I Have This Old Gun: Winchester Model 95 Sporting Rifle

** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **
95.jpg

John M. Browning’s last lever-action design for Winchester—the Model 1895—was a dramatic departure from his previous Model 1886, 1892 and 1894 rifles, with their tubular magazines and side-loading gates. In their place the 1895 featured an internal, fixed-box magazine that loaded from the top and permitted the use of round-nosed (rather than flat) and spitzer bullets.

Thus, for the first time, a lever-action could safely handle smokeless powder cartridges such as the .30-40 Krag, and the soon-to-come .30-’03 Gov’t and .30-’06 Sprg. Although carbine and musket configurations were also produced, it was the handsome Sporting rifle—with its ebony-tipped Schnabel fore-end—that attracted hunters. And while Theodore Roosevelt was one of the Model 95’s biggest proponents, calling it his 1909-1910 African safari “Medicine Gun,” the rifle found an enthusiastic following among other outdoorsmen as well.

This was during a transitional time for American hunters, when horses were giving way to horseless carriages, and transportation of hunting rifles by automobile and railroad was increasing. In response, Winchester adopted a unique takedown system to make its Model 95 Sporting rifle more compact. One simply opened the lever so the extractor and bolt did not contact the receiver, then pushed a small, grooved button on the bottom of the rifle, and the barrel and fore-end could be rotated and separated from the receiver.

Nonetheless, the takedown feature was a costly option on an already expensive rifle. In 1910, Abercrombie & Fitch listed the Model 94 rifle at $13.16, while the Model 95 Sporting rifle was $24. The takedown option was an extra $7.70—more than a third of the gun’s basic price. Consequently, Winchester 95s with takedown features are rarely encountered, although, fittingly, Western adventure novelist Zane Grey owned an Ulrich-engraved Model 95 that included the takedown feature.

While the NRA Very Good Model 95 Sporting rifle shown here in .30-40 Krag would ordinarily be worth $2,400 to $2,750, its takedown feature makes it a $2,880 to $3,300 rifle. As the late George Madis noted in The Winchester Book, “We do not find many takedown rifles in .30-40 caliber with 28 inch barrels. One reason for this is that those wishing a shorter rifle and a takedown could order a .30-03, 30-06, or one of the later calibers and get a standard 24-inch barrel.” But this well-kept rifle must have belonged to an individual who knew what he wanted, and was willing to pay for it.

Gun: Winchester Model 95 Sporting rifle (takedown)
Chambering: .30-40 Krag (.30 Gov’t)
Condition: 70 percent—NRA Very Good (Modern Gun Standards)
Manufactured: 1913
Serial No: 67XXX
Value: $2,880 to $3,300 (includes 20 percent premium for takedown feature, according to Blue Book of Gun Values)

Latest

NOAA Small
NOAA Small

FEMA Notes Decline In Disaster Preparedness

A recent report from the Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA) noted a decline in local government preparedness for natural disasters, putting increased pressure on individuals to prepare themselves for emergencies.

Army Announces Type Classification Of New Infantry Rifle, Machine Gun

In May 2025, the U.S. Army’s Soldier Lethality Project at the Picatinny Arsenal in New Jersey announced the official type classification of SIG Sauer’s M7 rifle and M250 automatic rifle, previously known as the XM7 and the XM250, respectively.

RXR22: Savage Arms Redefines The Budget Rimfire Rifle

Savage Arms has a long history of producing affordable and accurate rimfire rifles, but with its RXR22, the company is bringing a new level of affordability and modularity to rimfire rifle fans.

SARCO: A Lifetime Covered Up With Surplus Firearm Parts

When it comes to selling gun parts and gun-related military surplus, Charles “Cholly” Steen has been at it for longer than almost anyone. It all started when, as a 5-year-old, he began stashing odds and ends in the drawers of his clothes dresser.

Gun Of The Week: TriStar Arms Raptor II

For this week's range session, we’ve got a 20-ga. semi-automatic shotgun from TriStar Arms. And this latest iteration of the Raptor is sure to impress.

The Armed Citizen® Oct. 3, 2025

Read today's "The Armed Citizen" entry for real stories of law-abiding citizens, past and present, who used their firearms to save lives.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.