34 | WINCHESTERCOLLECTOR.ORG • Fall 2021 WINCHESTER ACCOUTREMENTS: Ways to Enhance Your Gun Collection by Jennifer & Gary Gole There's a myriad of choices in collecting Winchester rifles and shotguns. DidyouknowthatWinchester made all sorts of accoutrements for those firearms as well? Winchester made barrel reflectors, cleaning rods, rifle cases, shotgun cases, telescope sights, slings, sling swivels and more. Starting back in 1881, Winchester began making belt buckles and marketing them with Anson Mills woven cartridge belts. These are a rare find and if you have a Winchester lever action rifle...what could be better than complimenting it with one of these beauties. Winchester made three variations of these buckles, shown at the top of the next page. The first was the brass model. The bear engraving would be enticing to any big game hunter. Through research over the years, we have come to believe that Winchester may have realized the brass needed to be constantly polished to keep it looking new. At some point, Winchester decided to nickel plate the finish. This made the finish not only more durable, but more desirable as well. They added a larger buckle and belt to accommodate larger cartridges that corresponded to the calibers offered in the Model 1886. The original brass version is the most difficult to find…but any version will make your rifle display look more complete. There is an ad on the cover of Forest and Stream & Rod and Gun in 1881, advertising Winchester Repeating Arms Co. Store 312 Broadway, New York, NY, as "Sole Agents For Anson Mills' Woven Cartridge Belt." This contract expired on December 18th, 1885. That doesn’t mean that Winchester discontinued the sale…they were just no longer the “Sole Agents” for the Anson Mills woven belts. In addition to the cartridge belts, Winchester offered many items to enhance the use of their rifles. Beginning mid-1887, Winchester catalogs began to advertise the An early Anson Mills woven cartridge belt with a Winchester brass buckle, with buckle details on the lower right of the next page
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