Remington Walker-Hepburn Rifle
E. Remington and Sons · Rifle · Discontinued · 1883
Also known as: Remington No. 3 Hepburn Walker, Walker-Hepburn Schuetzen Rifle, Remington-Hepburn Walker
Overview
The Remington Walker-Hepburn is a single-shot, falling-block Schuetzen target rifle built on Lewis L. Hepburn's No. 3 action and refined for off-hand match shooting. Unlike the standard No. 3 Hepburn's side lever, its breechblock is raised and lowered by a lever built into the trigger guard, and it was fitted with double-set triggers, a palm rest, an ornate Swiss-style Schuetzen buttplate, a vernier tang rear sight and a hooded wind-gauge front sight. Chambered most commonly for the .32-40 and .38-55 Winchester match cartridges, it was offered both as a conventional breech-loader and as a muzzle-loading version with a removable false muzzle, and only a small number were built between 1883 and 1907.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 5400 g (190.5 oz) |
| Overall Length | 1220 mm (48.03") |
| Barrel Length | 813 mm (32.01") |
| Action Type | Falling Block |
| Firing Mechanism | Hammer Fired |
| Trigger Type | Set Trigger |
| Magazine Capacity | 1 rounds |
| Muzzle Velocity | 435 m/s (1427 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 1011 J (746 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 200 m (219 yd) |
| Maximum Range | 900 m (984 yd) |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Wood |
| Finish | Case Hardened |
Calibers
- .32-40 Winchester · primary — also known as .32-40 Ballard, .32-40 WCF, .32-40
- .38-55 Winchester — also known as .38-55 Win, .38-55 WCF
Features
- Firing modes: Manual
- Feed systems: Single Shot Breech Loading
- Safety mechanisms: Half Cock Notch
- Features: Trigger Guard Operating Lever, Half Octagonal Barrel, Vernier Tang Rear Sight, Hooded Wind Gauge Front Sight, Double Set Triggers, Palm Rest, Swiss Schuetzen Buttplate, Checkered Walnut Stock, Optional False Muzzle
Variants
- Remington Walker-Hepburn Muzzle-Loading Schuetzen - False Muzzle
Base model
Service history
Operators
- American Schuetzen and off-hand target shooters · adopted 1883
Production
Production years: 1883-1907
Only a small number of Walker-Hepburn Schuetzen rifles were built; approximately 10,000 No. 3 Hepburn rifles produced across all grades
Origin
Country of origin: United States
Designer: Lewis L. Hepburn
Discontinued: 1907
Notes
The Walker name refers to the trigger-guard operating lever configuration of this Schuetzen grade within the No. 3 Hepburn family. Roughly 10,000 No. 3 Hepburn rifles of all grades were produced from 1883 to 1907; the Walker-Hepburn Schuetzen rifles were among the rarest, made only in small numbers.
Background
Lewis Hepburn, superintendent of Remington's mechanical department and a member of the American Creedmoor international rifle team, designed his falling-block action to give American marksmen a Remington platform capable of winning Schuetzen and long-range matches; the Walker-Hepburn moved the operating lever into the trigger guard so a shooter could work the action without disturbing his off-hand hold.