WINCHESTER MODEL 1887

The unusual design of this 12-bore makes it a piece of firearms history, says Lewis Potter

The Winchester Model 1887 is one of those shotguns that is odd, even a little ugly, but nonetheless a fascinating piece of firearms history. Designed and patented in 1886 by John Moses Browning for the Winchester Repeating Arms Company (WRA) to a lever-action specification, the result was a form of rolling block mechanism. Available as either 12- or 10-bore with a 30in barrel, special options included fancy grades of wood, chequering, a 32in barrel and a Damascus barrel option. A few are believed to have been produced with rifling in the choke section. While the standard gun is not that common, the “mare’s leg” variant with 18in barrel (a little longer than the magazine), pistol grip and larger, curved lever for the hand is something of a rarity. They were popular among various law enforcement agencies.

The Model 1887 — the designation indicating the year of introduction — was not one of Winchester’s most successful models. It was succeeded by the stronger, modified Model 1901 in 10-bore only, and the Model 1897 pump-action turned out to be something of a sales success story, much as Browning had predicted.

How it works

The tubular magazine holds up to five cartridges, plus one can also be loaded into the chamber. Loading is accomplished by pushing the underlever down and forwards to the full extent of its travel, leaving much of the lockwork exposed, which in itself is a novelty. With the action fully open cartridges can be dropped in one at a time and pushed into the under-barrel magazine. Load another into the breech and close the lever and it is ready to be fired.

When fully open the hammer mechanism is in the “at rest” position; it is only on closing the breech, about halfway through the lever’s travel, that the hammer catches on the sear and is held in the cocked position. It is streamlined, with no big spur or thumb piece; instead a chequered ramp, little larger than many tang-mounted safety buttons.

The standard 30in-barrel shotgun was built in 1892. It has fairly plain, unchequered woodwork with the two-piece fore-end, a bead foresight and the WRA logo on the left side of the action body (or receiver). The only other form of embellishment is the patent details on the lower tang of 16 February and 20 July, 1896, and a generous chequered steel butt-plate.

It does bear British proof marks, which is interesting on two counts. First, they date from 1951, 59 years after it was first produced, and second, they are for nitro proof. The first point can be explained by a shotgun being brought later into the UK where, to sell, proof is mandatory.

All US sources record the Model 1887 as a comparatively weak design, made when blackpowder was still the norm and not regarded as suitable for smokeless powder. With a vintage piece like this blackpowder is more fun. The only disadvantage for UK owners is that, due to the large magazine, it qualifies as a Section 1 firearm unless restricted to hold only two cartridges.

Conclusion

The Winchester Model 1887 is a real piece of firearms history, so much so that new (and stronger) copies are now produced by companies that specialise in reproduction firearms. Some of the strangest designs are the most technically interesting and at least the Model 1887 was a reasonable commercial success. That has to make it a classic, even if it is not the most elegant of firearms.