About Winchester Arms USA

A world leader in delivering innovative products, Winchester is The American Legend, a brand built on integrity, hard work, and a deep focus on its loyal customers.

Considered one of the world’s leading ammunition manufacturers, Winchester has built its reputation on delivering innovative ammunition products, providing top-shelf customer service and demonstrating industry leadership.

Our legacy in servicing hunters and shooters, law enforcement and U.S. warfighters runs deep, with decades of support at the highest levels including delivering technologically advanced products. From our research and development efforts to our manufacturing processes, we understand the value of product quality and performance.

With a reputation steeped in tradition, we have earned the moniker, ‘The American Legend’ by delivering on our commitment to excellence in everything we do.

Winchester’s manufacturing operations include a state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities in Oxford, Miss. and East Alton, Ill.

Winchester Ammunition Conservation

A Legacy in Conservation and the Shooting Sports

For more than 150 years, Winchester, The American Legend, has been an industry leader in promoting conservation, the shooting sports and our hunting heritage. Whether the mission includes improving wildlife habitat, promoting hunter safety or investing in youth shooting programs, Winchester continues to align with organizations that focus on these areas of the hunting and shooting sports. The Winchester brand is rich in history with many organizations.

Brief History

The Winchester Repeating Arms Company was a prominent American manufacturer of repeating firearms and ammunition. The firm was established in 1866 by Oliver Winchester and was located in New Haven, Connecticut. The firm went into receivership in 1931 and was bought by the Western Cartridge Company, forerunner of the Olin Corporation.

Oliver Winchester

The Winchester arms factory in New Haven, Connecticut, 1891

Magazine advertisement from 1898

The U.S. M1 carbine (technically not a carbine in the sense of a short version of a parent rifle) was designed at Winchester by an eight-man team including Edwin Pugsley, Bill Roemer, Marsh Williams, Fred Humiston, Cliff Warner and Ralph Clarkson, although the popular press played up the role of ex-convict Williams. More M1 carbines were manufactured by Winchester and other firms than any other U.S. small arm of World War II.

During World War II, Winchester produced the M1 Garand rifle and post-war was the first civilian manufacturer of the M14 rifle.

The Winchester Arms Collectors Association (WACA) is a not-for-profit, tax-exempt corporation with a worldwide membership of over 3,000 individuals. WACA was organized in July 1977, incorporated February 21, 1978 in the State of Montana and has been NRA affiliated (#G8143) since 1978.