The 1894 Winchester Repeating Carbine Rifle is one of the latest models of lever-action Winchester rifles, a repeating rifle so lethal it's known as "The Gun that Won the West". It was the Long-Range weapon of Pancho Villa.
Description[]
- Range: 200 yards
- Weight: 6.8 lbs
- Length: 37.8
- Mag Capacity: 10 rounds
- Cartridge: .30-30 Winchester or .44-40 Winchester (depends on model)
- Action: Lever-action
- Muzzle Velocity: 2,490 ft/s
- Feed System: 10 rounds
- Sights: Leaf rear sight, barleycorn-type front sight
Uses[]
The Model 1894 was the first commercial repeating rifle to use smokeless powder, and the first to be chambered for the .30-30 Winchester round. One of the last lever-action Winchester rifles to be built, it has been called the "ultimate lever-action design; which could be cocked smoother and faster than previous models. The 1894 Winchester is still in production today, and is one of the most widely-used commercial sporting rifles ever built.
The 1894 is noticeable for being a carbine; a rifle that has a shorter barrel and lighter weight to allow the user smoother and more precise accuracy while riding on horseback. This does affect a rifle's magazine size and range; however the horseman could quickly retreat in order to reload and sniping from a moving horse is very inefficient (sniping while the horse was stationary would simply make you a big target, due to the horse's large size). Skirmishers and guerrillas also used carbines frequently, as their small size made it more maneuverable in several environments designed for cover and concealment (like forests, tall grasslands, towns or cities).
Test[]
The 1894 Winchester rifle was pitted against the 1860 Henry repeating rifle of Crazy Horse. The rifles were first tested against 3 human targets and a slab of pig. The Henry scored 6 hits on the targets in 1 minute 15 seconds, with a 40% hit ratio and jammed once, while the Winchester scored 4 hits with a 40% hit ratio but didn't jam. The two rifles were then tested against targets from horseback. Both rifles scored 3 hits out of 5 targets. The edge was given to the 1894 Winchester Repeating Rifle due to it being a more reliable weapon.
Trivia[]
- Both Pancho Villa and Teddy Roosevelt used the 1895 Winchester, which was a slightly later model.