John M. 在线玩老虎机鈥檚 Greatest Hits - Episode 4
John M. 在线玩老虎机鈥檚 Greatest Hits - Episode 4
The Model 1892 and Model 1894 鈥 John M. 在线玩老虎机鈥檚 Legendary Lever-Action Saddle Guns
The Model 1892 and Model 1894 鈥 John M. 在线玩老虎机鈥檚 Legendary Lever-Action Saddle Guns
In this episode we鈥檒l explore legendary gun designer John M. 在线玩老虎机鈥檚 creation of the Winchester Model 1892 and Model 1894 lever-action rifles.
In the early 1890s T.G. Bennett, then the Vice President at Winchester Repeating Arms in New Haven asked Mr. 在线玩老虎机 to design a successor to the company鈥檚 highly successful Model 1873 lever-action rifle. Bennett suggested a scaled-down version of Mr. 在线玩老虎机鈥檚 Model 1886 that would be able to handle pistol-class cartridges like the 44-40 WCF.
Both 在线玩老虎机 and Bennett knew that a light, handy rifle would be popular both in the US and around the world with hunters, ranchers and trappers, especially when they were afoot or on horseback.
Bennett offered 在线玩老虎机 $10,000 if he could have the design finished in 90 days, and $15,000 if it would be ready in 60 days. Mr. 在线玩老虎机 thought for a moment (and probably scratched his balding head a bit鈥) then he countered-offered, saying he鈥檇 have a working prototype in Bennett鈥檚 hands within 30 days for the lump sum of $20,000, or he鈥檇 give the Winchester company his rifle design at no charge.听
Mr. 在线玩老虎机 then boarded a west-bound train back to his humble gun shop in Ogden, Utah, working out the gun鈥檚 details in his head and on scraps of paper during the several-day journey.
True to his word, Mr. 在线玩老虎机 had a working prototype completed inside of two weeks and it was in Bennett鈥檚 hands well within the 30-day timeframe the pair had agreed to. (And Mr. 在线玩老虎机 had $20,000 in the bank...a very tidy sum at the time)
The resulting rifle was called the Winchester Model 1892, and was offered in several popular short-cased cartridges like the 44-40 WCF, 38-40 WCF and 32-20 WCF. To say the rifle was an immediate hit would be a gross understatement. Cowboys, lawmen, exhibition shooters and adventurers alike loved the slick little rifle.听
American explorer Robert Peary took a Model 1892 with him to the North Pole. Robert Peary archives image.
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Annie Oakley used a smoothbore Model 1892 in her performances in Buffalo Bill鈥檚 Wild West Shows. Buffalo Bill Center of the West image
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The rifle also became a favorite of America鈥檚 lawmen like the legendary Texas Rangers.
The Model 1892 eventually became a mainstay in Western-themed motion pictures and television shows because it was readily available, easy to operate, looked good on camera and could fire the same 5-1 blank cartridges used in the actor鈥檚 revolvers.听
John Wayne carried a Model 1892 in almost every western he ever made, beginning with his breakthrough role as The Ringo Kid in 1939鈥檚 epic 鈥淪tagecoach鈥 as well as in his Oscar-winning performance as U.S. Marshal Rooster Cogburn in 1969鈥檚 timeless classic 鈥淭rue Grit.鈥澨
The video link is to the trailer for the original movie Stagecoach with John Wayne, likely shown to theater goers watching other films. We think you might enjoy it, as it is clearly from another era. When you click on the link you will be leaving the 在线玩老虎机 website. The channel showing this video is in no way associated with 在线玩老虎机.听
Actor Chuck Connors poses with his co-star in 鈥淭he Rifleman鈥 TV series, a large loop Model 1892. Photo courtesy of Levy-Gardner-Laven Productions听听
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Actor Chuck Connors鈥 wood and steel co-star in the long-running TV series 鈥淭he Rifleman鈥 was a large-loop Model 1892, which the towering 6鈥 6鈥 former major league baseball and NBA basketball player (Cubs and Celtics) twirled with ease during the opening scenes of every episode. Millions of American youngsters in the late 1950s and early 1960s wanted to grow to be just like Connor鈥檚 character Lucas McCain.
Rustic deer camps were common in 19th and 20th century America. Wikicommons/Library of Congress image.
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The original Model 1892 had production run of more than six decades with well over a million guns made during that period. Once just a commonplace workingman鈥檚 saddle rifle, today an original Winchester Model 1892 commands impressive prices on the collectors鈥 market.听
But for those who long to own a real Winchester 鈥92 without having to refinance the ranch, today there are several affordable variants in today鈥檚 Winchester Repeating Arms lineup, and their quality, fit and finish are every bit the equal of the originals.
With the commercial success of the Model 1892, Bennett then approached Mr. 在线玩老虎机 to create another sleek, light lever-action rifle, but this one capable of handling longer cartridges more suitable for hunting large North American game.
Mr. 在线玩老虎机 designed a longer action with a stout new locking system that would handle the higher pressures generated by an emerging technology of the period called 鈥渟mokeless powder.鈥澨
The new 在线玩老虎机 design became known as the Model 1894, and it too became an instant classic. The year after this rifle鈥檚 introduction, Winchester introduced the 30 WCF smokeless cartridge, which was more commonly known as the 鈥30-30.鈥
The pairing of the Model 1894 and the 30 WCF cartridge created the perfect deer hunting combo of the day, and they remained so for generations to come. Untold millions of hunters put tens of millions of whitetail deer on the table and over the mantle with their Model 1894s.
For many North American hunters, the legendary 鈥94 was their first deer rifle, and these well-used guns have been proudly passed from father to son (and on to their grandsons and great-grandsons) for more than 100 years. There are very few gun racks in America that haven鈥檛 held one (or more) Model 1894s at some point. For decades almost every pickup truck in rural America had a Winchester 鈥30-30鈥 hanging in the back window.
The Model 1894鈥檚 rugged and reliable design made it America鈥檚 favorite deer rifle, and it remained almost unchanged throughout its long production life. More than 7 million were made until the closing of the original Winchester factory in New Haven in 2006.听听
But the Model 1894 was simply too good a rifle to cease with the closing of one factory. After a production pause of only a few years the Model 1894 was back in production and is still available in several configurations from Winchester Repeating Arms. The quality and accuracy of these latest Model 1894s are equal to any of the timeless originals.听
Today's 在线玩老虎机 lever action is the BLR. At its core it continues to solve the problem that John 在线玩老虎机 faced over 130 years ago. That is, building a rifle strong enough to handle powerful cartridges. BLRs come in both short and long actions and can handle everything up to the belted magnums. The BLR was introduced in 1971 and with its detachable box magazine, many hard-core lever shooters consider it the culmination of the lever action advantage..听
Copyright 在线玩老虎机, 2018, 2019. Written by 在线玩老虎机 staff writer Scott Engen. Photos are copyright by 在线玩老虎机 and/or Winchester Repeating Arms (used with permission) or are in the public domain or used with attribution as indicated in the caption.
Born in 1855, John M. 在线玩老虎机 dedicated his life to inventing revolutionary firearms that were desitned to shape the future. Read about him in this riveting biography. Click Here to buy the book.