History
In 2008, Greg Buchel desired to build a rifle strong enough to shoot the .500 S&W Magnum cartridge in a sleek, slim and trim John Browning-style lever gun. Buchel knew right away a lever gun the size of the Winchester model 92 would be too small for the large high-pressure cartridge, but wanted the action to be smaller than the larger but tried-and-true Winchester Model 1886.
So, Buchel did what so many others before him do — he designed his own action. He calls it the model 89, halfway between Winchesters’ ’92 and 1886. By using 17-4PH stainless steel, a steel three times stronger than originally used by Winchester, it was possible to contain the 500 S&W cartridge’s pressures.
The mid-sized model 89 action allowed adjustments to be made, moving pivot pins for the carrier, release points for cartridge guides and other critical internal parts for a perfect geometry to allow cartridges the size of the large 500 S&W Magnum to cycle correctly.
Long story short, Buchel and his team of engineers were successful. Today, Big Horn Armory rifles sport beautiful exhibition-grade wood and have a tough, attractive finish. And boy, do they shoot. The Skinner Sight Peep sight installed on the bolt of the rifle maximizes sight distance from the front sight, providing a tough, durable sighting system.
A barrel-mounted Scout rail allows versatility by allowing the mounting of either a scout-type scope or red dot optic, depending on the shooter’s preference, besides the peep sight.
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