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April 29, 2024
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OK recently came into possession of this 1910 1895 TD. I would say it has been redone but still for the price I got it for I am still happy. It has a trapdoor ammo storage compartment in the stock with I am assuming is the onetime owners name on it. It is very interesting as i have found absolutely nothing on this kind of storage compartment anywhere. Any one here ever seen anything like it. i am tempted to return it to stock but it is so interesting that I may not……….
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April 29, 2024
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Sorry for some reason pics did 
not show ………
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October 29, 2011
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Kevin–If you have a display table, bring it to Cody in a few weeks–neat looking..Bill
December 9, 2002
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Uplander said
OK recently came into possession of this 1910 1895 TD. I would say it has been redone but still for the price I got it for I am still happy. It has a trapdoor ammo storage compartment in the stock with I am assuming is the onetime owners name on it. It is very interesting as i have found absolutely nothing on this kind of storage compartment anywhere. Any one here ever seen anything like it. i am tempted to return it to stock but it is so interesting that I may not……….
I personally haven’t seen it on a M-1895, but we have seen this on other manufactured Rifles, as mainly on the higher grade and possibly foreign made European made rifles.
Nice looking Rifle! If it we’re mine I would leave it alone! What caliber is it?
Tony
April 29, 2024
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30-06
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September 29, 1993
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Kevin:
I’ve seen this after-market addition on a Model 1895 in Australia. It was on an exquisite rifle completely reworked by Thomas Bland & Sons of London.
Company records exist from 1893–1928, and the name persists today in some form (e.g., Thomas Bland & Sons (Gunmakers) Limited, with modern connections in the US via Woodcock Hill, Inc.).
Rick
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January 20, 2023
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Just based on the apparent quality of the workmanship, I wouldn’t touch it. That is a hell of a custom gun.
There is a very good possibility this work was done by a “name” house. The Walnut is fancy – is the checkering superior in workmanship to the typical New Haven job?
Have you examined all the stamps and marks to see if it has gone through foreign proof?
What is the name you mentioned? Is it possible that is the name of the shop or artisan rather than a prior owner?
It would have undergone London or Birmingham proof but Holland and other British makers did this kind of work to Winchesters, sometimes on spec and others to order.
I’d take this specimen very seriously and at a minimum submit a complete list of all marks for group investigation.
Several modern American custom.gunmakers and metal workers used to offer such cartridge traps to the trade. I just can’t remember who but I know I’ve seen illustrations.
A great piece of work.
- Bill
WACA # 65205; life member, NRA; member, TGCA; member, TSRA; amateur preservationist
"I have seen wicked men and fools, a great many of both, and I believe they both get paid in the end, but the fools first." -- David Balfour, narrator and protagonist of the novel, Kidnapped, by Robert Louis Stevenson.
November 19, 2006
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I’ve seen this feature on many a rifle but never a Winchester Model 1895. In fact, never on any Winchester lever action. Almost always on some sort of bolt action rifle. More often than not, European.
January 20, 2023
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If the recoil pad were a red Silver’s, I’d scour the rest of the gun looking for London proof. Black pads I’ve always associated with American work, although that may just be my ignorance in play. The brand of the pad, if determinable, might aid in dating the work. The checkering pattern looks more extensive than Winchester’s “H” and the LPI looks finer than typical but, again, a single full length photo reveals too little detail.
If the fit and finish quality is as good as it looks from here, somebody laid some serious money on the line for it.
- Bill
WACA # 65205; life member, NRA; member, TGCA; member, TSRA; amateur preservationist
"I have seen wicked men and fools, a great many of both, and I believe they both get paid in the end, but the fools first." -- David Balfour, narrator and protagonist of the novel, Kidnapped, by Robert Louis Stevenson.
August 14, 2021
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Interesting it’s on the bottom of the stock my pre-war German combination gun has it on the top as usually seen.
December 9, 2002
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Kevin,
These gentlemen have a lot of years and experience looking at many firearms over the years, and are spot on, imo, with their comments and evaluations here.
More pics and close up views, of barrel address and maybe the other stamps that might accommodate it, as was previously suggested.
We all can agree, not to do anything with it, as you have a very desirable piece there. Sure looks like quality to us! You have some great suggestions and information to do some more searching on. In most cases that’s a big part of the fun, on finding a nice piece like you’ve found. 
Maybe try to use a smaller size picture when you’re uploading them. That’s helped me a little in the past. I’ll never understand why they turn themselves around at different times.
Tony
