A further "pointed" look at my 1895 Winchester-Lee

[Dan Shapiro]

5M - Amen! But then, MacNamara's "wiz-kids", being Democrats, knew EVERYTHING about EVERYTHING. Just ask 'em!

First 4 months in Vietnam, carried an M-14. Worked every time. Sun, rain, mud. It worked. Then we were ordered to turn them in for M-16's. During familiarization was told 'this weapon is self-cleaning'. (No way, I'm thinking). Go out to the bunker line to fire off two magazines and get sight dope. First round jams. Not a happy camper.

[5MadFarmers]

During familiarization was told 'this weapon is self-cleaning'. (No way, I'm thinking).

Sad really.





Can't blame Colt. Was the army aware of that? "I got that at Rock Island Arsenal."

Did Stoner abandon that direct impingement?





"I'm of the opinion that the answer is yes."

Was the army aware he was no longer a believer?



I'm going with "yes."

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Lee and his straight pull was on the right track. Just needed a gas system. With a piston.

[Kragrifle]

Sorry. You are correct. Second contract is the higher range SNs.

[5MadFarmers]

Some things are purchased on "belief" and some not so much. Do you believe that the Navy marked all their rifles the same? Those on the USS Kearsarge received "USS Kearsarge" paint and thus all the rest did? Were they that consistent or was there inconsistency? Some believe in that rigid consistency. Some do not. In four days and 19 hours two rifles will be going in an auction at Rock Island Auctions. Lot 210. The first of the two is a Remington-Lee in the correct range for the Michigan buy. Doesn't appear to have the butt stock number most seem to have. Which means it'll go cheaper. Those that insist on that number being present won't be that interested. Only those that even notice it will be interested. Comes with a pedestrian trapdoor. That will be a good lot. A Remington-Lee in the Michigan range. Cheap. Whether that's interesting or not depends on the person. Myself? I have one. If I didn't I'd probably buy that one.

[rayg]

Speaking of the Win Lee slings, I was lucky and found an original sling some years ago that a gun shop was selling one line that they had taken off of a W-L they had taken in trade. lucky for me, they had not done enough research to determine the real going value of one however they did know enough it was scarce as they set a $600 price on it. The sling had the Winchester star proof on it but no patent marks yet. At the time two W-L slings had been sold by a dealer for about $2100-2200 each.
It gets better as not long after, I had posted a Japanese sling F/S on line and a fellow asked if I was willing to trade it for a sling he had. Turns out his sling was a later made W-L sling complete with the patent stamp on the buckle. Probably made for the Russian 95 lever rifle contact and not quite the quality as the earlier one. These slings fall through the cracks as they could be mistaken for Mauser or other non US slings. I've been holding on to it in case I found a decent 95 Win but time has passed me by and I am now in the process of disposing most of my collection. I know it will be of interest to some one with a 95 Win as I can't recall ever personally seeing one with an original sling on it as I suppose most were used up in Russia.
I'd suggest to take a good look at the photos of both so you know what they look like just in case you run across one. The first photo and the last two photos are of the earlier sling. One difference between the two is the early sling has a tapered end where as the later one does not and the stitching is of better quality. Ray

Win lee sling-6.JPGWinchester 95 sling-1.JPGWinchester 95 sling-3.JPGWin-Lee sling-2.JPGWin-Lee sling-3.JPG

[Kragrifle]

I was lucky enough to acquire a nice Lee sling recently. Mine has the taper while a friend's is straight. Saw a sling on a high finish WL that had a pebbled texture to the surface. Owner swore it was authentic. ?

[Kragrifle]

Missing the difference in the 95 and WL sling?

[rayg]

The later sling with the patent stamp on buckle was probably the one mfg in conjuction with the 95 Win lever rifle contract as generly the patent wasn't approved and stamped on the buckle until later. But of course that sling would be proper for the later WL rifles made at the same time the 95 lever rifles were and could be used for any WL rifle, Ray

[CJCulpeper]

Gee whiz. I'm away for a few months and everybody starts talking about Win Lees.

I am Shocked!

[Dan Shapiro]

Too add to your shock, we were also discussing Remington-Lee's..................

[CJCulpeper]

I'm double shocked!!

[jon_norstog]

Why we are talking about Lee rifles is because James Paris Lee was America's other John Browning. he was a genius. His designs were bold - and most of them had a fatal flaw as battle rifles. It ws the British who took his design, fixed a few things and used it in at least three wars as their main battle rifle. Some say the Lee-Enfield was the best battle rifle ever made. I'm not one of them, but I would put it in the top 5.

You can't talk about turn-of-the-last-century military firearms without talking about Lee's designs.

jn

[Dan Shapiro]

Another innovator that barely gets recognition is John H. Hall. Would be great to be able to afford one of his 1819 flintlocks or even the later percussion model.

[cowtownscout]

Another innovator that barely gets recognition is John H. Hall. Would be great to be able to afford one of his 1819 flintlocks or even the later percussion model.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]40825[/ATTACH]

Hey Dan
I've got four of the Hall arms I can post photos of. Since you brought them up what forum would be the best place to start a thread with those photos?
Scout

[Dan Shapiro]

Scout:
Probably "Black Powder".