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Winchester 1886
In 1883 John Browning began designing a compact, repeating action capable of feeding and firing some of the largest rifle cartridges then popular in the US market. This was made possible by combining a sliding breech-block with the locking mechanism of a falling-block and the movement of a lever without a fixed pivot. While these features were already well established on their own in patents and production rifles, the unique combination would long be considered the pinnacle of lever action rifle design. It was only supplanted in the 1950s when the rotating bolt and trunnion locking mechanism was incorporated into lever actions.
In May of 1884 the patent application for Browning’s design was submitted, assigning rights to Winchester. The rifle was put into production and began selling in 1886. The combination of sliding bolt, falling locking block, and non-fixed lever would be the basis for every lever action rifle produced by Winchester for over 50 years.
Like most of Browning’s iconic designs this one has its share of folklore. The colorful anecdotes relating the rifle’s origin and deals struck between Browning Bros. and Winchester are numerous and well published. The accounts, however, are contradictory and generally not verifiable.
Inventor: John M. Browning, Matthew S. Browning
Patent attorney: John Earle
Assigned: Winchester, May 1883