The Cimarron 1885 High Wall is one of the most popular single-shot rifles ever made. This firearm is another John Browning specialized design widely used up to this day.
Cimarron 1885 High Wall Sporting Rifle
The Cimarron 1885 High Wall is lucky to have been designed by one of the most revered firearm experts in history. John Browning was 24 years old when he was granted a patent for the design of this gun.
Its simplicity and ease of use greatly impressed Winchester General Manager Thomas G. Bennett, who bought the rights to the rifle and began manufacturing it in 1885.
Thus, the birth of the High Wall version from Cimarron is another product of John Browning's genius.
Gun Specs
This two-shot capacity rifle has a barrel length of 30 inches with fixed front sights and adjustable rear.
It's available in .45-70 caliber up to .405 Win with durable Walnut stocks, and an overall weight of less than 10 lbs unloaded.
There are various options for this gun's finish, though the most common is in standard blue.
Ease of Use and Performance
The 1885 High Wall is a long-range rifle with excellent shooting performance. It has quite a reputation in long-range shooting matches as always the gun to beat.
This rifle is also known for its durability with its sleek and strong design. The walnut stock makes a fine smooth grip.
Pros and Cons
The 1885 High Wall's design was also adopted by other companies such as Uberti which is an Italian replica of the Cimarron.
Lack of sales prompted to discontinuation of the manufacturing of this rifle in 1920, but eventually reproduced by other companies due to the unparalleled design and performance of the High Wall.
Overall Verdict and Price
I think the Cimarron 1885 High Wall is a good buy at $893 – $1115 price range. Not only is it a great long-range rifle, but also a John Browning classic firearm.
I would buy this rifle even if it costs a couple of hundred dollars more.
Here's a short video of the Cimarron 1885 High Wall specs:
The genius of John Browning is showcased once more in the 1885 High Wall rifle. He has designed firearms from handguns to long barrels that stood the test of time, as well as competing with modern guns in ergonomics and performance.
Makes me wonder what he could have built given the more sophisticated tools of today.
What can you say about the Cimarron 1885 High Wall? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
Perhaps you want to understand more about rifles? Here's the history and classification of rifles.
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Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in September 2015 and has been updated for quality and relevancy.
To be useful as a serious target rifle, this needs a shotgun style butt stock (available on the original). For hunting and a few shots, the crescent butt plate can be tolerated. Fire a hundred or more full power, black powder loads with heavy bullets and your shoulder will suffer. You may even develop a flinch that is hard to cure.
Uberti is an “Italian replica of the Cimarron.”? Seriously?!. Did you do ANY research/thinking before writing this “article”? Uberti MAKES the damn thing FOR Cimmaron. Cimarron is not a manufacturer but if you had a clue you’d know that. The whole thing is a reproduction/replica. ALL of them made now are including those by Browning/Winchester since they are not the original rifle internally. ANY modern 1885 is a replica. How does a company make a “replica” of a rifle from a company that DOES NOT make rifles when YOU make the rifle FOR their company? Another golden gem from you — ” This two shot capacity rifle”… yeah, hey bud in a SINGLE shot rifle, with NO MAGAZINE– how do you figure TWO SHOT capacity?? I’d love to hear that answer. I don’t want to say your whole article is full of easily thought out BS, but it’s hard to think you could screw up that much assuming you actually took a breath, and took the time to WRITE it. I guess your word/expertise is worth the paper it’s printed on, and since this is online…….. Serious question, you actually took the time to do this , and assuming your not 12– how’d you F up so bad? I hope anybody reading your crap never takes it as verbatim.
The video says a barrel length of 4.7 inches. REALLY !? I’ve got to agree with John Wayne on this one.