Description
Item Description
Bryant Ridge Co. is pleased to present this historic Falling-Block Single-Shot rifle today for a penny-start auction, this is the Winchester 1885 Low Wall Musket (Winder Musket) 3rd Variation!
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The Winder Musket's third variation is the only one specifically manufactured for the U.S. Military. Winchester signed a contract with the U.S. Army in late 1917, and the first order (for 2,000) was let on December 5th, 1917. Of the estimated 12,750 Model 1885 Winder Muskets manufactured, only 11,419 of them were shipped to the United States Army’s Springfield Armory. Those that were accepted by the U.S. Army were stamped on the upper part of the frame directly behind the hammer with the letters “U S” and a flaming ordnance bomb.
This particular Winder Musket 3rd Variation is the military model that was accepted by the U.S. Army and is stamped with the letters “U S” and the Flaming Ordnance Bomb.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Manufacturer: Winchester
Model: 1885 Low Wall Musket (Winder Musket) 3rd Variation
Serial: 127630
Date of Manufacture: 1918
Caliber: .22 Short
Finish: Blue
Barrel Length: 28"
Optics/Sights: Blade Front with Adjustable Lyman Aperture Rear
Stock/Grips: Smooth Walnut Buttstock and Forearm
Action: Falling-Block / Single-Shot
Markings: Standard / The upper part of the frame directly behind the hammer is stamped with the letters “U S” and a flaming ordnance bomb.
Bryant Ridge's Analysis:
The Winchester .22 Caliber Single Shot Musket (Winder Musket) was first introduced to the shooting public in late 1904, and it remained in production until June of 1920. Over the course of time, it was eventually manufactured in three distinctly different variations, which are referred to as the First, Second, and Third variations. The difference between the Winder Musket and the standard Model 1885 Musket is that all three variants were (with a very rare few exceptions) chambered solely for the .22 caliber rim-fire cartridge versus a center-fire cartridge.
The First Variation: The production period for the First variation of the Winder Musket was from 1904 to 1911. The serial number range for the First variation ranged from 96,600 to 112,500, but there were a small number of specimens that were found on both sides of the expected serial range. The First variation was built on a high-wall thin-side frame with a flat-spring action up to circa 1908, and then a coil-spring action could have been used thereafter (very few are encountered, and those found are usually Take-down actions). It featured a barrel-mounted rear sight that was either a Buffington Hotchkiss style or a Krag-Jorgensen Model 1901 military wind gauge sight. The earliest examples were predominantly equipped with the Hotchkiss rear sight, but most of them will be found with the Krag-Jorgenson sight.
The Second Variation: The production period for the Second variation of Winder Musket began in 1911 and was concluded in the year 1917. There were a small number of additional units made up through 1919 to use up the remaining parts that were on hand. The normal serial number range is from 112,500 to 121,800, with a small number of specimens will be found on both sides of that serial range. The total production number for the Second variation is estimated to be 4,000 units.
The Third Variation: The production period for the Third variation was from January 1918 to June 1920 (when regular production of the Model 1885 Single-shot ceased). The serial number range was from 121,800 to 139,700, but early in production, a fair number of guns were made using leftover high-wall frames in the 100,000 –109,000 serial range. There were several hundred additional guns made up through late 1923, when Winchester finally ceased assembling them from remaining parts on hand and sold all of the remaining parts to R.F. Sedgley of Philadelphia, PA. The Winder Musket's third variation is the only one specifically manufactured for the U.S. Military. Winchester signed a contract with the U.S. Army in late 1917, and the first order (for 2,000) was let on December 5th, 1917. Actual production began in early January of 1918.
Model: 1885 Low Wall Musket (Winder Musket) 3rd Variation
Serial: 127630
Date of Manufacture: 1918
Caliber: .22 Short
Finish: Blue
Barrel Length: 28"
Optics/Sights: Blade Front with Adjustable Lyman Aperture Rear
Stock/Grips: Smooth Walnut Buttstock and Forearm
Action: Falling-Block / Single-Shot
Markings: Standard / The upper part of the frame directly behind the hammer is stamped with the letters “U S” and a flaming ordnance bomb.
Bryant Ridge's Analysis:
The Winchester .22 Caliber Single Shot Musket (Winder Musket) was first introduced to the shooting public in late 1904, and it remained in production until June of 1920. Over the course of time, it was eventually manufactured in three distinctly different variations, which are referred to as the First, Second, and Third variations. The difference between the Winder Musket and the standard Model 1885 Musket is that all three variants were (with a very rare few exceptions) chambered solely for the .22 caliber rim-fire cartridge versus a center-fire cartridge.
The First Variation: The production period for the First variation of the Winder Musket was from 1904 to 1911. The serial number range for the First variation ranged from 96,600 to 112,500, but there were a small number of specimens that were found on both sides of the expected serial range. The First variation was built on a high-wall thin-side frame with a flat-spring action up to circa 1908, and then a coil-spring action could have been used thereafter (very few are encountered, and those found are usually Take-down actions). It featured a barrel-mounted rear sight that was either a Buffington Hotchkiss style or a Krag-Jorgensen Model 1901 military wind gauge sight. The earliest examples were predominantly equipped with the Hotchkiss rear sight, but most of them will be found with the Krag-Jorgenson sight.
The Second Variation: The production period for the Second variation of Winder Musket began in 1911 and was concluded in the year 1917. There were a small number of additional units made up through 1919 to use up the remaining parts that were on hand. The normal serial number range is from 112,500 to 121,800, with a small number of specimens will be found on both sides of that serial range. The total production number for the Second variation is estimated to be 4,000 units.
The Third Variation: The production period for the Third variation was from January 1918 to June 1920 (when regular production of the Model 1885 Single-shot ceased). The serial number range was from 121,800 to 139,700, but early in production, a fair number of guns were made using leftover high-wall frames in the 100,000 –109,000 serial range. There were several hundred additional guns made up through late 1923, when Winchester finally ceased assembling them from remaining parts on hand and sold all of the remaining parts to R.F. Sedgley of Philadelphia, PA. The Winder Musket's third variation is the only one specifically manufactured for the U.S. Military. Winchester signed a contract with the U.S. Army in late 1917, and the first order (for 2,000) was let on December 5th, 1917. Actual production began in early January of 1918.
Of the estimated 12,750 Model 1885 Winder Muskets manufactured, only 11,419 of them were shipped to the United States Army’s Springfield Armory. Those that were accepted by the U.S. Army were stamped on the upper part of the frame directly behind the hammer with the letters “U S” and a flaming ordnance bomb. Many of those martially marked Model 1885s ended up in National Guard units, College and high school ROTC units, Railroads, and U.S. Coast Guard stations.
Return Policy:
We gladly offer a 3 day unfired inspection policy from the time that the firearm is delivered to your FFL. Refunds are available for all qualifying orders.
Return Policy:
We gladly offer a 3 day unfired inspection policy from the time that the firearm is delivered to your FFL. Refunds are available for all qualifying orders.
Shipping Details
Handgun Standard Shipping with Insurance $50.00
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Please note we place a 7 business day hold on shipment, for all non-certified payments.
Payment MUST be received within 14 days.
Return Policy
We gladly offer a 3 day unfired inspection policy from the time that the firearm is delivered to your FFL. Refunds are available for all qualifying orders.
Additional Details
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