“gun that won the west”

If there's one thing they know over at Uberti USA, its that the humble lever-action rifle is the one platform that never goes out of style. The company now brings the legendary 1873-pattern rifle into the 21st century with its all-new 1873 Hunter Rifle series.

Quiet, lethal and suppressor-friendly, there’s a lot to love about Hornady’s new Subsonic .30-30 load. It’s great for game species of every size at close ranges and features a Sub-X bullet that delivers reliable expansion and solid bullet construction.

One of the most prominent early American firearm manufacturers, Winchester Repeating Arms has a footprint in the very roots of U.S. history. Here are 10 things about the 153-year-old company that may surprise you.

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.

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.

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

Think it was the Winchester 1873? The Colt Peacemaker? Nope. Try an airgun.