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What actually makes up a gallery gun, is there something that determines what is one of these Terry
Not sure from the Winchester perspective per se, but typically they were small bore, low-powered (primer only or 22 Shorts, 22 CBs, etc.) firearms designed to be shot inside the house. Some also call them ‘parlor’ guns.
While typically they were single shot, small framed guns, some European ones were quite ornate. Gallery pistols were even marketed.
Air rifles have all but replaced them .. less my .22 S-Shots I shoot in the basement range using Aquila Colibri (375 fps) and Super Colibri (~475-500 fps) ammo, both using primer compound only and a 20-grn bullet.
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While Winchester "Gallery rifle" was a distinct type supplied to the trade but available for private purchase
They tend to be in .22 short (very rarely in CB) either a M1890, M.06 or a M.62 pump action, a triangular loading port for bulk loading, occasionally have a gallery counter fastener or wear consistent with its use and again occasionally have the receiver marked Winchester or other markings indicating shooting gallery use
The same term "Gallery" rifle or gun is, unfortunately, used to describe all 3 types.
Schuetzen "gallery" rifles were normally found in .22 Short. Quite often these were high-end single shot rifles with all or many of the bells & whistles, sometimes engraved, sometimes not. They were used for practice & competition in the winter & in urban areas where use of a centerfire rifle was not practical. Large sums of $$ were wagered at the big-time urban matches. One that I am familiar with is an 1885 flat spring high wall with a #4 barrel, CCDST, a large nickle-plated buttplate and factory scope blocks.
"Shooting gallery" rifles were made for carnivals, circuses, amusement parks, etc. They were often slide action rifles as described, but I have used a friend’s Win. 74 in .22 Short with a shell deflector (presumably factory) and an eye-bolt in the stock so that the gallery proprietor could chain it to the counter. The 74 was remarkably accurate at 50 yards off the bench, even with open sights. Ammunition, mostly Shorts, came in "gallery packs" of 250 or 500 or more. Bullets were designed to disintegrate on impact & were advertised as "spatterless" or some such.
The last type was a light gun used for informal plinking or target shooting in a basement, cellar, etc.
As Ray suggests above, a "Gallery" gun might be a .22 rim fire SHORT with a specialized loading port to accomodate the pre loaded tubes containing multiple rounds of .22 Shorts and possibly some sort of counter tie down feature.
Pictures are always helpful so pictured below is a Winchester model 62A Gallery gun with those typical shooting gallery features. It includes the tie down strap that was attached to the barrel and magazine tube. This one happens to be "WINCHESTER" roll marked on the left side of the receiver.
I’ve also included a picture of myself taken at the Coney Island shooting gallery in May or June of 1956. In this case, a picture of the shooter is taken automatically if the shooter hits the bullseye. I do not shoot left handed. I suspect either the negative got reversed before the picture was printed or possibly, and maybe more likely, the picture is taken thru a mirror to prevent someone from actually hitting the camera.
I was in the US Navy back then with my ship home ported at the Brooklyn Army Base and it was just a short subway ride to Coney Island. It was a troop and dependent transport and all we did was ferry troops and dependents between NYC and Bremerhaven Germany with an occasional stop in Southampton England. If you were in the Army or Air Force back then and got shipped to Europe, you may have had the pleasure of our fine services.
Hope you enjoy the pictures which speak for themselves.
Jolly
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