By the early 1880s, Winchester was at a crossroads. Their popular Model 1876, an enlarged version of the classic Model 1873, had made a name for itself as a solid rifle, but it had one big limitation—it wasn’t quite strong enough to handle the big-bore, high-power cartridges that were becoming essential for serious hunting and long-range shooting. The toggle-link action, which had served Winchester well since the days of the Henry rifle, simply wasn’t up to the task. Enter John Moses Browning.
When John Moses Browning joined forces with Winchester, he didn’t just design rifles and carbines—he crafted tools that shaped the American frontier and beyond.
The .45-70 Government (45-70) cartridge is a piece of American firearms lore, a bridge between the black powder cartridge past and the smokeless powder present.
If you’re considering hunting with a lever-action rifle, the question is, what caliber do you choose? For your consideration, here are my top three choices for lever-action calibers for hunting.
The Model 71 was designed as an improved (and stronger) variant of John M. Browning’s original Model 1886. It was listed in the 348 W.C.F. cartridge only, and ultimately, it was the only rifle ever manufactured for that cartridge/caliber.
I’ve been a gun collector for many years but I have one special gun I’d like to tell you about. The rifle is a Winchester Model 1886 chambered in .40-82 WCF and it was made in 1894. It has a 26-inch round barrel and is in decent shape, but shows wear from many years of use. The only thing unusual about it is that the case-hardened receiver is engraved “Arapahoe County”.
My love for Winchesters came about because of my grandfather. He is an unbelievable shot and had me shooting his Model 1894 from the age of four. It was an instant addiction to all things Winchester. The first time I saw a ‘95 was on the famous “The Kind That Gets Them” poster as a teenager. From then on I knew I would endeavor to own one of these majestic rifles.
Guest Blog Post by Scott Severson of HuntTested.com: The lever action rifle has been with us for over 160 years, ever since Benjamin Tyler Henry patented the first practical lever action repeating rifle. Despite being long in the tooth, the lever action is having a moment right now. Lever guns are more popular and I’ll say it, they are better quality than ever. The resurgence is well-founded in the quality and inherent utility of this venerable platform. If you’re a hunter considering a lever gun, take a look at these four reasons I love to hunt with lever action rifles.
Subscribe to our newsletter for red dot mount inventory updates, and more. What is a red dot sight? A red dot sight is a simple type of optic made to be used at close to moderate ranges. A small, red dot is used...