A Widowmaker followed me home!

[Andy Griffith]

Although I know so much better and my careful reasoning tells me otherwise...

I bought one of what is known as one of the most dangerous (to the shooter) shotguns that was ever conceived- but that wasn't the plan when it was designed.

The Winchester 1911.

I found a nice 85% condition one, that someone had already replaced the three piece stock on with a solid one. Less work for me.

The gun came about because the geniuses at Winchester, worked long, hard hours helping our beloved J.M. Browning to patent all the new tricks the Auto-5 had up it's sleeve.

However, when JB decided he wanted to get royalties on the A-5 and Winchester refused...well...they were quite out of luck.

The Winchester 1911 is actually pretty darn good, if you think about it. There is no way I could come up with something that had to get around some of the best patents on Browning's designs, and do it in somewhat of a hurry. It's all I can do to make biscuits!

It could be worse, I could have purchased a Winchester Model 40!!

I guess it needs to be on the list to round out my pre-war Winchester shotgun collection though.

 

[Airedale]

It's a good safe gun.
Clean it and put it in the safe.
No problems can arise then.

They are interesting guns.

Dave

 

[2152hq]

A shooter brought one to the gun club a few years back. Well worn but in good condition. He let us all shoot it if we wanted to & it went through a couple of rounds of skeet just fine.

It is a bit of an odd feel when chambering a round with the design. I doubt I'd have the strength today to easily work the action properly.
I can see where some folks could have easily put themselves in the hazzardously poor position that helped earn it's nickname.
Any grown person with normal strength and arm reach can operate it safely. Nicely made as you'd expect from W.

Most of those Mod 40s are in real nice shape cause they never got much use. A hunting friend of my dad back in the 50's & 60's used to have one and thought it was the best. He always seemed to get his fair share of ringnecks with it.

 

[michael thornton]

i thought you had got a 1897 winchester

 

[kleinkaliber]

I have one that has the stock stamped "Saquache Co. S.O. #19." Not my first choice for a riot gun, but I guess it would get the job done.

 

[smitholdtimer]

Winchester 1911

Do not want to intrude but take offense to the derogatory comment made toward the "Rare" Mod. 40 Winchester. Nice example of a "Safe" gun only. Yep, you guessed it, I have a Standard and a Skeet grade, they were not acquired as shooters and really, no offense taken.

 

[Andy Griffith]

i thought you had got a 1897 winchester

Yes, and yes, and yes, and...
And a model 12..
or two...
or more.

I really ain't into Winchester rifles...that thing about champaign taste you know.

Did you mean me on the "rare" comment on the Model 40? I apologize if offensive to your collection. I try only to insult plastic guns. Model 40s don't seem to be rare down here, but I've never seen anything other than a field grade in a model 40. I have however, seen a Winchester 1911 Black Diamond.

 

[K.38]

"kleinkaliber said", "I have one that has the stock stamped "Saquache Co. S.O. #19." Not my first choice for a riot gun, but I guess it would get the job done."

Is your shotgun marked Saquache or Saguache? Just curious as the county next door to Chaffee were I'm at is Saguache. Even today it is very remote and parts of that county are hard to get to.

 

[Tom Beavert]

My Dad had one, he let me carry it when I 'outgrew' my Winchester single shot 20 ga. 13-4 years I guess, I took a lot of doves without knowing there was a problem. It now has a place of honor in my sons safe.
tb

 

[kleinkaliber]

My mistake,it's Saguache.

"kleinkaliber said", "I have one that has the stock stamped "Saquache Co. S.O. #19." Not my first choice for a riot gun, but I guess it would get the job done."

Is your shotgun marked Saquache or Saguache? Just curious as the county next door to Chaffee were I'm at is Saguache. Even today it is very remote and parts of that county are hard to get to.

 

[PALADIN85020]

I had a Winchester Model 1911 for a number of years. I bought it from an antique dealer who had been trying to get rid of it; I bought it for a song.

I shot it only once, and it malfunctioned. So it sat in a closet for about 15 years. I finally sold it to a guy who collects oddball shotguns for what I paid for it.

It was, needless to say, not my favorite firearm of all time. It was an interesting evasion of Browning's patents, but that's about all I can say for it.

John

 

[mod34]

OK fellas,
Looking for an education here. What is the deal with this particular Winchester? I gather from the thread that Winchester modified the action somehow to get around the JB pattents, but what did they do and what was the result? A picture or two would be nice as well.
Thanks in advance!

 

[Rule3]

This thread really does not exist as there are NO PICTURES

 

[sigp220.45]

I just bought one Saturday for a whopping $79 out the door. I have a buddy who is crazy about all things Winchester and I'll swap it to him.

No pics of mine yet, but here's what they look like:

In trying to beat Browning's A5 patent, which included the cocking handle of the bolt, this wondergun has a knurled portion of the barrel. Most people charged a round by putting the butt on the ground, grabbing the barrel, and giving a mighty downward shove, which puts your face right over the barrel.

I'm not sure if anyone was actually killed doing this, but it sure is freaky.

I haven't fired one, and I probably won't be firing the one I just got, but I hear the recoil is substantial.

 

[mtb1bkr]

Winchester Model 1911 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[max]

My uncle had one and he let me shoot it when I was a lad. It kicked like a damn mule and then some.

 

[novalty]

Phew... your talking about a gun. From the title, I thought someone's mistress followed them home.

 

[keith44spl]

While serving a search warrant...Located an ol' Winchester Model 1911 that had been cut off on both ends.

It's sad when you're the only guy there old enough to know how to clear one of those things.

They had cut the barrel within 4 or 5 inches of the mag tube, maybe a touch of the knurlin' left.

I just run 'er up again the side of the refrigerator to open her up.

I'm glad she didn't go off by accident...Although I've never saw a contact shot on a icebox...But, that would've been funny though. ~Smiley~

Su Amigo,
Dave

 

[mod34]

Thanks fellas!

 

[2152hq]

The recoil buffers are usually pretty well gone in these oldsters. Using them in that condition is where the excessive felt recoil comes from. It can also damage the wood and even crack the receiver.

Interesting guns though.
I think I remember a display at a recent OGCA Show that featured Winchester 1911's that had been the issue property of the Cincinnati Home Guard during the WW1 period.