M1887: Difference between revisions

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The Winchester Model 1887 is a lever-action shotgun originally designed by famed American gun designer John Browning and produced by the Winchester Repeating Arms Company during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It was one of the first truly successful repeating shotguns ever produced.<ref name = "m1887 wiki">[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winchester_Model_1887/1901 Wikipedia article on the Model 1887]</ref>

The Winchester Repeating Arms Company had been looking into introducing a shotgun to their catalogue offerings in the 1880s. The choice to design a shotgun rather than a handgun is due in part to an agreement made between Colt and Winchester. In order to preserve both company's profits and not divide the market, Colt agreed not to produce a rifle (Winchester's primary market), while Winchester agreed to not produce a revolver (Colt's primary market). And so in order to supplement Winchester's rifle sales, the legendary firearms designer and long-time partner of Winchester John Browning was tasked to design a new shotgun for the company. Browning had actually already been in the process of designing a shotgun, and suggested the use of a pump action mechanism for cycling the action. However, Winchester's vice-president at the time, T.G. Bennett, said that Winchester was known more as a "lever-action gun company", and as such the new shotgun should also be a lever-action weapon to preserve brand recognition. Browning responded by designing a breech-loading, lever-action shotgun, which Winchester adopted and sold as the Model 1887.

The Winchester Repeating Arms Company had been looking into introducing a shotgun to their catalogue offerings in the 1880s. The choice to design a shotgun rather than a handgun is due in part to an agreement made between Colt and Winchester. In order to preserve both company's profits and not divide the market, Colt agreed not to produce a rifle (Winchester's primary market), while Winchester agreed to not produce a revolver (Colt's primary market). And so in order to supplement Winchester's rifle sales, the legendary firearms designer and long-time partner of Winchester John Browning was tasked to design a new shotgun for the company. Browning had actually already been in the process of designing a shotgun, and suggested the use of a pump action mechanism for cycling the action. However, Winchester's vice-president at the time, T.G. Bennett, said that Winchester was known more as a "lever-action gun company", and as such the new shotgun should also be a lever-action weapon to preserve brand recognition.<ref name = "m1887 american shooting journal">[https://americanshootingjournal.com/winchester-model-1887-an-iconic/ American Shooting Journal article on the Model 1887]</ref> Browning responded by designing a breech-loading, lever-action shotgun, which Winchester adopted and sold as the Model 1887.

One of the more unconventional designs produced by Winchester, the Model 1887 uses a strange rolling block action. When the action opens, the breechblock rotates away and down from the chamber at a high speed, and the reverse happens when the action is closed. A shell is positioned from the under-barrel tube magazine to be picked up by a lifter, which sends it into battery. As the action closes, the recessed hammer is fully cocked; of note is that an interference is built into the parts which prevents the weapon from firing unless the action is fully closed and the hammer locked. As with most Winchester lever guns, the Model 1887 features a half-cock safety notch. The M1887 was chambered for black powder 12 or 10 gauge shells, and held a total of 5 rounds in its tubular magazine.

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 The Winchester Model 1887 is a lever-action shotgun originally designed by famed American gun designer John Browning and produced by the Winchester Repeating Arms Company during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It was one of the first truly successful repeating shotguns ever produced.<ref name = "m1887 wiki">[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winchester_Model_1887/1901 Wikipedia article on the Model 1887]</ref>
-The Winchester Repeating Arms Company had been looking into introducing a shotgun to their catalogue offerings in the 1880s. The choice to design a shotgun rather than a handgun is due in part to an agreement made between Colt and Winchester. In order to preserve both company's profits and not divide the market, Colt agreed not to produce a rifle (Winchester's primary market), while Winchester agreed to not produce a revolver (Colt's primary market). And so in order to supplement Winchester's rifle sales, the legendary firearms designer and long-time partner of Winchester John Browning was tasked to design a new shotgun for the company. Browning had actually already been in the process of designing a shotgun, and suggested the use of a pump action mechanism for cycling the action. However, Winchester's vice-president at the time, T.G. Bennett, said that Winchester was known more as a "lever-action gun company", and as such the new shotgun should also be a lever-action weapon to preserve brand recognition. Browning responded by designing a breech-loading, lever-action shotgun, which Winchester adopted and sold as the Model 1887.
+The Winchester Repeating Arms Company had been looking into introducing a shotgun to their catalogue offerings in the 1880s. The choice to design a shotgun rather than a handgun is due in part to an agreement made between Colt and Winchester. In order to preserve both company's profits and not divide the market, Colt agreed not to produce a rifle (Winchester's primary market), while Winchester agreed to not produce a revolver (Colt's primary market). And so in order to supplement Winchester's rifle sales, the legendary firearms designer and long-time partner of Winchester John Browning was tasked to design a new shotgun for the company. Browning had actually already been in the process of designing a shotgun, and suggested the use of a pump action mechanism for cycling the action. However, Winchester's vice-president at the time, T.G. Bennett, said that Winchester was known more as a "lever-action gun company", and as such the new shotgun should also be a lever-action weapon to preserve brand recognition.<ref name = "m1887 american shooting journal">[https://americanshootingjournal.com/winchester-model-1887-an-iconic/ American Shooting Journal article on the Model 1887]</ref> Browning responded by designing a breech-loading, lever-action shotgun, which Winchester adopted and sold as the Model 1887.
 One of the more unconventional designs produced by Winchester, the Model 1887 uses a strange rolling block action. When the action opens, the breechblock rotates away and down from the chamber at a high speed, and the reverse happens when the action is closed. A shell is positioned from the under-barrel tube magazine to be picked up by a lifter, which sends it into battery. As the action closes, the recessed hammer is fully cocked; of note is that an interference is built into the parts which prevents the weapon from firing unless the action is fully closed and the hammer locked. As with most Winchester lever guns, the Model 1887 features a half-cock safety notch. The M1887 was chambered for black powder 12 or 10 gauge shells, and held a total of 5 rounds in its tubular magazine.