TRANSCRIPT

Although the Winchester carbine was a popular choice for the force it was not reliable! Commissioner Irvine, reported that it 'is altogether too weak in construction to meet the rough handling that at times it is impossible to prevent its receiving'. He also reported that it was weak where the shank joined the breech and the rear sight was poorly attached. Complaints were noted in many accounts written by the officers. During the 1880s, in the latter part of August and the beginning of September, Constable John Donkin describes the annual target practice and his discontent with how the Winchester functioned after it had been put through a series of mounted infantry drills and fired the regulated amount of ammunition:

Narrated by Kris Nygren