Winchester Model 1895 (Model 95) serial numbers by year
Browning’s box-magazine lever action for pointed smokeless cartridges, from the .30-40 Krag to the .405 Winchester, including some 300,000 muskets built for Imperial Russia.
- Produced:
- 1895–1940
- Action:
- lever-action
What year was your Model 95 made?
Winchester Model 95 value: what it sells for at auction
168 Winchester Model 1895s sold one gun to a lot at Rock Island Auction Company (127) and Morphy Auctions (41) between Sep 2023 and Sep 2026. The table groups them the way the auction house coded each lot: antique, curio and relic, or modern. Half of the guns in each row sold inside the “most sell between” range; a quarter sold below it and a quarter above. Eight in ten sold inside the wider “nearly all between” range.
Standard guns only. Left out: deluxe and special-order guns (checkered or fancy wood, pistol grips, odd barrel lengths, special sights), engraved, inscribed, presentation, and commemorative pieces, and lots of two or more guns. A deluxe or special-order gun sells for more than these figures, often several times more. Condition and originality drive most of the spread inside a row.
Enter your serial number above and this section picks out the row for your gun’s era and lists the most recent sales like it.
| Era | Sales | Most sell between | Typical | Nearly all between |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Antiquemade before 1899 | 26 | $2,042 – $4,700 | $2,791 | $1,821 – $5,434 |
| Curio & Relicat least 50 years old at the time of sale | 142 | $1,528 – $4,039 | $2,350 | $1,175 – $7,579 |
By configuration
The same sales split by what the lot title called the gun, all eras together.
| Configuration | Sales | Most sell between | Typical | Nearly all between |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rifle | 110 | $1,528 – $3,231 | $2,115 | $1,175 – $5,023 |
| Carbine | 35 | $1,468 – $4,260 | $2,644 | $1,175 – $5,757 |
| Musket | 21 | $4,112 – $7,800 | $5,581 | $2,938 – $9,600 |
These are sold prices for standard guns, not an appraisal. Prices realized as published by each house after the sale; both houses' figures include the buyer's premium. A dealer buying for resale will offer less than these figures; a private sale between collectors often lands near the typical price for the gun’s condition. If your gun has factory upgrades, a factory letter that confirms them is what moves it above these numbers. Updated after each major sale. The full picture, model by model →
Where the serial number is
Lower tang (bottom of receiver, in front of trigger guard).
Why the sources give different years
Nobody kept one official list of which Winchester Model 1895 serial numbers were made in which year. The dates come from the original factory record books, now held by the Cody Firearms Museum, the tables in George Madis's Winchester books, compiled decades after the guns were made, and a list typed up by Winchester's customer-service desk, which mixes real records with estimates. For some serial numbers these sources are years apart, so this page shows what each one says instead of picking one.
Madis vs. factory dates lists every model where the sources part ways, with a real serial number from each.
Sources for this model: Madis year-end table · CFM/Polishing Room SNA year-end table · Winchester customer-service list (2012)
How accurate are these tables?
A factory letter from the Cody Firearms Museum gives the exact date a serial number was stamped. We collected Model 1895 letters that have been published in auction catalogs and checked each one against the tables on this page. A table is checked only against the letters whose serials it covers, so the counts differ from table to table. A table earns trust when the letters land in the year it gives:
- George Madis's published tables and Winchester's own customer-service list (2012) (they print the same year-end figures): 9 of 19 letters land in the year they assign (17 within a year).
- Factory records (Cody Firearms Museum): 19 of 19 letters land in the year it assigns.
Winchester did not always stamp serial numbers in order, so an occasional one-year miss is normal even for a table built from the original factory books. Consistent misses are not.
Winchester Model 1895 serial numbers by year
The full Model 1895 serial number chart, one table for each published source. Each row gives the serial numbers that source assigns to a year. Find the row your number falls in.
A row marked “sources differ” is a serial range that another table on this page dates to a different year. For the Model 1895 that is true of most of the run, so treat any single year as an estimate and read the notes below the tables. A row marked “approximate” comes from a table whose figures are estimates rather than factory records.
George Madis's published tables
From George Madis's Winchester books, a collector reference compiled decades after production. The figures are year-end estimates, not counts from the factory books.
Cited as: Madis year-end table
| Year | Serial numbers |
|---|---|
| 1895sources differ | 1 – 287 |
| 1896sources differ | 288 – 5,715 |
| 1897sources differ | 5,716 – 7,814 |
| 1898approximate | 7,815 – 19,871 |
| 1899sources differ | 19,872 – 26,434 |
| 1900 | 26,435 – 29,817 |
| 1901 | 29,818 – 31,584 |
| 1902sources differ | 31,585 – 35,601 |
| 1903sources differ | 35,602 – 42,514 |
| 1904sources differ | 42,515 – 47,805 |
| 1905sources differ | 47,806 – 54,783 |
| 1906 | 54,784 – 55,011 |
| 1907sources differ | 55,012 – 57,351 |
| 1908sources differ | 57,352 – 60,002 |
| 1909sources differ | 60,003 – 60,951 |
| 1910sources differ | 60,952 – 63,771 |
| 1911sources differ | 63,772 – 65,017 |
| 1912sources differ | 65,018 – 67,331 |
| 1913sources differ | 67,332 – 70,823 |
| 1914sources differ | 70,824 – 72,082 |
| 1915sources differ | 72,083 – 174,233 |
| 1916 | 174,234 – 377,411 |
| 1917sources differ | 377,412 – 389,106 |
| 1918sources differ | 389,107 – 392,731 |
| 1919sources differ | 392,732 – 397,250 |
| 1920sources differ | 397,251 – 400,463 |
| 1921sources differ | 400,464 – 404,075 |
| 1922sources differ | 404,076 – 407,200 |
| 1923sources differ | 407,201 – 410,289 |
| 1924sources differ | 410,290 – 413,276 |
| 1925sources differ | 413,277 – 417,402 |
| 1926sources differ | 417,403 – 419,533 |
| 1927sources differ | 419,534 – 421,584 |
| 1928sources differ | 421,585 – 422,676 |
| 1929sources differ | 422,677 – 423,680 |
| 1930sources differ | 423,681 – 424,181 |
| 1931sources differ | 424,182 – 425,132 |
| 1932sources differ | 425,133 – 425,825 |
| 1933–1934 | 425,826 – 425,929 |
| 1935 | 425,930 – 426,104 |
| 1936 | 426,105 – 426,348 |
| 1937 | 426,349 – 426,712 |
| 1938 | 426,713 – 426,729 |
| 1939 | 426,730 – 426,747 |
| 1940 | 426,748 – 426,754 |
- 1898: The factory records at the Cody Firearms Museum give 19,567 as the last receiver numbered in 1898. George Madis's tables give 19,871. The two differ by 304 serial numbers. Use 19,567 and below for the pre-1899 antique cutoff that the Cody records support.
- 1899: The pre-1899 antique cutoff is disputed. It is 19,567 in the factory records at the Cody Firearms Museum and 19,871 in George Madis's tables. For a serial from 19,568 to 19,871, you need an individual factory record to confirm the date.
- 1915: The huge jump in 1915 and 1916 is mostly muskets built on a Russian contract.
- 1916: The huge jump in 1915 and 1916 is mostly muskets built on a Russian contract.
- 1933–1934: George Madis's tables give no last serial for 1933, so this row covers 1933 and 1934.
- 1935–1939: George Madis's tables carry small production from leftover parts through 1940.
- 1940: George Madis's tables carry small production from leftover parts through 1940, ending at 426,754.
Factory records (Cody Firearms Museum)
The original Winchester factory ledgers, now held at the Cody Firearms Museum. They record the day each serial number was stamped, which is usually close to when the gun was finished.
Cited as: CFM/Polishing Room SNA year-end table
| Year | Serial numbers |
|---|---|
| 1895 | 1 – 56 |
| 1896 | 57 – 2,783 |
| 1897sources differ | 2,784 – 5,734 |
| 1898approximate | 5,735 – 19,567 |
| 1899approximate | 19,568 – 24,311 |
| 1900sources differ | 24,312 – 29,808 |
| 1901sources differ | 29,809 – 34,615 |
| 1902sources differ | 34,616 – 39,459 |
| 1903sources differ | 39,460 – 43,963 |
| 1904 | 43,964 – 48,444 |
| 1905 | 48,445 – 52,099 |
| 1906sources differ | 52,100 – 56,688 |
| 1907sources differ | 56,689 – 62,041 |
| 1908sources differ | 62,042 – 64,326 |
| 1909sources differ | 64,327 – 68,094 |
| 1910sources differ | 68,095 – 72,565 |
| 1911sources differ | 72,566 – 76,030 |
| 1912sources differ | 76,031 – 80,423 |
| 1913sources differ | 80,424 – 84,889 |
| 1914sources differ | 84,890 – 99,264 |
| 1915sources differ | 99,265 – 211,410 |
| 1916 | 211,411 – 400,166 |
| 1917sources differ | 400,167 – 403,773 |
| 1918sources differ | 403,774 – 403,791 |
| 1919sources differ | 403,792 – 405,391 |
| 1920sources differ | 405,392 – 409,662 |
| 1921sources differ | 409,663 – 412,928 |
| 1922sources differ | 412,929 – 416,355 |
| 1923sources differ | 416,356 – 419,730 |
| 1924sources differ | 419,731 – 420,874 |
| 1925sources differ | 420,875 – 421,337 |
| 1926sources differ | 421,338 – 423,100 |
| 1927sources differ | 423,101 – 423,370 |
| 1928sources differ | 423,371 – 423,779 |
| 1929sources differ | 423,780 – 424,651 |
| 1930sources differ | 424,652 – 424,662 |
| 1931sources differ | 424,663 – 425,523 |
| 1932 | 425,524 – 425,825 |
| 1933 | 425,826 – 425,881 |
- 1898: The factory records at the Cody Firearms Museum give 19,567 as the last receiver numbered in 1898. George Madis's tables give 19,871. The two differ by 304 serial numbers. Use 19,567 and below for the pre-1899 antique cutoff that the Cody records support.
- 1899: The pre-1899 antique cutoff is disputed. It is 19,567 in the factory records at the Cody Firearms Museum and 19,871 in George Madis's tables. For a serial from 19,568 to 19,871, you need an individual factory record to confirm the date.
- 1915: The huge jump in 1915 and 1916 is mostly muskets built on a Russian contract.
- 1916: The huge jump in 1915 and 1916 is mostly muskets built on a Russian contract.
- 1933: The factory records at the Cody Firearms Museum stop at 425,881 in 1933.
Winchester's own customer-service list (2012)
A year-by-year list Winchester's customer-service desk typed up to answer owners' letters. Partly real records and partly estimates, as the list itself says.
Cited as: Winchester customer-service list (2012)
| Year | Serial numbers |
|---|---|
| 1895sources differ | 1 – 287 |
| 1896sources differ | 288 – 5,715 |
| 1897sources differ | 5,716 – 7,814 |
| 1898 | 7,815 – 19,871 |
| 1899sources differ | 19,872 – 26,434 |
| 1900 | 26,435 – 29,817 |
| 1901 | 29,818 – 31,584 |
| 1902sources differ | 31,585 – 35,601 |
| 1903sources differ | 35,602 – 42,514 |
| 1904sources differ | 42,515 – 47,805 |
| 1905sources differ | 47,806 – 54,783 |
| 1906 | 54,784 – 55,011 |
| 1907sources differ | 55,012 – 57,351 |
| 1908sources differ | 57,352 – 60,002 |
| 1909sources differ | 60,003 – 60,951 |
| 1910sources differ | 60,952 – 63,771 |
| 1911sources differ | 63,772 – 65,017 |
| 1912sources differ | 65,018 – 67,331 |
| 1913sources differ | 67,332 – 70,823 |
| 1914sources differ | 70,824 – 72,082 |
| 1915sources differ | 72,083 – 174,233 |
| 1916 | 174,234 – 377,411 |
| 1917sources differ | 377,412 – 389,106 |
| 1918sources differ | 389,107 – 392,731 |
| 1919sources differ | 392,732 – 397,250 |
| 1920sources differ | 397,251 – 400,463 |
| 1921sources differ | 400,464 – 404,075 |
| 1922sources differ | 404,076 – 407,200 |
| 1923sources differ | 407,201 – 410,289 |
| 1924sources differ | 410,290 – 413,276 |
| 1925sources differ | 413,277 – 417,402 |
| 1926sources differ | 417,403 – 419,533 |
| 1927sources differ | 419,534 – 421,584 |
| 1928sources differ | 421,585 – 422,676 |
| 1929sources differ | 422,677 – 423,680 |
| 1930sources differ | 423,681 – 424,181 |
| 1931sources differ | 424,182 – 425,132 |
| 1932sources differ | 425,133 – 425,825 |
What to know about Model 1895 serial numbers
- George Madis's tables and the factory records at the Cody Firearms Museum give different last serial numbers for each year. Do not split the difference between them.
- Federal antique status depends on the gun actually being made in or before 1898. For a serial in the disputed range 19,568 to 19,871, you need an individual factory record to confirm the date.
- George Madis's tables carry small production from leftover parts through 1940, ending at 426,754. The factory records at the Cody Firearms Museum stop at 425,881 in 1933.
- The huge jump in 1915 and 1916 is mostly muskets built on a Russian contract. It is real, not a copying mistake.
- An A or a B near the serial number marks a mechanical change. Do not read it as an extra digit of the serial number.
- 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.
Other Winchester lever-action rifles
Winchester rifles that never had a serial number
These have no serial number to look up. Their pages explain why, and how to date one from its features.
Want proof on paper? Order a factory letter
The Cody Firearms Museum holds Winchester’s original records and, for a fee, will search them for your serial number and send you a letter with the recorded dates and details. It is the closest thing to the original factory entry you can own, and it is what auction houses and appraisers accept.
Its records cover Model 1895 serial numbers: 1–425,881. A number outside that coverage cannot be lettered.
Order a factory letter from the Cody Firearms Museum →What a factory letter shows, and when one is worth ordering →