By today's standards however, the design is considered relatively weak, and not suited to high pressure loads. The M1895 is the strongest lever-action rifle Winchester has produced, designed to handle the increased pressures generated by the more powerful smokeless powder cartridges entering common use at the time of its introduction. The M1895 was also the last of the lever-action rifles to be designed by John Browning, and featured a rear locking bolt as in his previous designs dating back to the Winchester 1886. This allowed the rifle to safely chamber military and hunting cartridges with spitzer (pointed) bullets.

The first Model 1895 was the first Winchester rifle to feature a box magazine that is located underneath the action instead of the tubular magazine design, which had remained fundamentally unchanged from the Winchester 1866. The Winchester Model 1895 is an American lever-action repeating firearm developed and manufactured by the Winchester Repeating Arms Company in the late 19th century, chambered for a number of full-size military and hunting cartridges such as 7.62×54mmR. 1895–1940 (Original Special Order 1936-40)ġ995-Present (Winchester Limited Editions)