“winchester repeating arms”

America’s oldest gunmaker celebrates its 200th Birthday.

It was 150 years ago that the name “Winchester” was first stamped on a rifle. But Winchester’s narrative began well before that, and it is a tale tied to the American West, to the wars of the 20th century, to big personalities such as John Browning and John Olin, and to the manufacture of billions of cartridges and millions of rifles and shotguns beloved by generations of Americans.

Although the ammunition and gun businesses split up years ago, the two entities—Winchester Ammunition and Winchester Repeating Arms Co.—this year have teamed to celebrate the brand’s 150-year-old legacy.

In this, its 150th year in business, the history of Winchester firearms is well known. After all, “The gun that won the west” was a Winchester, the Model 1873. The Winchester Model 70 is known as the “Rifleman’s Rifle” and the Model 1894 is perhaps the most successful sporting rifle in history. The company also shook up the scattergun market with classic shotguns like the Model 1897, Model 21 and Model 12. The raw truth, however, is that none of these guns could have made their mark in history without ammo to shoot out of them. It’s kind of the red-headed stepchild in terms of glory and glamor, but Winchester has been in the ammo business as long as they have been in the gun business.

Winchester's turning 150, and we've got to say—the company is looking pretty good for its age. As such, it's celebrating the landmark anniversary by bringing an array of legendary firearms to the 145th NRA Annual Meetings & Exhibits in Louisville this weekend.

To celebrate Winchester's 150th anniversary, we've assembled 10 facts about the company's long history that may surprise you.

In case you hadn't heard, the Winchester brand as a whole is celebrating 150 years of history at SHOT Show—and throughout the entirety of 2016, for that matter. And if you're going to celebrate your history, it makes sense to show some of it off.

Winchester Repeating Arms has announced that it will now offer its SXP pump shotgun in 20-gauge models.

Winchester Repeating Arms has announced an immediate recall of select 3½" chamber SXP (Super X Pump) shotguns. Under certain circumstances, the shotguns may unintentionally discharge upon the closing of the action.