Gun Makers Bringing Back Classics

An air of nostalgia prevailed among introductions of new hunting firearms by American gunmakers this year.

Most of the new firearm introductions for 1995 were in long guns, and it included a number of revivals of classic old firearms.

Browning announced a new Low Wall Model 1885 single shot action that it will be making in .22 Hornet, .223 Remington, and .243 Winchester, while its sister company U.S. Repeating Arms-Winchester reintroduced the Model 1895 lever action rifle in .30-06. Both are revivals of classic firearms first made a century ago.

Remington Arms Co. again has a whole range of new product extensions. Most notable are a detachable box magazine version of the Model 700 bolt rifle, a synthetic-stocked Model 700 ADL rifle, and the reintroduction of the Model 1100 shotgun with a synthetic stock.

Also cashing in on the classic firearm concept, the company introduced its first muzzleloader, creating a limited run of flintlocks that are similar to the first rifles ever made by Eli Remington in the early 1800s.

Ruger unveiled its Red Label 28-gauge over-and-under shotgun, and it has added a heavy-barrel varmint version of its .22 Hornet Model 77-22.

, DataTimes