Winchester-Hotchkiss 1883
Winchester Repeating Arms Company · Rifle · Discontinued · 1883
Also known as: Winchester-Hotchkiss Model 1883, Hotchkiss Third Model, Winchester Model 1883 Hotchkiss
Overview
The Winchester-Hotchkiss 1883 is a bolt-action repeating rifle chambered in .45-70 Government, the third and final model of the Hotchkiss design produced by the Winchester Repeating Arms Company. Based on patents by Benjamin B. Hotchkiss, it fed from a five-round tubular magazine housed in the buttstock and used a single rear locking lug with a magazine cutoff that let it function as a single-loader while keeping the magazine in reserve. The 1883 model introduced a reshaped receiver, a two-piece stock, and receiver-mounted safety and cutoff levers to cure the stock breakage that plagued the earlier 1879 pattern. The Hotchkiss was the first bolt-action repeater adopted by a major military, serving in limited numbers with the U.S. Navy and Army.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 4100 g (144.6 oz) |
| Overall Length | 1245 mm (49.02") |
| Barrel Length | 819 mm (32.24") |
| Action Type | Bolt Action |
| Firing Mechanism | Striker Fired |
| Trigger Type | Single Action |
| Magazine Capacity | 5 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Tubular |
| Muzzle Velocity | 411 m/s (1348 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 2215 J (1634 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 550 m (601 yd) |
| Maximum Range | 1000 m (1094 yd) |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Number of Grooves | 3 |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Walnut |
| Finish | Blued |
Calibers
- .45-70 Government · primary — also known as .45-70, .45-70 Govt, 11.6x53mmR
Features
- Firing modes: Repeating
- Feed systems: Tubular Magazine
- Safety mechanisms: Manual Safety, Magazine Cutoff
- Features: Single Rear Locking Lug, Tubular Buttstock Magazine, Magazine Cutoff, Two Piece Stock
Service history
Operators
- United States Army · adopted 1883 · as Model 1883
- United States Navy · adopted 1879 · as Model 1879
Production
Estimated total produced: 59,446 · Production years: 1883-1904
Third Model production of roughly 59,446 units, including about 56,504 military muskets, 1,669 carbines, and 1,273 sporting rifles; total Hotchkiss output across all three models was around 82,000.
Origin
Country of origin: United States
Designer: Benjamin B. Hotchkiss
Discontinued: 1904
Notes
Approximately 59,446 examples of the 1883 (Third Model) were built, the majority being military muskets. Despite favorable trial performance, the U.S. Army ultimately retained the single-shot Trapdoor Springfield instead of adopting the Hotchkiss as its standard rifle.
Background
The Hotchkiss was the first bolt-action repeating rifle adopted by any major military power. Benjamin Hotchkiss, an American inventor better known for his artillery and machine guns, sold his rifle patents to Winchester in 1877, but U.S. Army conservatism kept the Trapdoor Springfield in service well into the smokeless-powder era.