Winchester Model 1885 Low Wall Gallery Rifle
Winchester Repeating Arms Company · Rifle · Discontinued · 1885
Also known as: Winchester 1885 Low Wall Gallery Gun, Model 1885 Gallery Rifle, Winchester Single Shot Gallery Gun
Overview
The Winchester Model 1885 Low Wall Gallery Rifle is a single-shot falling-block rifle chambered in .22 Short, built on John Browning's Model 1885 action with the lower receiver wall that leaves the exposed hammer visible for the low-pressure rimfire and pistol cartridges the Low Wall was intended to fire. Chambered in the small, quiet, and inexpensive .22 Short, gallery-configured examples were used in shooting galleries and by amusement concessions where rapid single-round loading and cheap ammunition suited high-volume plinking, and the same .22 rimfire single shots served the U.S. Army as low-cost marksmanship trainers informally known as Winder Muskets.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 3200 g (112.9 oz) |
| Overall Length | 1016 mm (40.00") |
| Barrel Length | 610 mm (24.02") |
| Action Type | Falling Block |
| Firing Mechanism | Hammer Fired |
| Trigger Type | Single Stage |
| Magazine Capacity | 1 rounds |
| Muzzle Velocity | 329 m/s (1079 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 102 J (75 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 25 m (27 yd) |
| Maximum Range | 200 m (219 yd) |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Rifling Twist | 406 mm (15.98") |
| Number of Grooves | 6 |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Walnut |
| Finish | Blued |
Calibers
- .22 Short · primary — also known as .22 Short, .22 Rimfire
Features
- Firing modes: Manual
- Feed systems: Single Shot
- Safety mechanisms: Half Cock Notch
- Features: Exposed Hammer, Single Shot Falling Block, Octagon Or Round Barrel, Gallery Rapid Loading
Service history
Operators
- United States Army · as Winder Musket
Production
Estimated total produced: 140,000 · Production years: 1885-1920
Approximately 140,000 Model 1885 single shots (High Wall and Low Wall combined) were produced; .22 Short was the most common Low Wall chambering, with many built in gallery and Winder Musket configurations.
Origin
Country of origin: United States
Designer: John Moses Browning
Discontinued: 1920
Notes
Gallery guns were typically chambered in .22 Short for its low report and cost. The Low Wall receiver was paired with lighter, lower-pressure chamberings, distinguishing it from the beefier High Wall used for full-power centerfire loads.
Background
Designed by a young John Moses Browning, the Model 1885 single shot was the first firearm Winchester bought from Browning, launching a partnership that would define American gun design. Its inexpensive .22 Short gallery guns became fixtures of carnival midways and indoor shooting galleries around the turn of the century.