Winchester Model 43

About the Winchester Model 43

The Winchester Model 43 is an American bolt-action rifle produced from 1949 to 1957. Conceived as a more affordable, scaled-down companion to the Model 70 and sometimes called the 'Winchester Model 70 Junior', it was the first new rifle the company brought to market after World War II. Fed by a three-round detachable box magazine, it was chambered for small varmint and small-game cartridges including the .218 Bee, .22 Hornet, .25-20 Winchester and .32-20 Winchester, and earned a lasting reputation as a handy, accurate varmint rifle.

Marketed as a postwar 'junior' to the prestigious Model 70, the Model 43 gave Depression-era and postwar varmint shooters Winchester quality in a lighter, less costly package. Today it is prized by collectors, especially examples in the scarce .218 Bee chambering.

Winchester Model 43 specifications

Offered in Standard and Deluxe grades; the Deluxe added a checkered walnut stock and grip cap. The .218 Bee chambering is the most sought-after by collectors. Roughly 62,600 were produced before the model was dropped in 1957.