Rare 92 win in 45 ACP ??

[243dave]

This morning while browsing thru the local gun shop a little ole 92 caught my eye, it was chambered in 45acp. The story I got was it was exported to South America years ago to a police department and the markings on the reciever seem to bear this as fact. Also it appeared it was made with a 14 inch barrel and someone in order to get it legal for import back to the states put a 2 inch rifled extension on it, it was well done years before and I didn't notice it until the man pointed it out. The rifle was in good shape for its age and the bore looked in excellent condition. I really wanted this little rifle until I flipped over the tag and it said $6,000 on it. Oh, well, Santa Claus is broke this year and I know I wasn't that good anyway but it sure was an interesting rifle. Have any of you seen one like it, or is it as rare as I believe it is ?? Dave

[Griff]

Unlike those folks on 60Minutes this past Sunday, I don't have total recall; but have heard folks wonder about converting a '92 to 45ACP. While extraction is not a problem, feeding sure seems as though it would be difficult to control. With no rim, controlling the rear of the cartridge would be difficult... Pics would be nice!!! And a 14" barrel would be fine to stabilize the boolits, but would short ya on mag capacity! Silly regulation anyway.

[Hobie]

This has been discussed here and there are a couple of articles out there (somewhere) on this subject. IIRC it was a Mexican contract, they didn't feed (?) all that well and they really aren't all that rare compared to some variations.

[243dave]

Thanks for the info. I had never seen one and thought it might be something rare and unusual. Thats why I come here to ask questions, you fellers know a good bit more about levers than I do. Plus I don't get out much so a 94 chambered in 32 special is a rare gun to me. Here is a link to some photos in case someone is interested. http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=508708

[Sixgun]

The gun is a late model 1892 that someone converted. The "45 L.C." stamp where the caliber is usually marked is a later addition. Most likely a shot out 44-40.

I probably have most every reference book on Winchesters and have never read of such a thing. There would be no reason for a special ordered gun in 45 when the proven 44 WCF was available, not to mention Winchester putting in the time, effort, and dollars in research in a gun that would have questionable reliability.

Once again, there are always dealers out to sucker someone out of 6 g's for a rifle that is worth, at tops, $400.--------------Sixgun

[243dave]

Sixgun, check out the link I have above it has some good pics of a identical gun except the rear sight on that one doesn't look original. Its chambered in 45acp instead of 45 LC. Your right about about 6 G's though !!!

[adirondakjack]

I've heard of Mexican conversions that were done because the US gave Mexico a boat load of .45 ACP ammo along with 1917 revolvers and 1911 pistols,so they wanted to rework their rifles for the plentiful free ammo.

I've also heard they work somewhat if at all, as the '92 is not real happy digesting the short fodder.

[peter richards]

I picked one of these rifles up in Sydney, Australia about 5 years ago, marked Polica Prov Santa Fe. I thought it meant Santa Fe, New Mexico, but is actually for a suburb of Mexico City, Mexico. Mine was originally a 44-40, and shoots & feeds 45 ACP fine. I read somewhere that they were converted in the late 1920's.

[Sixgun]

It don't matter---any conversion done by anybody on any Winchester, is just that--a conversion. Winchester never made that animal. If that was a special order item from New Haven, I would have seen 'em for sale.

It may very well be a period conversion, that was probably done in numbers by an unknown company for those individuals south of the border. I still don't like 'em---the guns or the individuals ------------Sixgun

[Nate Kiowa Jones]

It don't matter---any conversion done by anybody on any Winchester, is just that--a conversion. Winchester never made that animal. If that was a special order item from New Haven, I would have seen 'em for sale.

It may very well be a period conversion, that was probably done in numbers by an unknown company for those individuals south of the border. I still don't like 'em---the guns or the individuals ------------Sixgun

I don't know who converted them to 45acp but there was a bunch sent to South America for various LEO's. I've had two here for work and niether one worked well with 45acp. 92's work best with ammo in the 1.5" +- range.

In my 30 something year of dealing in guns the one thing I have learned is never say never. Just about the time you do someone hands you one to ponder over.