This Old Gun: Model 1895 Lee Navy

by
posted on February 19, 2015
** 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. **
oldgun_lead.jpg

Gun: Model 1895 Lee Navy
Manufacturer: Winchester Repeating Arms Co.
Condition: NRA Antique Excellent
Caliber: 6 mm Lee Navy
Manufactured: 1908

Considering the trends in U.S. military firearm technology during the 1890s, the country’s selection of a proprietary straight-pull rifle is extraordinary. In addition to its unorthodox action, the 6 mm Lee Navy was the smallest-caliber longarm ever officially issued to U.S. fighting men at the time of its adoption. The principal Army rifle at the time, the Krag-Jorgensen, was chambered in .30-40 Krag, and large numbers of .45-70 “Trapdoor” Springfields were still in service. The Lee Navy was also the first U.S. service rifle chambered for a U.S. cartridge designated by millimeters rather than inches.

Though the Winchester 1895 Lee Navy had a short life span, it did see action—most conspicuously in China’s 1900 Boxer Rebellion and also in Cuba and the Philippines during and after the Spanish-American War.undefined

Arms inventor James Paris Lee (of Lee-Enfield renown) designed the arm to meet specifications outlined by the U.S. Navy. Unlike contemporary Swiss and Austrian straight-pulls, whose rotating bolts came straight back on the same plane as the action, the Lee rifle featured a camming arrangement that did away with bolt lugs; instead, the action was locked by a pair of shoulders milled into the rear portion of the bolt and the receiver. 

A classic infantry-style arm of the time, the rifle featured a 47¾" overall length with a 28" barrel and 8-lb., 4-oz. heft. It could be fitted with an 8¼"-bladed knife bayonet.

The cartridge and cartridge-loading setup of the Lee were also unique. Employing a 112-gr. round-nose 6 mm (0.236") bullet, fixed into a smokeless-propellant-charged, bottleneck semi-rimmed case, its velocity was 2565 f.p.s and muzzle energy was 2,217 ft.-lbs. Five rounds were clipped into a slim charger and secured by a unique elongated wire locking lever. The loaded charger was inserted into the top of the magazine above the follower. Closing the bolt stripped off rounds, and when the second cartridge had been expended the charger dropped free through a hole in the bottom of the magazine. The Lee was adopted by the Navy in 1895 and manufactured by Winchester between 1896 and 1916. A total of 20,000 Lee Navys were produced.

Although the Lee Navy generally proved serviceable, it did have a few glitches. The gun’s cartridge, for which the Navy’s Model 1895 Colt/Browning “Potato Digger” machine gun was also chambered, created a bit of a cross-service logistics problem. Because it was a Navy/Marine specific arm, that could have probably been dealt with if there weren’t other difficulties. Most critically, it was found that the gun suffered excessive bore erosion due to the corrosive effect of the smokeless propellant. There were also complaints that the trigger and extractor springs were fragile, and the follower was weak at its hinge rivet. Concerns were also expressed that the open magazine well could collect dirt and debris, affecting the sear.

undefinedAfter much soul-searching, the Navy decided that it was probably best to retire the Lee Navy, and Krags were finally ordered for the Marines, only to be replaced shortly thereafter by 1903 Springfields. Still, Lees continued to be built and remained in stores for some time. Interestingly enough, Winchester felt the rifle had enough merit to warrant a sporting version, of which some 1,700 were sold commercially from around 1897 to 1916. The rifle shown here is in NRA Antique Excellent Condition, and as such is worth in the $2,250 to $2,400 range.

Photos by Jill Marlow

Latest

Making Keltec Pr57 1
Making Keltec Pr57 1

Making The KelTec PR57 In Wyoming

To make its PR57 handgun, KelTec invested in an entirely new manufacturing facility located in Rock Springs, Wyo. "American Rifleman Television" headed out for an inside look at the company's efficient production process.

Taurus 66 Combat: A New "Fighting Revolver"

First introduced in the 1970s, the Taurus 66 Combat is a medium-frame revolver that has seen several evolutions in its lifetime, and the latest update creates what the company considers "the final word in fighting revolvers."

Review: Taurus GX2

From cars to cellphones, as a product gets more sophisticated, it usually also gets more expensive. And, as modern handguns get more modular and optic-ready, their prices tend to go up.

Rifleman Q&A: A Garand Puzzlement

"We are a father-and-son NRA member tandem in search of an answer regarding the branding of an M1 Garand rifle. We own an M1 rifle that has markings indicating it was a “lend lease to England,” and it also has a .308 barrel/sleeve."

$160K Raised For HAVA At SIG Sauer Event

SIG Sauer hosted its 9th Annual Honored American Veterans Afield (HAVA) Charity Golf event early last month and raised more than $160,000 to support disabled veterans.

Scout The Trail To A General Purpose Rifle

The search for a universal longarm—one suitable for both hunting and defensive scenarios—is a trek that involves a bit of doubling back.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.