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http://msnbc.msn.com/id/10913125/
I never handled a real, live firing Winchester rifle. The closest thing was a non firing replicas similar to this http://www.emf-company.com/1866-yellowboy-rifle.htm when I was a lot younger.
But even from just handling the replica, it was amazing for me how natural the design fits in my hand. Like any firearm it's a deadly tool that needs respect and attention at all times, but to me at least, there's a sense of grim honesty and beauty in that Yellowboy design.
Even if lightsabres and energy blasters become a reality, I think I'll always have a soft spot for the Winchesters.
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Quote:NEW HAVEN, Conn. - The traditional Winchester rifles carried by pioneers, movie stars and Wild West lawmen will be discontinued in March, a Belgian manufacturer said Wednesday, confirming the end of an American icon that became known as "The Gun that Won the West."
They forgot zombie hunters.
RIP, Winchester.
When in mortal danger,
When beset by doubt,
Run in little circles,
Wave your arms and shout.
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Hammerskjold,Feb 11 2006, 07:40 AM Wrote:http://msnbc.msn.com/id/10913125/
I never handled a real, live firing Winchester rifle. The closest thing was a non firing replicas similar to this http://www.emf-company.com/1866-yellowboy-rifle.htm when I was a lot younger.
But even from just handling the replica, it was amazing for me how natural the design fits in my hand. Like any firearm it's a deadly tool that needs respect and attention at all times, but to me at least, there's a sense of grim honesty and beauty in that Yellowboy design.
Even if lightsabres and energy blasters become a reality, I think I'll always have a soft spot for the Winchesters.
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The 1885 Winchester is one beauty of a rifle. Sad to hear about its discontinuation.
Slightly off on a tangent: I've never actually shot a Winchester Rifle, although my father did own a winchester shotgun for a few years before investing in a more expensive gravel shooter for target shooting - my immediate family target shoots often, though no one hunts. I wasn't old enough at the time to be shooting shotguns, only rifles and handguns, so I never tried out a any Winchester firearms. But I never heard him say one bad word about his Winchester, and was noticably sad when he sold it.
Cheers,
Munk
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I own many Winnies. Rifles. Lever action.
The Winchester 10 guage lever action has to be one of the very best guns I own. The machining is perfect. I can slide the gun on my hand, tilt my elbow, and because of the perfectly balanced design, cock the gun one handed. And then once cocked, blow a hole the size of a basketball in to something. Mine is an 1887 model, very rare and such. There are other models, but they pale when compared. The 1887 is perfection. It is called by many a hand held cannon. You can fill it with grape shot or dum dums and do some serious damage. Allow me to say, this is the gun you want to reach for when the zombies come. When you fire, there will not be a zombie left.
I have a model 94 lever action 30.30 It is, with out a doubt, reliable. The mechanism is so smooth that a small child could use it. It makes hardly any noise, only the faintest **snick** when being manipulated. It is the rifle I grab when I am about to shoot varmints. Mine has interchangeable levers. There is a two finger lever, open hook, four finger lever, single finger and a hook, all of which are good depending your needs. On mine, the stock is also removeable and allows a simi pistol grip, and, when combined with the right lever, turns this thing in to a fierce fire fight weapon. A strong man would be able to cock and fire the gun one handed. Mine also has a slightly shorter barrel than some. It is a custom piece. It sits on a rack above the bookshelf by the front door.
I own several shotguns, all of different shapes and sizes, including a fully automatic Winnie riot gun. A fully automatic 12g shotgun is an awesome weapon... But very few men could hold it. The model was later changed to a 20g, but the recoil was still monsterous. Eventually, it became a simi auto, and the model became famous because it was used in the shoot out with Bonnie and Clyde Barrow.
It is a sad day.
All alone, or in twos,
The ones who really love you
Walk up and down outside the wall.
Some hand in hand
And some gathered together in bands.
The bleeding hearts and artists
Make their stand.
And when they've given you their all
Some stagger and fall, after all it's not easy
Banging your heart against some mad buggers wall.
"Isn't this where...."
Its the model 94 thats the biggest loss. I have an old one already ready from befoe they added the heinous safety fortunetly.
Its maybe the most agreeable rifle you could ever hold.
The Yellowboy had not been produced there for a long time.
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Ghostiger,Feb 11 2006, 12:57 PM Wrote:Its the model 94 thats the biggest loss. I have an old one already ready from befoe they added the heinous safety fortunetly.
Its maybe the most agreeable rifle you could ever hold.
The Yellowboy had not been produced there for a long time.
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Ah, we agree on something. You like the model 94 as well.
Such a wonderful heft and solid feel.
And I agree about the safety on some of the newer rifles. Ugh.
All alone, or in twos,
The ones who really love you
Walk up and down outside the wall.
Some hand in hand
And some gathered together in bands.
The bleeding hearts and artists
Make their stand.
And when they've given you their all
Some stagger and fall, after all it's not easy
Banging your heart against some mad buggers wall.
"Isn't this where...."
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Threads: 50
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>They forgot zombie hunters.
Very true. It also played an important part in a historical battle against another type of undead.
From the journals of Dr. Seward, as collected by B. Stoker in "Dracula":
'Of course we shall go armed - armed against evil things, spiritual as well as physical.' Here Quincey Morris added:
'I understand that the Count comes from a wolf country, and it maybe that he will get there before us. I propose that we add Winchesters to our armament. I have a kind of belief in a Winchester when there is any trouble of that sort around. Do you remember, Art, when we had the pack after us at Tobolsk? What wouldn't we have given then for a repeater apiece!'
'Good!' said Van Helsing, 'Winchesters it shall be.
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Hammerskjold,Feb 11 2006, 09:32 PM Wrote:>They forgot zombie hunters.
Very true. It also played an important part in a historical battle against another type of undead.
From the journals of Dr. Seward, as collected by B. Stoker in "Dracula":
'Of course we shall go armed - armed against evil things, spiritual as well as physical.' Here Quincey Morris added:
'I understand that the Count comes from a wolf country, and it maybe that he will get there before us. I propose that we add Winchesters to our armament. I have a kind of belief in a Winchester when there is any trouble of that sort around. Do you remember, Art, when we had the pack after us at Tobolsk? What wouldn't we have given then for a repeater apiece!'
'Good!' said Van Helsing, 'Winchesters it shall be.
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That is an awesome quote.
In all my many years of rifle use, I have never ever had a Winnie jam on me. It is the only brand of rifle that has never let me down. The same can not be said for Mossburg and others.
If fighting a pack of spectral wolves, I would want the 10g.
All alone, or in twos,
The ones who really love you
Walk up and down outside the wall.
Some hand in hand
And some gathered together in bands.
The bleeding hearts and artists
Make their stand.
And when they've given you their all
Some stagger and fall, after all it's not easy
Banging your heart against some mad buggers wall.
"Isn't this where...."
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Joined: Feb 2003
Doc,Feb 11 2006, 01:20 PM Wrote:Ah, we agree on something. You like the model 94 as well. Such a wonderful heft and solid feel. And I agree about the safety on some of the newer rifles. Ugh.
[right][snapback]101828[/snapback][/right] I have the model 1894 that my grandfather bought at age 16 upon arriving from here from Europe. It's still in very good shape. Only the front site has been replaced.
”There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, Than are dreamt of in your philosophy." - Hamlet (1.5.167-8), Hamlet to Horatio.
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It's a sad day. My dad is a huge level gun fanatic, he has dozens and dozens of 1866s, 1873s, 1894s, Whitney-Morses, Whitney-Kennedys, and various other models in every caliber you can imagine. Still there have been (if memory serves me) over 5 million model 94s made to date, so they won't become terribly rare any time soon, but it's a shame to lose such an American icon.
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Boutros,Feb 12 2006, 04:05 PM Wrote:It's a sad day. My dad is a huge level gun fanatic, he has dozens and dozens of 1866s, 1873s, 1894s, Whitney-Morses, Whitney-Kennedys, and various other models in every caliber you can imagine. Still there have been (if memory serves me) over 5 million model 94s made to date, so they won't become terribly rare any time soon, but it's a shame to lose such an American icon.
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Only somewhat true.
All of the modern era 94s are #$%&. Bad safety issues, the quality, while still good, simply does not compare to the older models. There is a point where you can clearly see the bean counters took over and instead of a work of art, you got a plain Jane serviceable rifle. On some I have seen, the lever is merely brass plated, if it is even brass at all. Still a very good gun, still reliable, but the older models have soul.
Very old models have the much desireable octagon barrel. It is more than a cosmetic issue... The thicker heavier barrel and componates made from higher quality stuff make the gun heavier. Has a more comforting heft. It's solid, and would never feel delicate or out of place in a real man's hands. And if you had to, as a last ditch effort, you could heft the gun and start cracking skulls with it... Something I doubt you could do as well with some of the modern models. I would be to afraid of something breaking or bending with the moderns.
I love older guns. They have soul. It is why I favour revolvers over the more modern day pistols. Better quality. Better made. More heft. More of a psychological factor. You point some dinky Colt 45 or a 9mm at somebody, it is entirely to generic looking. People become desensitised to those. Point a big honking revolver at somebody... I mean a real gun... a nice .357 or even better, a 500. With a barrel big enough to roll a train in to, point that at somebody and they take notice.
No matter, old revolvers or old rifles, having one is a distinction. And people notice. And people generally have it on common sense that anybody with those sorts off firearms tends to know how to use them. The gun speaks for you. Conflict can be ended peacefully sometimes.
All alone, or in twos,
The ones who really love you
Walk up and down outside the wall.
Some hand in hand
And some gathered together in bands.
The bleeding hearts and artists
Make their stand.
And when they've given you their all
Some stagger and fall, after all it's not easy
Banging your heart against some mad buggers wall.
"Isn't this where...."
Take much of that with a grain of salt.
I prefer older guns too but the modern ones are technically better and are made with better steel.
1964 is the key year in a quality drop at least finish quality. Before 64 all the guns were made with a great deal of manual finish and if you examine they have an excellent fit between the moving parts and some nice detail.
After 64 the construction process was modernized. The over all design was the same but some minor details changed and the hand crafted aspect disapeared.
As for the octogon barrel it really wasnt all that heavier. And it was discontinued long before before 64 except as a specialty model.
And the brass leaver? I think there have always been at least some 94s made with the steel leaver.
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