Winchester 1895

[geim druth]

I handled a 30'06 Winchester 1895 Teddy Roosevelt commenorative at my local gunshop, and I really liked the way it looked and the way it felt in my hands.

Before I buy, I wanted a little input from the knowledgable folks here at THR. For instance, I've heard that the 1895's stock is uncomfortable when shooting. I understand that ejection is straight up, can I mount a scope? Is the internal magazine difficult to load?

 

[dodge]

I have a 1895 in 30-40 Krag and I don't find it unpleasant to shoot at all. As for loading the gun there is a way to do it that makes very easy to do. First you place the rim of the cartridge against the follower or previous cartridge and push down and at the same time you slide it back into postion while dropping the nose. It's harder to explain than it is to show someone how to do it. As mine is an orginal made in 1926 I've never looked into scoping it but it does have a set of Lyman Model 21 aperture sights on it.

 

[StrawHat]

I have an 1895 built in 1900. In 30-06, the originals were known to have headspace problems if used with heavy bullets or hot loads. Newer metallurgy may have cured this. I do know of some of hte new ones that have been reworked to 35 Whelan, 375 and 411 variaints of the 06 case and they seem to work fine.

Can one be scoped, probably but it may require a scout type system. And any scope will disturb the balance of the rifle which some say is nonexistant anyway. I have a Lyman reciever sight on mine, not the 21 but a target sight and it works fine out to as far as I like to shoot.

The rifle will recoil, any rifle does. How comfortable it is will depend largely on how much you shoot and how much you are affected by what others tell you. My rifle has the origianl rifle buutplate and when I pull the trigger, I know it has fired but I have not yet broken my shoulder as many would have you believe. Mine has been reworked to handle the 405 WCF cartridge.

Recharging the 1895 is easier with rimless cartridges, 30-06, than with rimmed (30 Gov't, 35 WCF, 303 British, 405 WCF etc). For the rimmed cartridges you have to make sure the rim of the newly loaded cartridge is in front of the previous cartridge. Good luck, the 1895 is a wonderful rifle and the last and possibly best lever rifle designed by Browning and built by Winchester.

 

[CraigC]

The 1895 is a wonderful rifle. No, you can't scope it and I wouldn't bother to try. All you need is a good receiver sight. The later models are drilled & tapped for an 1886 style receiver sight. Which is nothing more than a 94 model for a wider receiver. They are not at all uncomfortable to shoot. Even the .405 with the steel buttplate. You won't be spending much time shooting it at the bench but it is comfortable in offhand shooting. The magazine is not at all difficult to load but you cannot do so quietly.

PS, Theodore Roosevelt despised the nickname "Teddy" and did not go by it. His family and friends called him "Thee".

 

[XxWINxX94]

Not to jump to conclusions here, but Commemeratives are extremely hard to sell. There isn't too much of a market for them, and often don't bring as much as a standard model.

This could badly effect you if you ever wish to sell it.

Just my $.02, if you like the gun, get it!

 

[goste]

Hi...

Yes, you can scope them, but it takes a sidemount set up. My 1904 30/40 has one, I really don't care for it, but it's there.

Its not hard to load the mag....you load them rim first, with the bullet pointing up, then slide them back, as Dodge explains... If you load it in the normal manner, it will spread the front mag lips, and will try to double feed.

I never understood how the stripper clip 7.62x54r worked, with out spreading the mag lips...

 

[VA27]

I've got the Saddle Ring Carbine in '06. Even with 220gr factory loads the recoil isn't anywhere near 12ga slug recoil. I can't speak to the crescent buttplate versions.

 

[dmazur]

Well, I bought a 1895 chambered for .30-06 a couple of years ago. It wasn't special, other than being a TD model with color case hardening.

After some internal conflict, I sent it off to have the barrel cut down to 20" and a recoil pad added. I had already mounted a receiver sight, but I needed a ramped front sight to match it.

The result is a really handy .30-06 lever action carbine. It won't do long range, but I don't plan to use it for that. And, because it is the TD model, it packs nicely in a duffel bag.

I just couldn't see doing anything with the original barrel length and crescent steel buttplate other than using it to decorate a wall...

 

[Colethegun]

who says you cant put a scope on an 1895!