Details

The Winchester 1885 Low Wall is an exceptionally attractive rifle. And the fact that it is available in one of our all-time favorite calibers, .17 HMR, only increases its appeal. So it was with some excitement that I sliced open the end of the cardboard shipping container and slid out the red Winchester box inside. Within the latter, cradled in Styrofoam, nestled the Low Wall along with the usual gunlock (padlock), owner's manual, safety literature, and owner registration card.

The (new) Model 1885 Low Wall rifle was a Browning brand product from 1995 until it was discontinued in 2001. In 2003 it was reinstated as a limited production item wearing the Winchester name. There are reviews of the centerfire 1885 Low Wall and High Wall Browning/Winchester rifles on the "Product Review Page." Like the previous Browning versions, this Winchester Low Wall is made in Japan by Miroku, with whom Browning has had a long and successful relationship.

The barrel, hammer, trigger and all screw heads on the Low Wall are polished and deeply blued. The tapered 24" octagon barrel is screwed into a color case hardened receiver. The operating lever and curved rifle buttplate are also color case hardened. The straight hand buttstock and slender Schnable forearm are walnut and wear a satin finish. There are generous areas of bordered cut checkering in point patterns. Bases for detachable sling swivels are provided. Iron sights are standard. The latter consist of a semi-buckhorn rear sight and a brass bead front sight, both of which are mounted on the barrel.

The front of the receiver and the rear of the barrel are drilled and tapped for two-piece scope bases. These are of the basic Burris/Leupold pattern. I was told that the Browning brand bases (and the matching rings) are being discontinued. When the present supply is exhausted Low Wall buyers will have to rely on the aftermarket.

One good feature that was carried over from the Browning version of the Low Wall is a user adjustable trigger. There is a small screw in the bottom of the trigger that is turned clockwise to lighten or counter-clockwise to increase the trigger pull. The adjustment range is supposed to be 3.5 to 5 pounds. I set the test rifle for the minimum available trigger pull, which measured 3.75 pounds on my RCBS Premium Pull Scale. The trigger itself is wide and grooved for easy control.

The Low Wall action is a good one. It is strong and very smooth in operation. Operating the lever to load the chamber automatically cocks the external hammer. The hammer is of the rebounding type, and it is also provided with a "half cock" safety position. When the action is opened after firing, the Winchester Low Wall ejects the spent shell casing to the right, left, or center, depending on where a built-in deflector is positioned.

The overall fit and finish of this Winchester is good. The lines of this rifle are excellent, slender and graceful. The straight grip stock is definitely an aesthetic improvement over the pistol grip buttstock of the earlier Browning Low Wall. Despite its traditional appearance, this stock has a reasonably high, fluted comb that is adequate for use with telescopic or iron sights.

Gun Tags

You can find similar guns using following tags

• Model 1885
• winchester
• classic
• rifle