Winchester Model 1890

The Winchester Model 1890 is a slide-action repeating rifle produced by the Winchester Repeating Arms Company in the late 19th and early 20th century.

History

In the late 1880s, the Winchester Repeating Arms Company asked John Browning to design a replacement for the Model 1873 rifle, since the rim fire version of the Model 1873 had never achieved any great popularity. On June 26, 1888, a patent for the new design was issued to John and Matthew Browning.^[1] Under this patent, Winchester created the first repeating slide action .22 rifle ever successfully developed and manufactured.

The Model 1890 would prove to be the most successful repeating rim fire rifle for general all around shooting ever made by Winchester. Approximately 849,000 Model 1890 rifles were produced between 1890 and 1932, after which the Model 1890 was replaced by the Winchester Model 62 rifle. A final cleanup of stock on hand was completed in 1941.^[2]

For many years, the Model 1890 was considered to be the standard for use in shooting galleries, hence its nickname of "gallery gun."

Design and Features

The Model 1890 was a slide action, top ejecting rifle with an 18 inch magazine tube under the barrel. It had a 24 inch octagonal barrel, a plain walnut stock, and an overall weight of approximately 6 lbs.

Calibers for the rifle include .22 Short, .22 Long, .22 Long Rifle, .22 Winchester Rimfire. The Model 1890 will only feed the round specific to that gun (e.g. a Model 1890 stamped ".22 Short" on the barrel will not feed .22 Long, .22 Long Rifle, or .22 WRF; despite there being other 1890s chambered in those calibers). The .22 Long Rifle version was added in 1919.

Pistol grip stocks were available on later rifles.

Variants

The Model 1890 was produced in three distinct versions.

The first model had a solid frame, a case hardened receiver, and a fixed rear sight. Approximately 15,000 of these were produced between 1890 and 1892.

The second model was designed as a takedown rifle. It also had a case hardened receiver, but had an adjustable rear sight. In August 1901, the case hardened receiver was changed to a blued version. Approximately 100,000 second model rifles were produced with case hardened receivers, and 200,000 were produced with blued receivers. A deluxe version was offered, which featured a fancy checkered walnut stock available in either straight or pistol grip and a grooved slide handle.

The third model was also produced as a takedown rifle, and featured a modified receiver that allowed the breech bolt to lock externally. The third model was also available in a deluxe version, which, similar to the second model, featured a fancy checkered walnut stock available in either straight or pistol grip and a grooved slide handle.^[3]

References

See also

• Winchester rifle
• Pump-action

Winchester firearms and cartridges
Rifles	Lever-action Henry rifle Model 1866 Model 1873 Model 1876 Model 1886 Model 1892 Model 1894 Model 1895 Model 53 Model 55 Model 64 Model 65 Model 71 Model 88 Model 150 Model 250 Model 255 Model 9422 Bolt-action Model 1878 Hotchkiss Model 1895 Lee Navy Model 1900 Model 1902 Model 1904 Model 43 Model 47 Model 51 Imperial Model 52 Model 54 Model 56 Model 57 Model 58 Model 59 Model 60 Model 60A Model 67 Model 68 Model 69 Model 70 Model 72 Model 75 Model 121 Model 131 Model 141 Model 320 Model 325 Model 670 Model 770 Pump-action Model 1890 Model 1906 Model 61 Model 62 Model 62A Model 270 Semi-automatic Model 1903 Model 1905 Model 1907 Model 1910 Model 30 Model 63 Model 74 Model 77 Model 100 Model 190 Model 490 Full-automatic Olin/Winchester FAL Model 1917 Falling-block action Model 1885
Shotguns	Pump-action Model 1893 Model 1897 Model 1912 Model 25 Model 42 Model 1200 Model 1300 Lever-action Model 1887 Model 1901 Model 9410 Single-shot Model 20 Model 36 Model 37 Model 37A Model 41 Double-barrel Model 21 Model 24 Model 96 Model 101 Semi-automatic Model 1911 SL Model 40 Model 50 Model 59 Model 1400 Model 1500 SX-1
Cartridges	.17 Winchester Super Magnum .22 Magnum (WMR) .218 Bee .219 Zipper .22 Hornet .220 Swift .223 Winchester Super Short Magnum .225 Winchester .243 Winchester .243 Winchester Super Short Magnum .25-20 WCF .25-20 Winchester .256 Winchester Magnum .25-35 Winchester .25 Winchester Super Short Magnum .264 Winchester Magnum .270 Winchester .270 Winchester Short Magnum 7mm Winchester Short Magnum .284 Winchester .30-30 Winchester .307 Winchester .308 Winchester .300 Winchester Short Magnum .300 Winchester Magnum .32 Winchester Special .32-20 Winchester .325 Winchester Short Magnum .33 Winchester .338 Winchester Magnum .345 Winchester Self-Loading .348 Winchester .35 Winchester .35 Winchester Self-Loading .351 Winchester Self-Loading .356 Winchester .358 Winchester .375 Winchester .38-40 Winchester .38-55 Winchester .38-56 WCF .38-72 Winchester .40-60 Winchester .40-72 Winchester .401 Winchester Self-Loading .405 Winchester .44 Henry .44-40 Winchester .45-60 Winchester .45-75 Winchester .458 Winchester Magnum .50-110 Winchester