Winchester Winder
Low wall winder musket in cal. 22 Short. Most of these were US order contract guns.
This one is civilian and does not have the peepsight.
Instead it has a superb and rare CCD sight.
The rifle was so named after its development had been actively promoted by Col. C.B. Winder of Ohio, an officer who recommended the use of a near service-rifle weight miniature caliber arm for economical training.
The Winder musket was, in its time, produced in three types, the first two of which were of High Wall and the latter of Low Wall configuration.
Originally a Browning design, the action's patent and rights to manufacture were bought by Winchester in 1883. The first .22 rimfire rifle on this action was the Model 1885 and the latter, the Model 1887. These rifles were used for target and training purposes well into the early Twentieth Century. Between 1918 and 1919, a little fewer than 11,500 rifles were purchased by the United States Ordnance and many were issued to American N.R.A. affiliated rifle clubs. Superseded by the 1922 Model bolt-action training rifle, the Winder muskets were sold off. By mid-Century these sturdy stalwarts were becoming almost cast-off, as more modern and efficient designs came into being Post WWII.
With the advent of the 21st. Century, the Winder Musket has become a sought-after collector's piece.
