In the second half of the 19th century, there was severe competition in the United States for the firearms market because this product was in considerable demand both by the military and by thousands of ordinary people: cowboys, farmers, gold prospectors, and travelers (as a means of self-defense). Many worthy competitors took part in this "arms race," which was the arms company created by Oliver Fischer Winchester.
The Winchester weapon is one of the most recognizable and famous in the United States, probably because the stereotype of the Wild West with wild Indians and even more untamed cowboys inhabiting it is hard to imagine without an essential element of their daily life - the Winchester shotgun.
Even though the company is more than 150 years old, the popularity of these guns is only growing every year. In combination with night vision equipment and thermal vision device, the Winchester carbine is a vital companion of a real hunter.

A brief history of the company

Oliver Winchester was a very resourceful and passionate man who believed in the future of firearms and managed to build his empire thanks to lever-type rifles. Oliver Winchester had his first steps in business as a manufacturer of men's shirts. But seeing the enormous potential of the growing arms industry, Winchester raised capital, attracted investors, and on May 22, 1866, Winchester Repeating Arms was formed.

During the first 14 years, Winchester was actively breaking into new markets, creating new products, and expanding its lever garbage capabilities. When the West of the USA was opened to settlers, the company increased its income and became known worldwide. Throughout the company's history, it has developed along two parallel paths: the production of weapons and the production of ammunition.
The company's management involved the best inventors in the development of new models, among whom was the designer of firearms John Moses Browning, who over 20 years of his work in the company created more than 24 models of weapons.

Significant weapon of the company

Winchester Model 1873
One of the most iconic and famous weapon models is the Winchester Model 1873. This rifle was designed for the new 44-40 WCF (Winchester Center Fire) cartridge. This rifle is known as the "Weapon that Conquered the West" and produced over 700,000 copies.
In 1875, "special" rifles, model 1873, appeared on the market. They are marked as "One of a Hundred" and "One of a Thousand" and immediately become the subject of hunting by firearms collectors.
In the same year, the famous military and entrepreneur William F. "Buffalo Bill" Cody even wrote a particular recommendation for the Winchester weapons catalog. He stated that Winchester 1875 had no competitors in the hunt.

Winchester Model 1895

Another hugely popular model was released in 1895 - the Winchester Model 1895. Unlike other models, it was designed for the more powerful cartridge of the hunting and army models for hunting big game. Equally important is the shockwave of this shotgun is designed so that even a beginner can use it. The 1895 model of this carbine was a favorite of the famous hunter and US President Theodore Roosevelt. This shotgun accompanied him on all hunting trips (including all safaris in Africa).

Winchester М12

The Winchester M12, like all other weapons produced by the Winchester company, is an excellent representative of the firearms of its time, which can take its rightful place not only in a collector's gun cabinet but also in the hands of an excellent experienced hunter.
The Winchester model 12 smoothbore shotgun was developed and put into production in 1912. The M12 differed from the popular Winchester model 1895 pump-action shotgun in a more straightforward arrangement of mechanisms and a more elegant appearance due to the hidden location of the trigger.
The Winchester M12 shotgun lasted more than 50 years in production, and the total production of all variants of this shotgun amounted to almost 2 million copies. Since 1918 the Winchester company began to produce the Winchester model 12 shotguns in police and "trench" versions. These guns were widely used in US law enforcement until the 70s of the 20th century. Army versions were in service with the US Army and Marine Corps from World War I to the Vietnam War.
 

Winchester Model 1300

Another significant Winchester model is the Model 1300, presented in 1978, which is currently produced as the Winchester SXP and is famous in the United States and abroad due to its reliability and high reload speed which is ideal for hunting birds and for shooting sports.

Over the years of its long existence, the company has developed many different models of weapons that have resonated in the hearts of many real hunters and collectors.

Hunting and modern technologies

Winchester's weapons occupy a leading position among experienced hunters, but those who like hunting at night simply cannot do without modern optical devices.
Unlike wild animals, humans have low-light vision and do not distinguish heat radiation, like reptiles. So maybe every night vision manufacturer is actively working to create the most convenient optoelectronic devices that will benefit and expand the capabilities of hunters at night. Such devices, of course, include night vision devices and thermal imagers. Night vision manufacturers offer a wide range of night vision goggles for hunting use (for observing animal behavior, tracking animals at night). There are several types of night vision devices: NV scope - designed to detect any object in low natural light conditions/
night vision monoculars, which are designed to observe animals, people, or vehicles.
Night vision goggles are used for surveillance on the move.
Night vision rifle scope that is ideal for rifled and smooth-bore weapons.
Such devices are especially relevant for searching for nocturnal animals of the wild boar, bear, etc.
Thermal imagers also deserve special attention because their main principle is visualizing infrared radiation from objects on the screen. A heat map is created on the screen based on the temperature difference between the surface and background areas - a visible image. People, animals, and relief details are visual on it. For the convenience of hunters, these devices are also presented in several modifications: a thermal vision rifle scope and thermal monocular.
Hunters have used thermal imaging technology for many purposes, surveying hunting grounds or searching for prey. There are many options for choosing the best night vision or thermal imaging system to use. In any case, each hunter has their requests and wishes, from which they will build on when selecting such necessary modern technologies.

In general, the characteristics of Winchester rifles indicate that such a weapon is the most convenient for hunters and athletes. Rifles are unpretentious in maintenance and very reliable. Therefore, according to millions of US residents, Winchester is a high-quality and reliable weapon, with which you can hunt and practice shooting sports, and of course, use it for self-defense.
If you want to understand the real power of a hunting rifle, then take a closer look at the Winchester rifle models.
With a good gun and correctly selected optics, hunting will sparkle with new impressions and emotions. Remember, in an actual hunt. You must have everything perfect. Otherwise, there may not be a second chance.