Big Medicine

[Grayrock]

I have been looking at a Winchester 1895. One of Teddy Roosevelt's big sticks. I noticed the loop in the lever is hinged- How does that function? I have a Marlin 336 and a Winchester 1892 lever. How does the functioning of the 1895 differ from those? Is the .405 really such a shoulder killer as I've heard? I found a very nice one in .30-06 that I am being tempted to buy. What can you tell me about this Big Medicine?

 

[Strongbad]

Grayrock, my father and I have a pair of model '95s in .405. He has an original customized version that is absolutely beautiful (no telling how much the thing is worth) and I've got one of the new ones from Winchester/USRA made a couple of years ago.

First, the 1895 does not have a tube magazine like the 336 and others. It has a box (attached) built in to the bottom of the action. I think mine holds 4 rounds if I remember correctly. So basically they're stacked in the action itself single file (not staggered). This allows you to use pointed bullets in the 1895's which can be handy, since they also made them in 30/06 like the one you're looking at, and 270 (the new ones) and a myriad of chamberings for the old ones. Another thing is that there is no provision for mounting a scope on the 95's. Because it's strictly a toploader, it's open sights only. You can however get a Lyman 21 peep sight (expensive reproduction currently available from Buffalo Arms). You can also get a Williams peep sight but I'm pretty sure that there's some drilling and tapping involved with that one. Otherwise all you get is the factory buckhorns which are pretty decent.

Now as for the recoil, I just have the stock plate on my 1895, no recoil pad and it's pretty unpleasant with the Hornady 300 gr. FP's. The only part that makes it moderately tolerable is the fact that you don't have to worry about a scope coming back and catching you, but make not mistake the 405 is a kicker. I noticed you're in Texas, so if you're anywhere in or even remotely near the Austin area you're more than welcome to try mine any time. Shoot me a PM if you think you'd like to try it out or if you want to see some pictures of the action and how it operates. It'll take me a day or so but I could probably snap some with my digital and post them for you.

Oh and I almost forgot to mention the safety. The new model '95s have a tang safety that the originals didn't have. On the new ones if you pull the trigger with the safety on, the hammer will actually fall but doesn't strike the firing pin.

Regards,
Tom

 

[Grayrock]

Thanks for the info. I am actually about an hour away from you.

I was interested in how the action functions. Why is the loop on the lever hinged?

 

[Strongbad]

The loop on the lever is hinged because the lever has a latch. The latches' main purpose being to lock the lever in place (more explanation below). From what I understand, many original 95 owners back in the day would actually remove the latch (making the hinged lever moot). I don't know how this correlates to guns like the 336 etc. because I don't own one but on the 95 there is spring tension in the action when you first unlatch it, i.e. it wants to almost pop open. The latch is there to keep that in check. If the latch wasn't there and you had the gun on horseback or something along those lines there's a possibility the action could come open.

As for the rest of the function, the part I'm sure you're already aware of, the bolt is mounted dead center in the top of the receiver between the walls of the receiver itself. When you open the lever it opens way down and as it opens it draws the bolt all the way back out over the tang then as you close it it picks up a catridge out of the box pushes it in to the breech and then closes up. I don't know if you're north or south of Austin but I'm on the north end of town and go to shoot nearby on a regular basis.