Winchester Model 1894 Hex barrel 30-30

[Non-Typical Solutions]

First the story:

I inherited this 30-30 which was originally my great grandpa's. According to the serial number it was built in 1917. The story that has been handed down with the rifle is that when Pancho Villa was raiding, these rifles were given to settlers in the southern part of Arizona by the government.

Sounds like a great story, and the date of the gun being built and the time Pancho was raiding puts the rifle at least at the right time frame, plus my great granpa did live in southern Arizona during that time period.

Anybody know any of the history that might verify such a story?

Thanks,

Jeff

[.270]

sounds like a cool gun, no matter what the story behind it is. back in the 60's PD built a new mercantile store in morenci and moved the stock from the old store in clifton to it. when they were moving things they found multiple cases of .30/30's, both winchesters and marlins, that they had bought in anticipation of a villa attack. pancho never made it there and they never distributed the rifles and they were forgotten about. they were new, still wrapped in grease paper. they put them on the rack and sold them first come first served for the price they were originally listed at. seems like $24. they didn't last long. i've seen several of them from that stash over the years. the marlins were incredible. octagonal barrels and case hardened actions. the wincesters i saw were octagonal barrels also, but the case hardening of the marlins was simply beautiful. this bunch of rifles you are talking about may be part of or kin to the same deal. i don't know all the details about the PD guns, but i know it had something to do with villa and his band of border trash. Lark.

[Non-Typical Solutions]

Grandpa Duke was in the Thatcher, Safford, Virden area back in the day, sure could be be same batch of guns. That is a pretty interesting story, thanks Lark.

[Coues24A]

I have the same rifle dated to 1913, if I remember right, it also has a Pancho Villa story. It was my great grandfather's as well, he worked in the mines near Mammoth. Does yours have the long barrel? The one I have does. It was in pieces when my grandfather gave it to me. A friend of mine put it together and its a lot of fun to shoot. I might use it on a Javelina hunt, if I get drawn.

[Non-Typical Solutions]

Yep, it has a long barrel, and it falls right into place when you throw it up to your shoulder, very easy to hold.

 

I just barely got it, haven't shot it yet, but I plan on killing something with it that is worthy of the gun. See what you can dig up about the story on the gun, I am interested.

Thanks

[ajohunter]

I remember when PD had a Pancho Villa arsenal at the mine in Ajo. The guns were still wrapped and in the wooden crates. They would give the rifles away to the top PD brass when they would visit the mine. I believe some were sold at the Company Store here also. Wish I could get my hands on one of those rifles!

[Non-Typical Solutions]

Here is an interesting twist to where this story might be headed. My son googled "Phelps Dodge Winchester", to make a long story short. Dodge in coherts with Winchester was shipping ammo to Mexico. Therefore a possible tie between PD and Winchester.

 

Interesting, here is the link to the book that talks about this.

 

http://books.google.com/books?id=yb3p5OlZgugC&pg=PA126&lpg=PA126&dq=phelps+dodge+winchester&source=bl&ots=qozR6GcVK8&sig=qLkTssH9ZjZFxvVUuizqWCgRAis&hl=en&ei=YyzWSZj3OI30tAPCvKmuCg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1#PPP14,M1