Winchester Model 1895 Saddle Ring Carbine

Larry Potterfield • February 21, 2022

Here's the last of the lever-action rifles designed by John Browning for Winchester. I've got a Winchester Model 1895 Saddle Ring Carbine made in New Haven, Connecticut. It has an exposed hammer like all the earlier models and a smooth trigger. The lever is two-piece. Pushing down on the bottom part of the lever ring unlocks the lever from a hook under the stock. It has a straight grip stock and a carbine-style buttplate with a sliding trap covering the cleaning rod recess. The barrel is round and 22 inches long. There's a ladder-type rear sight marked out to 2,000 yards and part of an old penny for a front sight. The saddle ring is located on the side of the action block, just over the trigger. Winchester made this model from 1895 to 1931, with over 400,000 produced. It is chambered for the 30 Army cartridge, also known as the 30-40 Krag. It has a box-type magazine, and there's a special trick to loading it. For a demonstration, be sure to check out the video above.

--Larry Potterfield