POTD: Enjoy the Pump – Winchester Prototype 30-30 Pump-Action
Sam.S 08.11.21
Welcome to today’s Photo of the Day! After the introduction of Winchester’s 1893/1897 pump-action shotgun, the shotgun industry boomed for Winchester. It is probably a decent guess that with the success of their later Model 12 and the love for the Model 94 and its .30-30 Win cartridges made this idea burst from paper to real life. Engineers at Winchester had high enough hopes for a pump-action .30-30 Win to make a prototype, but most likely were dispelled by other notable rifles coming into the world at the time.
“This Winchester experimental prototype is a cross between the Model 42 and 61. The rifle was left in the white, is incomplete and non-operable. The barrel has no front sight provision and there is a milled dove tail rear sight seat. The rifle is 30 caliber and the chamber appears to be for the 30-30. The receiver is heaviest at the front and rear and these areas are incomplete as far as milling. These areas were machined last by Winchester when making receivers. The trigger guard is equipped with the standards Winchester cross safety and slide release. The front bottom of the receiver is marked “W.R.A. Co.”. The bolt locking system is the same as other Winchester slide actions, however heavier. There is an open space for a takedown button and it appears that the rifle will takedown by sliding the assembly away from the receiver. The forearm is the only part of the gun that is complete, it is a 14 groove with a flat bottom and has two operating bars, similar to the Model 12. The stock has been band sawed to profile and had the edges rounded, and there is no buttplate.
-Rock Island Auction Company”
Lot 244: Winchester Prototype Shotgun 30-30 [Photograph found in Auction Catalog #51, Rock Island Auction Company]. (n.d.). Retrieved August 10, 2021, from https://www.rockislandauction.com/detail/51/244/winchester-prototype-shotgun-3030
