Welcome to at this time’s Picture of the Day! Right here we’ve got Winchester’s second try at making a semi-automatic to compete with John Moses Browning’s well-liked design. That is the Winchester Mannequin 40 and it was a follow-up to the Winchester Mannequin 1911 “self-loading” shotgun. In case you are not conversant in the Mannequin 1911 it was the one the general public (rightfully or not) dubbed “The Widowmaker”. The Widow Maker was not a industrial success and most of that has to do with its title. I’ve mentioned its origins in a earlier Picture of the Day. The Winchester Mannequin 40 was solely made for 2 years however had a bigger manufacturing run of 12,000 weapons. My only a few assets point out that Winchester ended up recalling the Mannequin 40 virtually instantly on account of reported design flaws. I might have guess that it had extra to do with supporting the struggle effort on the time.
“Manufactured from 1940 to 1941 with roughly 12,000 weapons offered. The Winchester Mannequin 40 was the corporate’s second try to interrupt into the auto loading shotgun market. The shotgun features a 1992 dated letter from the Buffalo Invoice Historic Heart, stating that no info was accessible for this shotgun, or any data for the Mannequin 40 semi-automatic. Includes a ramped blade fashion entrance sight, 2 3/4 inch chamber, modified choke, and a 1/2 size tubular journal. The left aspect of the receiver contains a extremely detailed setter and snipe discipline scene. Deluxe checkered semi-beavertail forearm and pistol grip inventory with a tough rubber Winchester grip cap, and checkered Winchester buttplate. Inventory measurements are: drop at comb 1 3/8 inches; drop at heel 2 1/2 inches; size of pull 13 3/4 inches.”
Lot 506: Scarce First Yr Manufacturing Serial Quantity ‘7’ Manufacturing facility Engraved – Scarce First Yr Manufacturing Serial Quantity “7” Manufacturing facility Engraved Winchester Deluxe Mannequin 40 Semi-Computerized Shotgun. (n.d.). Rock Island Public sale Firm. {photograph}. Retrieved October 9, 2022, from https://www.rockislandauction.com/element/72/506/scarce-first-year-production-serial-number-7-factory-engraved.
