Winchester Model 1885
Winchester Repeating Arms Company · Rifle · In Production · 1885
Also known as: Winchester Single Shot, Browning Single Shot, Model 1885 Single Shot
Overview
The Winchester Model 1885 is a single-shot falling-block rifle and the very first commercial design by John Moses Browning. Originally patented in 1879 and adopted by Winchester in 1885, the rifle was offered in High Wall and Low Wall configurations to suit a vast range of cartridges, from .22 rimfire pistol rounds up to massive black-powder buffalo cartridges. Renowned for one of the strongest single-shot actions ever built, it dominated late-19th-century target shooting and remains in production today as a Miroku-built reissue prized for its accuracy and craftsmanship.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 3855 g (136.0 oz) |
| Overall Length | 1118 mm (44.02") |
| Barrel Length | 711 mm (27.99") |
| Action Type | Falling Block |
| Firing Mechanism | Hammer Fired |
| Trigger Type | Single Stage |
| Magazine Capacity | 1 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Internal |
| Effective Range | 500 m (547 yd) |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Rifling Twist | 254 mm (10.00") |
| Number of Grooves | 6 |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Wood |
| Finish | Polished Blued |
Calibers
- .45-70 Government · primary — also known as .45-70 Govt, .45-70, 45/70
- .30-06 Springfield — also known as 30-06, 7.62x63mm
Features
- Firing modes: Manual
- Feed systems: Single Shot
- Safety mechanisms: Half Cock Notch, Manual Hammer Block
- Features: Falling Block Action, Exposed Hammer, Octagon Barrel, Walnut Stock, Adjustable Trigger, Drilled And Tapped, Schnabel Forearm, Pachmayr Recoil Pad, Lever Actuated Breech
Variants
- Winchester 1885 High Wall — Centerfire Action
- Winchester 1885 Low Wall — Rimfire Action
Production
Estimated total produced: 140,000 · Production years: 1885-1920, 1985-present
Original Winchester production produced approximately 140,000 rifles 1885-1920; modern Miroku-built reissues began under Browning in 1985 and returned to Winchester branding in 1999.
Origin
Country of origin: United States
Designer: John Moses Browning
Notes
Modern production is by Miroku of Japan; receiver is heat-treated 1045 steel (Rockwell 38) and breech bolt is hardened to 45 HRC, allowing the action to handle modern high-pressure smokeless cartridges. Production was originally 1885-1920 (~140,000 made), revived in 1985 under the Browning name and returned to the Winchester name in 1999.
Background
The Model 1885 was 23-year-old John Moses Browning's first commercial design - built by hand with his brother in a tiny second-floor workshop in Ogden, Utah. Winchester's general manager Thomas Bennett bought the patent rights for $8,000 (a fortune in 1883) and hired the Browning brothers as in-house gunmakers, launching one of the most prolific design partnerships in firearms history.