Fudd Friday: A Winchester 1895 Too Nice For The Job It Was Made For 

I read a lot of books by old hunters, and about old hunters, and it’s even better if I can find one with black-and-white photos of the sportsmen and their guns, or if they talk about their firearms frankly and truthfully. And if you find a book about American outdoorsmen at the end of the 19th century, up until World War II, one brand is predominant—Winchester. And the Winchester 1895 appears to be practically the gold standard for hunters with money.

That’s the scene where this rifle, which was sold at The American Sale by Rock Island Auction, comes from—a world where hunting wasn’t a dirty word scorned by the intelligentsia, and where people with money spent it on guns that looked as good (or better) than they shot.

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The obvious answer was to design a lever-action rifle with a box magazine. The Winchester 1895 was the result, and when it hit the market, a lot of people bought it. Winchester was the premier rifle manufacturer in North America, and this was their most advanced rifle, so this would be the best gun for a serious shooter, right?

This winter, while flipping through the pages of a book on local big-game guides, I was surprised to see just how many sportsmen from the Northeast used the Winchester 1895. They could have used the Savage 1899 just as easily, but the Winchester certainly appeared to be the rifle of choice—maybe because it could handle much higher-power loads than the original Savage rifle (the Savage didn’t come into its own until the 1920s with the .300 Savage round).

Of course, the rifle’s most famous user was President Theodore Roosevelt, who took along a Winchester 1895 on safari, chambered in .405 Winchester.

It wasn’t just wealthy hunters who preferred the Winchester 1895. I read through Joseph Pearce’s book Line Rider this winter, and he says that when he joined the Arizona Rangers, they were required to supply their own high-power rifle. While Mausers 1895s were the best available, Pearce said, they were hard to find, so many lawmen bought the Winchester 1895 instead, because they could get ammo resupplies at any Army stockade, and it had more power than the 1894. Pearce said they liked the rifle because it could shoot right through a cactus, which might not seem important in the Great North Woods of Maine in moose season, but is certainly a desirable attribute when chasing a rustler who’s headed for Mexico.

Despite all the love for the Winchester 1895, it was still restricted by an open-top receiver that made it difficult to mount optics, and many users found the action to be awkward and janky. Other, better rifles did indeed take a lot of market share from lever-actions, and this was John Moses Browning’s final significant lever-gun design. But it was enough of a step forward that it’s still desirable and in production today, with Miroku still manufacturing them in Japan.

This rifle here

The rifle in the photos here was manufactured just before World War I, at perhaps the peak of this model’s popularity. Here’s what Rock Island Auction says about the gun, which is chambered in .405 Winchester:

“Having been manufactured in 1912, it is quite possible that the discerning customer who ordered this rifle was influenced by hearing the exploits of Roosevelt and his party in Africa, and it was certainly ordered by someone of considerable means and refined tastes. Though not specifically listed by serial number, this particular rifle is pictured on p. 112 of "Winchester: An American Legend" by R.L. Wilson, showing very similar embellishment to the previously mentioned rifle on display in the Metropolitan Museum of Art.”

The description continues, with details on the engraving:

“Winchester Master Engraver John Ulrich has signed this masterpiece with his typical, minuscule "J.ULRICH" stamp just behind the lever latch. The engraving shows a variation of Winchester's No. 1 pattern engraving, the highest grade showcased in their "Highly Finished Arms" catalog. The engraving prominently features three gold inlaid animals, a tiger and bear on the right and a male lion on the left. The receiver, lever, hammer, and takedown collar are extensively accented with beautiful, bright, gold inlaid scrolls and borders, while the barrel has gold inlaid bands at the muzzle and breech. The remaining space of the receiver is filled with tight Ulrich scrollwork, with flourishes of scroll extending to the magazine, takedown collar, hammer, lever, and breech of the barrel.”

There’s a lot more information at the auction listing, including details on its condition. Rock Island Auction says more than 75 percent of the original blueing remains, and 60 percent of the case coloring on the hammer, and almost all the original gold inlays. However, there are a few usage marks and a blue touch-up that hint at field use. Rock Island Auction says this may have actually taken big game on a hunt, just like Roosevelt’s did—so maybe it wasn’t too nice for the job it was built for?. See more details at the listing here.

All photos: Rock Island Auction