Winchester Arms Collectors Association - WACA

10/22/2026

Logan Metesh, Editor & Publisher, The Collector’s Wire sent an email to let the Association know that he wrote an article about the Fall 2026 issue of The Wi******er Collector. In it, referring to the articles in the Fall issue, “that range of subjects reflects one of the strongest functions of specialized collector organizations.” Most importantly, he notes that “For Wi******er collectors, publications like The Wi******er Collector serve another important purpose. They preserve research that might otherwise remain in private notes, collections, or conversations between longtime collectors.”

There is a lot of very informative information in Mr. Metesh’s publication. He also highlights The Ohio Gun Collectors Association (we have our satellite show with OGCA in September), the recent display by WACA member Eric Olson at the Texas Gun Collectors Association and the Civilian Marksmanship Program’s preparation to receive 2,000+ Model 1897 Wi******ers.

I have provided a link to the publication below. We’ll certainly be looking for more articles by Mr. Metesh and the staff at The Collector’s Wire.

https://www.thecollectorswire.com/category/collector-organizations/

10/20/2026

Here is a beautiful, one-of-a-kind, Wi******er with Bert Hartman, WACA Director and Historian, weighing in on what makes this Wi******er so special.

MUSEUM MARVELS #9 of 50
The Rarest Wi******er - "One of One"

𝘞𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘢 𝘤𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘵𝘺𝘱𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘰𝘧 𝘢 𝘳𝘶𝘳𝘢𝘭, 𝘳𝘦𝘨𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘮𝘶𝘴𝘦𝘶𝘮, 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦'𝘴 𝘢 𝘨𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘢𝘵 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘵.

When it comes to rare artifacts, you can’t get any rarer than “one of one”- meaning, the only one ever made. And if you can say it about what is perhaps the most iconic brand of the American West - Wi******er - even better!

This .25-35 caliber Wi******er Model 1885 (High Wall) has been featured in numerous national publications and was awarded the National R***e Association’s “Ten Best Weapons Award”.

So what makes this r***e so special? According to Wi******er Arms Collectors Association (WACA) Historian, Bert Hartman, there was never another one manufactured like it. In fact, the combination .25-35 caliber with a 15" barrel is so unbelievable that for years the barrel was believed to simply have been sawed-off. The Wi******er factory records eventually revealed that this was indeed how it was made- revealing that it is as rare as it gets.

Made in 1907, its original owner was a sheep rancher from Idaho. In 1969 it ended up in the hands of the legendary Bill Mackin- the renowned collector from whom the museum acquired the bulk of our Cowboy & Gunfighter collection. Mackin had one slight problem though: it was likely illegal to own.

The National Fi****ms Act of 1934 placed severe restrictions on owning a r***e with a barrel shorter than 16” with the threat of both fines and imprisonment. After having “misplaced” the r***e for years, Mackin received a letter from the ATF in 1977 stating that his Wi******er, if found, would receive an exemption due to its exceptionally rare, one-of-a-kind status. Miraculously, Mackin found the r***e that very same day!

With the threat of prison behind him, Mackin took his r***e to the NRA conference the very next year and won the coveted “Ten Best Weapons Award”. Today it is owned by the Museum of Northwest Colorado where it is proudly displayed as the rarest of the rare Wi******ers - a true "one of one".

10/07/2026

We love displays! We can’t wait to see the pre-64 Model 70’s in the Blocker’s display. Wi******ers are great eye candy, but it is important to preserve the historical significance of this piece of America’s history.

Thank you to Jarod, Patience, and the Blocker family for their part in sharing Wi******er history with the public.

The show will be held July 9-11, 2027, at the Riley Arena in Cody.

Patience and Jarod Blocker are rare for their age. The Gillette couple has a passion for classic pre-64 Wi******er Model 70 r***es. Planning for next…

10/02/2026

COMING SOON!
The 2026 Fall Edition of The Wi******er Collector magazine will soon be available for online viewing on our website. You must be logged into your account in order to view the magazine which can be found under the Publications tab.

Mailing will occur on or about October 15th. Domestic members please allow 2-4 weeks for delivery. International members please allow extra delivery time. * Included in this mailing will be the 2027 Member Calendar.

09/25/2026

This weekend the The Ohio Gun Collectors Association Show is being held at the Ross Expo Center at Lorain County Fairgrounds in Wellington, Ohio. Join us at our official mid-western show, Saturday and Sunday, September 26th & September 27th.
Joining the show is the German Gun Collectors Association (GGCA). GGCA's mission is to preserve the history of German hunting and sporting guns and the stories of the craftsmen who built them for today’s enthusiasts and for generations to come.

For more information visit: https://ogca.com/

09/22/2026

09/22/2026

There is no doubt that the McCracken Library is the best place for Wi******er related research. Helios House Press produces beautiful books, including Ink and Iron which details Wi******er printing blocks in the CFM collection, not to mention the Armax: Journal of Contemporary Arms.
We can’t wait to see what information this new book will hold. A must have for any Wi******er collector! See the link below for more information.

A beautifully illustrated hardback edition collecting technical drawing of some of Wi******er’s iconic fi****ms.

09/11/2026

On this terrible day in history there were 2,996 people (including the 19 hijackers) who died in the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
We will never forget this day as we remember the victims, the families, law enforcement, firefighters, medical personnel, and the search and rescue dogs.
Pictured is the Tower of Voices at the Flight 93 National Memorial in Pennsylvania. This tower memorializes the 40 souls on Flight 93.
Never ever forget!

09/09/2026

This would be a nice addition to any Wi******er collection.

This is a Model 1883 Hotchkiss r***e chambered in .45-70 and manufactured by Wi******er in 1885. The 1883 was the third iteration of Hotchkiss produced by Wi******er. This example was engraved by Conrad Ulrich, one of Wi******er’s factory engravers and a member of the famous Ulrich engraving family. According to the factory records this r***e was showcased at a number of expositions by Wi******er throughout the 1880s and 90s.

****msmuseum ******er

09/04/2026

Happy Labor Day! We hope everyone has a safe and enjoyable weekend.