Welcome, if you’re a newcomer to this enjoyable bi-weekly phase of AllOutdoor.com! For individuals who have been following alongside, our final 4 articles explored the cultural icon that’s the Pink Ryder BB Gun, which wrapped up our vacation collection working from mid-December via late February. As promised, we’re transferring on to a different fascinating firearm with a colourful historical past. At present, we’re diving into the Winchester Mannequin 1911 SL, infamously generally known as the “Widowmaker.” Let’s get began on this distinctive chapter of firearms historical past!
Curious Relics Protection on AllOutdoor:
Welcome to our recurring collection of “Curious Relics.” Right here, we wish to share all of our experiences, data, misadventures, and keenness for older firearms that one would possibly categorize as a Curio & Relic – any firearm that’s not less than 50 years previous in line with the ATF. Hopefully alongside the way in which you may garner a larger appreciation for older firearms like we do, and concurrently you may educate us issues as properly via sharing your individual experience and ideas within the Feedback. Understanding the firearms of previous, their significance, and their improvement which result in most of the arms we now cherish right this moment is extremely fascinating and we hope you take pleasure in what we’ve got to share, too!
Historical past Abridged: Winchester Mannequin 1911 SL
To grasp the Winchester Mannequin 1911 SL, we have to first step again to the early days of autoloading firearms. The flip of the twentieth century was a revolutionary interval for firearms improvement, primarily because of the arrival of smokeless powder within the Eighteen Eighties. This innovation made autoloading mechanisms much more sensible since they wouldn’t shortly gum up with fouling like black powder firearms.
“French Chatellerault Mannequin 1886/93 Lebel Bolt Motion Rifle.” Rock Island Public sale Firm, https://www.rockislandauction.com/element/2043/219/french-chatellerault-model-188693-lebel-bolt-action-rifle. Accessed 11 Mar. 2025.
The earliest autoloading designs have been usually experimental, with producers making an attempt to stake their declare on this rising market. One man stood on the forefront of this innovation: John Moses Browning. His relationship with Winchester had already produced a number of profitable firearms, together with the Model 1893 and 1897 pump shotguns. Nevertheless, this productive partnership was about to hit a serious roadblock…That they had a little bit of a breakup.
Lot 1297: Distinctive Vintage Winchester Mannequin 1893 Slide Motion Shotgun – Distinctive Winchester Mannequin 1893 Slide Motion Shotgun. (n.d.-i). Rock Island Public sale Firm. {photograph}. Retrieved August 28, 2023, from https://www.rockislandauction.com/element/77/1297/exceptional-antique-winchester-model-1893-slide-action-shotgun.
In 1899, Browning approached Winchester with a brand new design for a self-loading shotgun. Not like his earlier preparations, during which he offered his designs for a lump sum, this time Browning needed royalties on every gun offered. Winchester, accustomed to their earlier association, balked at this proposal and rejected it outright.
Browning wasn’t deterred. He first went to Remington Arms along with his design, however circumstances intervened when the corporate president died of a coronary heart assault throughout negotiations. Undaunted, Browning went to Belgium the place Fabrique Nationale (FN) eagerly accepted his phrases. This design would turn into the Browning Auto-5 shotgun, first produced in 1902. Browning later licensed it to Remington because the Mannequin 11 and to Savage as their fashions 720 and 745.
“Early Belgium Browning Auto 5 Semi-Computerized Shotgun.” Rock Island Public sale Firm, https://www.rockislandauction.com/element/54/1728/early-belgium-browning-auto-5-semiautomatic-shotgun. Accessed 11 Mar. 2025.
The Auto-5 was revolutionary and shortly grew to become standard. Winchester, seeing the success of this design they’d rejected, knew they wanted to enter the autoloading shotgun market. However there was an issue: Browning had completely patented his design, leaving Winchester with few choices to create their very own self-loading shotgun with out infringing on these patents.
Winchester turned to their very own proficient designer, Thomas Crossley Johnson (usually referred to as “T.C.”), to create an autoloading shotgun that may work round Browning’s patents. Johnson was already an completed firearms designer who later created the legendary Winchester Mannequin 12 pump shotgun.
The duty earlier than Johnson was immense. Browning had patented practically each facet of his Auto-5 design – mockingly with Johnson’s assist throughout their earlier collaboration. In response to lore, Johnson joked that “it took him practically ten years to design an computerized shotgun which might not be an infringement on the Browning gun.”
The first problem was the charging deal with. Browning had patented the idea of a charging deal with on the bolt of a shotgun. With out this significant element, Johnson needed to devise a completely new method to function the motion. His answer was uncommon, to say the least.
In 1911, Thomas Johnson lastly accomplished his design, and Winchester introduced the “Self-Loading Shotgun Mannequin 1911” (later generally known as the SL). The gun was a long-recoil operated shotgun, related in fundamental operation to Browning’s Auto-5. Nevertheless, its methodology of charging was totally totally different.
As an alternative of a charging deal with, the Mannequin 1911 featured a closely knurled part on the barrel. To load the primary shell, a shooter needed to grasp this knurled part and pull the barrel straight again towards the receiver. Winchester really helpful that the shooter both relaxation the inventory towards their hip with the barrel pointing away, or grasp the inventory of their off hand whereas performing this process.
In distinction to others who’ve achieved their analysis solely via Wikipedia, the Mannequin 1911 SL was chambered completely in 12 gauge. By no means 20, 16, or 28 gauge. It featured a five-round tubular journal and was obtainable with both 26 or 28-inch barrels. In whole, the gun weighed about eight kilos. It additionally featured a takedown design that allowed the receiver and barrel to stay collectively whereas separating from the set off meeting and inventory.
One other distinctive function of the Winchester 1911 was its use of laminated wooden for the inventory – one other innovation in firearms manufacturing. This was vital due to one other patent workaround: Browning had patented metallic recoil rings to cut back felt recoil, so Winchester had to make use of fibrous buffer rings as an alternative. These rings wore out shortly, permitting the gun to develop what was described as a “hammering recoil” that would cut up commonplace picket shares.
The Winchester Mannequin 1911 used a long-recoil working system, just like the Auto-5. When fired, the barrel and bolt recoiled collectively as a unit. On the finish of their rearward journey, they’d hit the rear of the receiver, and the bolt would lock to the rear with the spent shell casing held by the extractor.
The barrel would then be pushed ahead by a heavy spring wrapped across the journal tube, and the ejector would flip the spent case out via the ejection port. If there was a spherical within the journal, it might be launched, permitting the bolt to drive ahead and chamber the contemporary spherical.
The gun featured a bolt hold-open that the shooter may manually activate by urgent a button on the rear of the receiver. If engaged, the bolt would lock again after each shot. There was additionally a handbook security behind the set off.
Loading the journal could possibly be difficult in comparison with trendy designs. On the edges of the provider have been two notches during which shells needed to be rigorously balanced throughout loading. Getting the method proper required some finesse, particularly in chilly climate or low gentle situations.
The Winchester Mannequin 1911 SL remained in manufacturing from 1911 to 1925 (some sources say 1921 or 1928), with roughly 82,774 models manufactured. Whereas this quantity is important, it pales compared to the Browning Auto-5 and its licensed variants. The Auto-5 had a 96-year manufacturing run (1902-1998) with over 2.7 million models made, plus 850,000 Remington Mannequin 11s and 1000’s extra Savage variants.
“U.S. Remington Arms Mannequin 11 Sportsman Semi-Computerized Riot Type.” Rock Island Public sale Firm, https://www.rockislandauction.com/element/73/1842/us-remington-arms-model-11-sportsman-semiautomatic-riot-style. Accessed 11 Mar. 2025.
The Mannequin 1911 by no means gained the widespread recognition or army adoption of its rivals. Its distinctive working mechanism, the recoil points from the degrading buffer rings, and its considerably deserved repute for being troublesome to deal with safely all contributed to its restricted success.
“WWII U.S. Savage 720 Semi-Computerized Shotgun.” Rock Island Public sale Firm, https://www.rockislandauction.com/element/1048/2606/wwii-us-savage-720-semiautomatic-shotgun. Accessed 11 Mar. 2025.
By 1925, Winchester discontinued manufacturing, though some weapons continued to be assembled from current components for about three extra years. The design was ultimately outdated by extra typical and user-friendly autoloading shotguns. Winchester wouldn’t make one other autoloading shotgun for 14 years till they got here out with the Mannequin 40 in 1940. The Mannequin 40 had a charging deal with and all.
“Winchester Mannequin 40 Semi-Computerized Shotgun.” Rock Island Public sale Firm, https://www.rockislandauction.com/element/69/1736/winchester-model-40-semiautomatic-shotgun. Accessed 11 Mar. 2025.
The “Widowmaker” Fame: Winchester Mannequin 1911 SL
The nickname “Widowmaker” didn’t emerge with out cause, although historic accounts of precise fatalities are surprisingly troublesome to confirm – in reality, regardless of exhaustive analysis, I’ve been unable to search out any verified historic accounts of those shotguns truly killing their customers because the nickname suggests.
The Winchester Mannequin 1911’s distinctive barrel-charging system created a possible security hazard. If a shell grew to become swollen on account of moisture (frequent with the paper shells of the period) and jammed within the chamber, some customers would try and clear it by inserting the butt of the gun on the bottom and pushing down on the barrel – basically pointing the muzzle at themselves.
If achieved carelessly or if the gun had sure mechanical points, this might doubtlessly end in an unintentional discharge. The firing pin design, if worn or modified, may doubtlessly trigger a “slam hearth” when the barrel returned to battery. Nevertheless, it’s value noting that with correct dealing with and following fundamental firearms security guidelines, these risks have been largely preventable via adherence to fundamental firearms security ideas.
The “Widowmaker” repute seems to be a basic case of a firearms legend that grew via retellings and have become accepted gun lore with out substantial proof. As collectors know, many historic firearms have acquired dramatic nicknames or reputations that aren’t essentially supported by the historic report, however make for compelling storytelling. This seems to be one such case – a novel firearm with an uncommon working mechanism that, whereas awkward by trendy requirements, was not inherently extra harmful than different firearms of its period when correctly dealt with.
A extra frequent downside was harm to fingers when working the motion, as described by well-known gun author Elmer Keith. In a single account, a helper acquired his thumb caught within the ejection port when the bolt went ahead, driving the extractor via his thumbnail.
It’s value noting that Wikipedia incorrectly cites a 2005 incident as proof of the gun’s dangerousness, insinuating it simply goes off because it pleases. Trying on the precise particulars, the incident concerned Oklahoma law enforcement officials who have been unfamiliar with this uncommon firearm and have been injured when it discharged throughout makes an attempt to clear it after confiscation from a felon. This was doubtless a case of improper dealing with of an unfamiliar historic firearm relatively than proof of some inherent design flaw.
This mischaracterization is comprehensible to some extent – the typical trendy gun person could be utterly unfamiliar with the 1911 SL’s distinctive biking mechanism, as nearly all semi-automatic shotguns for the reason that Nineteen Forties have used some type of typical charging deal with. When legislation enforcement or different people encounter these previous firearms, they’re basically coping with alien know-how by right this moment’s requirements.
Finish of Half One: The Winchester Mannequin 1911 SL
The Winchester Mannequin 1911 SL represents an enchanting chapter in firearms improvement – a testomony to each the ingenuity of T.C. Johnson in working round Browning’s patents and the fact that not all revolutionary designs obtain lasting success. Regardless of its shortcomings, the Mannequin 1911 holds a novel place in shotgun historical past and is now a beloved piece for collectors.
In our subsequent installment, we’ll discover the variations of the Winchester Mannequin 1911 SL, though they have been fewer than many different Winchester fashions on account of its comparatively quick manufacturing life. Let’s simply hope I can monitor down the photographs I would like. Till subsequent time, secure accumulating and taking pictures!
In closing, I hope our Curious Relics phase knowledgeable in addition to entertained. This all was written in hopes of continued firearm appreciation and preservation. We didn’t simply notice how guns have been alleged to look and performance. It was an extended and tedious course of that has formed the world we dwell in. So, I put it to you! Is there a firearm on the market that you just really feel doesn’t get a lot notoriety? What ought to our subsequent Curious Relics matter cowl? As all the time, tell us your whole ideas within the Feedback under! We all the time admire your suggestions.
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