It is considered by many as the smoothest, most compact, handiest and most beautiful lever action ever offered by Winchester. The Model 1892 (or "The 92" as most of us call it) was Winchester's follow-up to the amazing Model 1886. The 86 was designed for large hunting/military calibers of the 1800s, like 45-70. Soon after it's development, the call went out for a new (but more compact) lever rifle suitable for pistol calibers. Soon John Moses Browning produced the Model 1892 prototype for Winchester -- and the rest is history.