these lever guns. Anybody have any ideas? Thanks in advance.

Phideaux

[Griff]

Welcome to the site. I don't know the answer to your question... hopefully, someone will be along shortly that does! BTW, as a "longtime lurker" you probably know:

[Hobie]

Hi Folks, long time lurker here but now I have a question maybe someone can help with. I recently acquired a Winchester Mdl. 1892 in 40 WCF and the serial number would say it was made about 1918. When cleaning up the gun I noticed, on the receiver under the lever, its stamped Century Arms St. Albans, VT. I'm familiar with Century Arms military rifle imports but not with these lever guns. Anybody have any ideas? Thanks in advance.

Phideaux

Do you mean .44 WCF?

I'm betting that it was a gun exported and re-imported by Century Arms, hence the stamp. Century has re-imported a number of firearms of different makes and models. No mystery there except where it was while outside the country.

[Phideaux]

Yeah Hobie, thats my typo, it's a 44 WCF. That was my assumption also that it was re-imported by Century. Just wondered if that was common or ? Anyway wonder where it could have been.

Thanks,
Phideaux

[Modoc ED]

Century arms is not know for quick responses but a letter to them with a description of your rifle and the serial number may bring a response from them as to where they imported the rifle from.

[pokey]

don't know the answer to your mystery.

i like your screen name, though. are you a creole puppy?

welcome home, by the way.

[jlchucker]

a Century Arms executive is/was a member of my gun club. Seems like I remember a conversation up at the range one day a few years ago when he said that Century had re-imported a bunch of 92's. For reasons I can't remember, they were unable to put them on the market at that time. I'd completely forgotten about all of this until this thread started. Apparently they had been originally acquired by some foreign agency--I can't even remember the country, but there had been a problem re-importing them, so they had been warehoused. I remember him saying that they were 44-40's. This sounds like perhaps one of those guns.

[Buck Elliott]

A literal TON of winchester '92s were sent to England, under the Lend-Lease program, for use by the British Home Guard. My guess is that this rifle was among that buch.

[Hobie]

A literal TON of Winchester '92s were sent to England, under the Lend-Lease program, for use by the British Home Guard. My guess is that this rifle was among that bunch.

That was my thought but... I don't know. Did they prove those guns? It should have British proof marks on it then...

[Phideaux]

Many thanks for the replies. I don't see anything that looks like British proof marks or any other proof marks, except for the original Winchester proofs.

Phideaux

[olyinaz]

While it wouldn't have British "proof" marks I supposed it might have Brittish acceptance stamps of some sort if it were a lend/lease item. And weren't those also marked "Property of the United States" as well? I dunno. All I do know is that it was out of country and was re-imported so according to current U.S. law it had to be defaced. Absolutely grinds my gears how stupid this import stamp garbage is.

Best,
Oly

[Pete44ru]

It "could" be (fun, heh ?) that the gun was one of many that were sent to England, but not accepted, and so warehoused for the duration (sic), until Century boughten the batch - The Brits wouldn't prove something they weren't goint to accept, or something in limbo.

.

[Old Time Hunter]

Spain...they came from Spain, their police force was armed with them. For some reason Spain moth ball'd the original Winchester 92's for their on '92 copies starting right after Franco took over.

[Lawyer Daggit]

I did not think Lend Lease gear could ever be reimported into the US. It was a condition of sale to protect the US economy against a flood of x-mil gear.

I recall seeing photos of trucks and aircraft being rolled off the deck of carriers in the Pacific to meet contractual obligations.

[Old Time Hunter]

I did not think Lend Lease gear could ever be reimported into the US. It was a condition of sale to protect the US economy against a flood of x-mil gear.

I recall seeing photos of trucks and aircraft being rolled off the deck of carriers in the Pacific to meet contractual obligations.

So, that is the reason my Uncle took pictures of him and his crew bulldozing into a lake piles, upon piles of US small arms that were returned by Allies after WWII. He took some very interesting pictures of Thompson sub-machine guns, M-1 Garands, 1903-A3s, BAR's, and M-1 Carbines being either buried or dumped into a lake in occupied Germany after the war. He said they even dumped Jeeps in there...guess we didn't have alot of greenies back then.

[missionary5155]

Good morning And WELCOME about !
Lend Lease-- 200+ Corsair F4U fighters and unknown number of TBF Torpedo planes were pushed overboard from British aircraft carriers after the end of the Pacific War.
Remember the Savage built 303´s , I have one... they are marked U. S. Property.
But back to the 1892 44-40.. before you try shooting it do a Throat Diameter check. Both mine measure .431+. Cast will shoot very nicely IF you load a .001+ oversize bullet. I only neck size my brass. 8 grain loads of Unique are very acurate. I use a soft lead mix and the impact at 50 yards is devastating on 100 pound plus critters.