North American Auction Company
Live Auction

Early October American Indian & Western Sale

Sat, Oct 3, 2020 11:00AM EDT
Lot 107

Winchester Model 55 Lever Action .30 WCF Rifle

Estimate: $1,400 - $2,200

Bid Increments

Price Bid Increment
$0 $5
$50 $10
$100 $25
$500 $50
$1,000 $100
$2,000 $250
$5,000 $500
$10,000 $1,000
$25,000 $2,500
$100,000 $5,000
Included in this lot is an extremely rare, limited production Winchester Model 55 lever action rifle in desirable .30 WCF (.30-30 Winchester) caliber. The Model 55 was designed to be an “up-dated” version of the famed Model 1894 rifle. It was made with a 24” round barrel, half magazine and typically a shotgun butt plate. The Model 55 was mainly produced in very small annual numbers from 1924 - 1932 (along with manufacture of the standard Model 1894) with a few more produced during the worst of the Great Depression (when sales were exceptionally slow) into 1935. After 1935 a very few more Model 55s were produced from left over parts with almost all being completed by 1936. This very late and unusual example with serial number 1167382 was made in 1938, two years AFTER assembly of parts were supposed to be exhausted! This rifle may be the very LAST Model 55 ever put together by Winchester! Further, it is fitted with a non-standard carbine style butt stock and butt plate which may indicate that all Model 55 parts were collected for this last rifle except a butt stock so it was fitted with a carbine butt stock to complete the rifle. The barrel retains excellent blue with correct and sharp “MODEL 55 – WINCHESTER – NICKEL STEEL – 30 WCF -” markings. The upper tang also shows sharp and correct Winchester markings. The barrel is also fitted with the correct short ramp front sight with dovetailed blade/bead while the receiver is fitted with a receiver fully adjustable aperture sight. The receiver also retains fine lightly aged blue with excellent screw heads and bright blue on the bolt and loading gate. The walnut forearm and butt stock show only the lightest of handling. The bore is bright and minty with sharp rifling throughout. With only 20,580 Model 55s produced in 8-10 years, surviving examples in any condition are scarce. This is a most unusual Model 55 and very well could represent the last in the line that was discontinued because of the Great Depression and later World War II. Certainly, one of the better and more unusual of the entire Winchester Lever Action line of rifles, the Model 55 remains a very desirable Winchester collectable. This firearm qualifies as a Curio & Relic, and requires FFL Transfer or NICS Background Check.
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