Lee Navy M1895
Winchester Repeating Arms Company · Rifle · Out Of Production · 1895
Also known as: Winchester-Lee, Lee Model 1895 Navy, .236 Navy, Lee Straight Pull
Overview
The Lee Navy M1895 (Winchester-Lee) was a straight-pull bolt-action rifle designed by James Paris Lee and manufactured by Winchester Repeating Arms for the United States Navy and Marine Corps. It fired the small-bore, high-velocity 6mm Lee Navy smokeless cartridge, the first such round adopted by a US service, fed from a 5-round en bloc clip into an internal box magazine. Its flat trajectory gave an excellent battle-sight zero.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 3770 g (133.0 oz) |
| Overall Length | 1213 mm (47.76") |
| Barrel Length | 711 mm (27.99") |
| Action Type | Straight Pull |
| Firing Mechanism | Striker Fired |
| Trigger Type | Single Stage |
| Magazine Capacity | 5 rounds |
| Magazine Type | En Bloc Clip |
| Muzzle Velocity | 779 m/s (2556 fps) |
| Effective Range | 549 m (600 yd) |
| Maximum Range | 1829 m (2000 yd) |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Wood |
| Finish | Blued |
Calibers
- 6mm Lee Navy · primary — also known as .236 Navy, 6×60mmSR Lee Navy
Features
- Firing modes: Repeating
- Feed systems: En Bloc Clip, Internal Box Magazine
- Safety mechanisms: Manual Safety
- Features: Straight Pull Bolt, En Bloc Clip Feed, Small Bore High Velocity, Smokeless Powder
Variants
- Lee Navy M1895 Musket — Standard
Service history
Operators
- United States Navy · adopted 1895 · as Lee Rifle, Model of 1895
- United States Marine Corps · adopted 1895
Conflicts
- Spanish-American War (1898)
- Boxer Rebellion (1899-1901)
- Philippine-American War (1899-1902)
Production
Estimated total produced: 15,000 · Production years: 1895-1906
About 15,000 produced; the Marine Corps received at least 3,000 from the first 10,000-rifle contract
Origin
Country of origin: United States
Designer: James Paris Lee
Discontinued: 1907
Notes
The straight-pull action's floating extractor proved fragile in service, and the rifle was withdrawn in favour of the Krag–Jørgensen and later the M1903 Springfield. Surviving examples are prized by collectors but the obsolete 6mm cartridge is difficult to source.
Background
US Marines carried the 6mm Lee Navy in the defense of the Peking legations during the Boxer Rebellion, where future Medal of Honor legends Smedley Butler and Dan Daly fought, making this short-lived straight-pull one of the earliest small-bore smokeless rifles to see American combat.