winchester 1885 rimfire User Guide
As one of the Classic Traditions models you can expect
the same quality and satisfaction as with the original,
historic Model 1885 introduced by Winchester in 1885.
And, as with the original, you’ll appreciate its elegant
design, strong action and smooth functioning.
IMPORTANT INSTRUCTIONS
FOR
MODEL 1885
SINGLE SHOT, LOW WALL
RIMFIRE RIFLES
275 Winchester Avenue
Morgan, UT, USA 84050-9333
Winchester trademarks licensed from Olin Corporation
Licensee
Important instructions for
Winchester Model 1885
SINGLE SHOT, LOW WALL
RIMFIRE RIFLES
Customer Service Department
275 Winchester Avenue
Morgan, Utah 84050-9333
Phone: 1-800-945-5237
If you have any questions or comments regarding
your new firearm, please feel free to write or call us.
Use the space below to record information about
your new firearm.
Model______________________________________
Caliber_____________________________________
Serial Number ______________________________
Purchased From _____________________________
Date of Purchase _____________________________
Winchester trademarks licensed from Olin Corporation
PRINTED IN USA • AO0603 / 03102
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Contents Page
Gun Safety Warnings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
General Description . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Terminology and Descriptions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Serial Number . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Ammunition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Initial Cleaning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
Operation of the Hammer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
General Operating Procedures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Shell Deflector . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15
Trigger . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16
In Case of a Misfire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17
Firing Procedures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18
Sight Adjustments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19
Hammer Extension . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22
Cleaning and Maintenance Suggestions . . . . . . . . 22
Parts, Service, Repair & Questions . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Website Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29
chambered as indicated on the barrel, to prevent
excessive pressure and possible serious personal
injury.
4. Incorrectly reloaded ammunition can cause
serious personal injury and damage to the firearm
due to excessive pressure. Reload only after proper
instruction and in strict compliance with instruction
and data contained in current reloading manuals.
5. Never point a gun at anything you do not intend
to shoot. Always keep it pointed in a safe direction in
case of accidental discharge.
6. Always check to ensure that the barrel is free of
obstructions before loading and using the gun. If you
experience light recoil or an off sound, open the
action, completely unload the rifle and check the
barrel for obstruction.
7. Before firing, clean any grease or oil out of the
barrel with a cleaning rod and patch. Grease or heavy
accumulation of oil can cause excessive pressure and
result in serious personal injury.
8. Keep barrel, chamber and action free of rust.
Rust in the barrel and chamber can cause excessive
pressures resulting in serious injury. A rusted, pitted
or eroded barrel should be replaced.
9. Use hearing protection to prevent ear damage
from repeated exposure to gunfire.
10. Always use proper shooting glasses to prevent
eye injury from flying particles.
11. Never carry a loaded gun in a motor vehicle or
carry one into a dwelling. Always carefully unload
the gun before entering a motor vehicle, a dwelling
or an area such as a camp. Always point a gun in a
safe direction while loading or unloading to prevent
serious injury in case of an accidental discharge.
Never load in the house or in your vehicle.
12. Never shoot at a hard, flat surface or at the
surface of water to avoid a ricochet and possible
serious personal injury to yourself or a bystander.
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GUN SAFETY WARNINGS
IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT THESE OPERATING
INSTRUCTIONS BE THOROUGHLY STUDIED
BEFORE USING THIS FIREARM TO
ASSURE PROPER AND SAFE GUN
HANDLING. FAILURE TO FOLLOW THESE
INSTRUCTIONS OR FAILURE TO OBEY
ANY SAFETY WARNING MAY RESULT IN
INJURY TO YOURSELF OR OTHERS, OR
CAUSE DAMAGE TO YOUR GUN.
As a gun owner, you accept a set of demanding
responsibilities. How seriously you take these
responsibilities can be the difference between life
and death. There is no excuse for careless or abusive
handling of any firearm. At all times handle your
rifle and any other firearm with intense respect for
its power and potential danger.
PLEASE READ AND UNDERSTAND ALL
OF THE CAUTIONS, PROPER HANDLING
PROCEDURES AND INSTRUCTIONS
OUTLINED IN THIS BOOKLET BEFORE
USING YOUR NEW FIREARM.
1. Do not carry a loaded gun with a live round in
the chamber while walking, running, climbing a tree,
crossing a fence or anywhere you might slip or fall,
drop the gun or otherwise bump or jar the gun. A gun
that is dropped, bumped, or jarred with a chambered
round might accidentally discharge even with the
safety on, causing serious injury to you or someone
else. When a round is chambered keep the safety on
until you are ready to shoot.
2. Do not rely on the safety (half cock position) to
prevent accidental discharge. Many safeties merely
block the trigger and prevent firing by pulling the
trigger. The safety may not prevent an accidental
discharge due to dropping, jarring, or bumping a gun.
3. Use only ammunition for which the gun is
2
5
13. Store guns in a clean, dry place out of reach of
children and separated from stored ammunition.
14. Never alter any parts of your gun. Any
alterations or adjustments that may become necessary
to the operating mechanism should be performed by a
qualified gunsmith.
15. Hunting from elevated surfaces such as tree
stands is dangerous. Doing so may increase the risk of
handling any firearm. Always make certain that the
stand being used is safe, sturdy and stable. Always
make certain your firearm is unloaded when it is
being taken up and down from the stand. Always
make certain that your firearm is not dropped from
the stand or dropped while it is being taken up or
down from the stand.
16. Discharging firearms in poorly ventilated areas,
cleaning firearms, or handling ammunition may result
in exposure to lead and other substances known to
cause birth defects, reproductive harm and other
serious physical injury. Have adequate ventilation at
all times. Wash hands thoroughly after exposure.
GENERAL DESCRIPTION
With the introduction of the Model 1885, the world
of single shot rifles was given a welcome addition.
In 1885, competitive target shooting in America had
the stature professional golf has today. Huge matches
were held at places like Creedmore, New York.
Spectators would number in the thousands.
The Model 1885 was uniquely suited to the long
range accuracy shooting of the day.
It didn’t take long for hunters to embrace the 1885
because of the challenge of hunting with a single shot
and the wide variety of hunting chamberings available.
Among them, smaller, rimfire calibers.
Although other single shots had proceeded it, a new
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standard was set. Over the years it has certainly
appeared that the original Winchester single shot 1885
could not be improved upon. It was very close to
perfection when it was first made and remains so today.
Figure 1 covers the general features and benefits
of the Model 1885 Low Wall design. After reading the
warnings at the beginning of this manual, Figure 1 is a
good place to start to become familiar with your rifle.
Cycling the lever downward opens the breech and
drops the hammer down. This leaves easy access to
the chamber area for inserting a round. When the
lever is returned upward the breech closes and the
hammer moves upward again — but now the hammer
is in the cocked position.
After firing, the lever can be returned downward
which again lowers the breech block and the
hammer, and at the same time extracts the cartridge.
Your new rifle is the Low Wall configuration, which
lends itself particularly well to smaller cartridges.
With a few minor exceptions, the action is the same
as that found on the originals.
This manual covers the features of all new models of
the rimfire Model 1885 after 2002. If you should have
an older model of the Rimfire Model 1885, please call
our Customer Service Dept. at 1-800-945-5237.
TERMINOLOGY AND DESCRIPTIONS
Descriptions in this manual generally refer to the gun
in the horizontal position. That is, in the normal
firing position. For example, the muzzle is forward or
front; the buttstock is rearward or rear; the trigger is
downward or underneath; the sights are upward or on
top. For general parts terminology refer to Figures 2A,
2B and 2C. Throughout this manual the “action”
refers to the mechanism which secures the cartridge
in the chamber.
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6
MODEL 1885 FEATURES
Traditional open sights
are easily adjustable for
elevation and drift
adjustable for windage
F
IGURE
1
The Winchester 1885 Low Wall of today
is a careful reproduction of one of the original
configurations. You can take pride in owning one
of the finest, most accurate rifles ever produced.
The massive breech block design
is one reason the Model 1885 has
proven so accurate
A special internal hanger system
allows the forearm to be free floating
so it will not affect accuracy
When the lever is cycled forward, the
hammer actually drops down
out of the way, making loading and
unloading very convenient
Traditional three-position
hammer: dropped, half cock
and full cock
Drilled and tapped for
scope mounts
(Available separately)
Cartridge ejector
system and shell
deflector
9
SERIAL NUMBER
The serial number can be found on the lower right
side of the receiver toward the rear corner (Figure 3).
Record it in the space provided at the front of this
manual for future reference.
AMMUNITION
Your Winchester Model 1885 Low Wall is designed
to shoot modern factory cartridges only. The caliber
of your new Model 1885 is inscribed on the barrel
near the receiver. Use only ammunition for which
your Model 1885 is chambered — as indicated on the
barrel — to prevent excessive pressure and possible
serious injury. Winchester ammunition is always an
excellent choice for your new Winchester rifle,
delivering the unmatched performance and
dependability you want.
MAKE SURE YOU USE
ONLY THE EXACT AMMUNITION/CALIBER
AS LISTED ON THE BARREL.
DISCHARGING FIREARMS IN POORLY
VENTILATED AREAS, CLEANING
8
FIREARMS OR HANDLING AMMUNITION
MAY RESULT IN EXPOSURE TO LEAD AND
OTHER SUBSTANCES KNOWN TO CAUSE
BIRTH DEFECTS, REPRODUCTIVE HARM
AND OTHER SERIOUS PHYSICAL INJURY.
HAVE ADEQUATE VENTILATION AT ALL
TIMES. WASH HANDS THOROUGHLY
AFTER EXPOSURE.
F
IGURE2A
Forearm
Buttplate
Ejector (below
the chamber)
Trigger
Buttstock
Muzzle
Rear Sight
Receiver
Hammer
Finger Lever
Front SightBarrel
Breech Block
F
IGURE
2B
Rear scope
mount holes
Hammer
Chamber
opening
Breech block
Top tang
OPERATION OF THE HAMMER
Like most lever action rifles with exposed hammers,
the Winchester Model 1885 does not have a separate
manual safety. The exposed hammer is an excellent
indicator of the status of the rifle. The hammer
has three positions: full cock, half cock, and dropped
or fired.
FULL COCK POSITION —
The hammer is all the way to the rear (Figure 4). At
this point, any pull or tug on the trigger will force the
hammer to fall, firing the rifle.The hammer can be
placed in this position in either of two ways. First,
every time the lever is cycled lever linkages will leave
the hammer in the full cock position. The hammer
may also be placed at full cock by manually moving it
rearward with the thumb until it engages the full
cock notch. Be sure to keep your finger off the trigger
while cocking the hammer.
HALF COCK POSITION —
The half cock notch on the hammer is a safety
feature designed to protect against accidental
discharge of the rifle in the event the hammer slips
11
INITIAL CLEANING
Before the first firing, clean the anti-rust compound
from the inside of the barrel and receiver with a clean
rag and light gun oil. Lightly oil the action along
the sides of the breech block and at the pivot points
on the lever. Only a light film of oil will ever be
necessary. To prevent rust, regularly wipe down all
metal surfaces with an oiled rag. See “Cleaning and
Maintenance Suggestions” later in the manual.
10
F
IGURE
2C
Bottom of
breech block
Trigger
adjustment
screw
Lever in downward position
(underside view)
Lever
Trigger
F
IGURE
3
Record your serial number
for future reference
F
IGURE
4
Full Cock (fire) position
of the hammer
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