GunSerialsWinchester Model 1892 (Model 92) serial numbers by year
Browning's smaller lever-action rifle for ammunition such as .44-40, .38-40, .32-20, and .25-20. Winchester made more than a million.
- Produced:
- 1892–1941
- Action:
- lever-action
- Most common caliber:
- 44 WCF
New to gun terms? Start here
- Model:
- The name of the gun design, such as Model 94. A model name that looks like a year does not tell you when your gun was made.
- Serial number:
- The number stamped on an individual gun. Include letters that are part of the number. A separate letter stamped above it, like the Model 97's C, D or E, is a different marking.
- Receiver:
- The main metal body just behind the barrel. The receiver ring is its front section, where the barrel joins it.
- Tang:
- A strip of metal extending from the receiver into the stock. The lower tang runs underneath, behind the trigger.
- Stock:
- The part you hold against your shoulder, usually made of wood on older Winchesters.
- Forearm or forend:
- The part under the barrel where your forward hand holds the gun.
- Action:
- The mechanism that loads and removes cartridges. Names such as lever action, pump action, and bolt action describe how it works.
- Caliber or gauge:
- The ammunition size or type a gun is designed to use. This marking is different from the model and serial number.
- Takedown:
- A version designed to separate into major sections for storage. A takedown joint is where those sections meet.
- Proof mark:
- A factory testing mark, such as Winchester's oval WP stamp. It is not a serial number or a date code.
- Peep or aperture sight:
- A rear sight with a small hole to look through. A hooded front sight has a cover around it.
What year was your Model 92 made?
Need help finding the serial number?
Look up a serial number and print a one-page record sheet: the date and its sources, the status by age, the model in brief, and the auction price range.
Does the barrel say Made in Japan, or does the serial number have letters in the middle? Then it is a modern reissue with its own numbers. How to tell an original from a reissue.
Winchester Model 92 value: what it sells for at auction
Enter your serial number above to highlight the price categories that fit the estimated date and see recent sales of this model in those categories.
These prices come from 528 Winchester Model 1892s sold individually at Rock Island Auction Company (238), Morphy Auctions (99), Poulin Auctions (86), Redding Auction Services (38), and Amoskeag Auction Company (67) between Sep 2023 and Sep 2026. The age-group rows use the auction companies' categories: antique, curio and relic, or modern.
The typical price is the middle price, also called the median. Half sold for more and half for less. The middle 50% range leaves out the lowest quarter and highest quarter of prices. The wider 80% range leaves out the lowest tenth and highest tenth.
We leave out listings described as deluxe, special-order, engraved, restored, or commemorative, and other exceptions in the value guide. Commemoratives are priced on their own page. Wear, repairs, original parts, and factory upgrades can make a particular gun worth more or less. These figures are a comparison, not an appraisal of your gun. Looking for a 44 WCF Model 92? These rows combine all ammunition types listed for the model. They do not give a separate price for 44 WCF.
| Category | Sales | Middle 50% of prices | Typical price | Middle 80% of prices |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Antiquemade before 1899 | 115 | $1,592 – $3,819 | $2,232 | $1,154 – $5,581 |
| Curio & Reliccollector category, usually 50+ years old | 413 | $1,100 – $3,231 | $1,573 | $840 – $7,170 |
Antique: Rock Island Auction Company typical $2,938 (59 sales); Poulin Auctions typical $1,573 (24 sales).
Curio & Relic: Rock Island Auction Company typical $2,350 (179 sales); Morphy Auctions typical $1,320 (80 sales); Poulin Auctions typical $1,342 (62 sales); Redding Auction Services typical $1,000 (36 sales); Amoskeag Auction Company typical $1,392 (56 sales).
Prices by version
Sales whose listing names a version, grouped by that version, such as rifle or carbine (a shorter rifle). These rows combine all ages.
| Version | Sales | Middle 50% of prices | Typical price | Middle 80% of prices |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rifle | 334 | $1,098 – $2,541 | $1,586 | $847 – $4,651 |
| Carbine | 192 | $1,244 – $5,361 | $2,160 | $922 – $11,750 |
Prices by caliber
The cartridge or gauge can change what a Model 1892 sells for. These rows use the 311 sales whose listing names one, with old and new names for the same cartridge counted together (the .30 WCF is the .30-30). They combine all ages.
| Caliber | Sales | Middle 50% of prices | Typical price | Middle 80% of prices |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| .44-40 | 94 | $2,178 – $8,518 | $3,819 | $1,586 – $17,272 |
| .25-20 | 72 | $1,058 – $2,262 | $1,410 | $922 – $3,525 |
| .38-40 | 65 | $1,350 – $4,112 | $1,998 | $1,065 – $6,462 |
| .32-20 | 64 | $1,058 – $2,350 | $1,645 | $807 – $4,642 |
Recent Model 1892 auction sales
A sample from each age group: sales near its typical price and the newest. Look up a serial number above to see only your gun's group. A lot number identifies an item in an auction.
| Sold | Gun | Auction company | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 2026 | Antique · Model 1892 · Rifle | Poulin lot 3164 | $2,196 |
| Feb 2026 | Antique · Model 1892 · Rifle | Poulin lot 3163 | $1,830 |
| Aug 2026 | Antique · Model 1892 · Rifle · 44-40 WCF | Rock Island lot 33 | $5,581 |
| Dec 2025 | Curio & Relic · Model 1892 · Carbine · 32 WCF | Morphy lot 2114 | $1,536 |
| Dec 2025 | Curio & Relic · Model 1892 · Rifle | Morphy lot 2115 | $1,664 |
| Aug 2026 | Curio & Relic · Model 1892 · Rifle | Amoskeag lot 2371 | $665 |
Prices are in US dollars and include the buyer’s premium, the auction company’s fee added to the winning bid, where the house charges one; Redding charges none. They are not the amount the seller receives. A dealer’s offer or private sale price may differ. The full picture, model by model →
Where the serial number is
Bottom front of receiver, toward the forearm.
Why the sources give different years
The dates for the Winchester Model 1892 come from factory record books held at the Cody Firearms Museum, George Madis's reference books, and Winchester's customer-service list. These sources can give different years for the same serial number. Original records usually provide stronger evidence than later estimates. Check the notes to see whether a source dates numbering, assembly, or another step.
Madis vs. factory dates shows examples from models whose tables disagree on this site.
Sources for this model: WACA-reported CFM/Polishing Room SNA year end · Legacy Madis/Pirkle year end · Winchester customer-service list (2012)
How long from numbering to shipping? Half the Model 1892 guns in our sample shipped within 42 days →
How accurate are these tables?
We compared numbering dates from published factory letters with the table years. Each table is checked only against serials it covers, so the sample sizes differ. Here is how often each table matched the year in those records:
- Winchester's own customer-service list (2012): 12 of 35 recorded years match the table year (25 match or differ by no more than one year).
These checks describe the letters in our sample, not every gun made. Exceptions to number order and gaps or errors in records can affect individual dates.
Winchester Model 1892 serial numbers by year
The full Model 1892 serial number chart, one table for each source available here. Each row gives the numbers that source assigns to a year. Both the first and last numbers are included.
A row marked “sources differ” is a serial range that another table on this page dates to a different year. A row marked “approximate” is a figure we trust less than the rest of its table: a boundary the sources put a few serials apart, or a figure a later record corrects.
Factory records (Cody Firearms Museum)
Drawn from Winchester's original factory records. Numbering records date when serial numbers were stamped. The gun could be finished or shipped later; see this model's notes.
Cited as: WACA-reported CFM/Polishing Room SNA year end
| Year | Serial numbers |
|---|---|
| 1892 | through 7,121 |
| 1893sources differ | 7,122 – 22,804 |
| 1894–1898sources differ | 22,805 – 103,328 |
- 1894–1898: This range runs from the end of 1893 through 1898. It is not a single year.
George Madis's published tables
George Madis compiled Winchester reference books years after production. His tables estimate the last serial number reached each year.
Cited as: Legacy Madis/Pirkle year end
| Year | Serial numbers |
|---|---|
| 1892sources differ | through 23,701 |
| 1893sources differ | 23,702 – 35,987 |
| 1894–1898approximate | 35,988 – 165,431 |
- 1892: This row dates early. The Cody Firearms Museum holds 4 factory letters for serials in this range, and they show the number was stamped 1 to 2 years after 1892. The table drawn from George Madis's tables runs ahead of the factory ledgers until about 1903, when the two agree again.
- 1893: This row dates early. The Cody Firearms Museum holds 1 factory letter for a serial in this range, and it shows the number was stamped 1 year after 1893. The table drawn from George Madis's tables runs ahead of the factory ledgers until about 1903, when the two agree again.
- 1894–1898: This range runs from the end of 1893 through 1898. It is not a single year.
Winchester's own customer-service list (2012)
A list Winchester prepared to answer owners' questions. It combines records and estimates, as the list itself explains.
Cited as: Winchester customer-service list (2012)
| Year | Serial numbers |
|---|---|
| 1892sources differ | 1 – 23,701 |
| 1893sources differ | 23,702 – 35,987 |
| 1894approximate | 35,988 – 73,508 |
| 1895approximate | 73,509 – 106,721 |
| 1896approximate | 106,722 – 144,935 |
| 1897approximate | 144,936 – 159,312 |
| 1898 | 159,313 – 165,431 |
| 1899 | 165,432 – 171,820 |
| 1900 | 171,821 – 183,411 |
| 1901 | 183,412 – 191,787 |
| 1902 | 191,788 – 208,871 |
| 1903 | 208,872 – 253,935 |
| 1904 | 253,936 – 278,546 |
| 1905 | 278,547 – 315,425 |
| 1906 | 315,426 – 376,496 |
| 1907 | 376,497 – 437,919 |
| 1908 | 437,920 – 476,540 |
| 1909 | 476,541 – 522,162 |
| 1910 | 522,163 – 586,996 |
| 1911 | 586,997 – 643,483 |
| 1912 | 643,484 – 694,752 |
| 1913 | 694,753 – 742,675 |
| 1914 | 742,676 – 771,441 |
| 1915 | 771,442 – 804,622 |
| 1916 | 804,623 – 830,031 |
| 1917 | 830,032 – 853,819 |
| 1918 | 853,820 – 870,942 |
| 1919 | 870,943 – 903,649 |
| 1920 | 903,650 – 906,754 |
| 1921 | 906,755 – 910,476 |
| 1922 | 910,477 – 917,300 |
| 1923 | 917,301 – 926,329 |
| 1924 | 926,330 – 938,641 |
| 1925 | 938,642 – 954,997 |
| 1926 | 954,998 – 973,896 |
| 1927 | 973,897 – 990,883 |
| 1928 | 990,884 – 996,517 |
| 1929 | 996,518 – 999,238 |
| 1930 | 999,239 – 999,730 |
| 1931 | 999,731 – 1,000,727 |
| 1932 | 1,000,728 – 1,001,324 |
- 1892: This row dates early. The Cody Firearms Museum holds 4 factory letters for serials in this range, and they show the number was stamped 1 to 2 years after 1892. The table drawn from George Madis's tables runs ahead of the factory ledgers until about 1903, when the two agree again.
- 1893: This row dates early. The Cody Firearms Museum holds 1 factory letter for a serial in this range, and it shows the number was stamped 1 year after 1893. The table drawn from George Madis's tables runs ahead of the factory ledgers until about 1903, when the two agree again.
- 1894: This row dates early. The Cody Firearms Museum holds 4 factory letters for serials in this range, and they show the number was stamped 1 to 3 years after 1894. The table drawn from George Madis's tables runs ahead of the factory ledgers until about 1903, when the two agree again.
- 1895: This row dates early. The Cody Firearms Museum holds 1 factory letter for a serial in this range, and it shows the number was stamped 3 years after 1895. The table drawn from George Madis's tables runs ahead of the factory ledgers until about 1903, when the two agree again.
- 1896: This row dates early. The Cody Firearms Museum holds 2 factory letters for serials in this range, and they show the number was stamped 4 years after 1896. The table drawn from George Madis's tables runs ahead of the factory ledgers until about 1903, when the two agree again.
- 1897: This row dates early. The Cody Firearms Museum holds 2 factory letters for serials in this range, and they show the number was stamped 3 to 4 years after 1897. The table drawn from George Madis's tables runs ahead of the factory ledgers until about 1903, when the two agree again.
- 1899–1902: No factory letters were checked for this range. The same table runs one to four years early through 1897 and matches the letters again from 1903, so treat this year as approximate.
What to know about Model 1892 serial numbers
- Numbers stamped on the lower tang, under the stock, may be internal assembly marks. Do not use one in place of the serial number on the receiver.
- The older published year table by George Madis and Pirkle does not agree with the original factory records at the Cody Firearms Museum, which record the date the serial number was stamped.
- Factory letters from the Cody Firearms Museum show that the yearly table drawn from George Madis's tables dates serials below about 160,000 one to four years too early. Winchester's own customer-service list repeats the same figures. All 14 of the 14 letters checked in the 1892 to 1897 rows show the number was stamped later than the year the table gives. From 1903 on the table agrees with the letters.
- These dates record when the serial number was stamped on the receiver. They do not tell you when the gun was finished, received in the warehouse, or shipped.
- For one particular gun, look up its own surviving record at the Cody Firearms Museum, either the warehouse record or the record of the date the serial number was stamped. That is better than estimating a date from either table.
- Some Model 53 and Model 65 rifles were numbered in the Model 92 sequence, with nothing to set them apart.
- Serials 1,006,822 to 1,007,608 in the factory records at the Cody Firearms Museum are leftover parts assembled after regular production ended. They run above the last numbers in the tables of George Madis and OldGuns, and there is a gap in the records in between. Do not assume production ran without a break.
- The two sources disagree about the pre-1899 antique cutoff, the line federal law uses to treat a gun as an antique. George Madis's tables put it at 165,431. The factory records at the Cody Firearms Museum put it at 103,328, which is 62,103 serials lower.
- Winchester's own customer-service list is a retyped compilation, not the original records. The list itself says that no complete original serial record from 1866 onward is known to exist, and that some of its figures are estimates.
Related models, and why
These models share a number sequence, replaced this model, or look similar. Each link explains the connection.
Winchester rifles usually made without serial numbers
These models usually have no serial number. Their pages explain the exceptions and how their features may help estimate age.
Need more detail? Check for factory records
The Cody Firearms Records Office can check for surviving records for your serial number. For a fee, it can issue a letter reporting what they say. Some records contain only dates; others also describe the gun’s original features.
The office’s May 2024 coverage sheet lists these Model 1892 serial numbers: 1–344,149; 345,050–374,850; 376,149–917,240; 1,006,822–1,007,608. Check current availability with the office before ordering; a listed range does not guarantee a record for every number.
Order a factory letter from the Cody Firearms Museum →What a factory letter shows, and when one is worth ordering →
What special-order features the Model 1892 records describe →