One of the really cool aspects of the Cody Firearms Museum is that their collection is built largely on the original Winchester factory collection. Thus they have a significant number of prototype Winchester designs that were built and tested, but never put into production. One of them is this Winchester Model 1905 Self Loader chambered for .45 ACP, using standard 1911 pistol magazines. This example was built circa 1919, but never progressed farther than this one prototype. Why not? Probably because it was not seen as being a viable commercial offering at the time. While pistol caliber carbines are popular today, at the time Winchester's problem was that the hunting market dominated, and customers wanted more powerful cartridges in the 1905/1907/1910 series of self-loaders - not less powerful ones.

Thanks to the Cody Firearms Museum for allowing me access to film this unique prototype!