Idaho Voters Choose ‘Gun That Won The West’ In State Firearm Referendum

2 min read

Voters in Idaho have chosen the Winchester Model 1873 as the state’s official firearm in a non-binding referendum, a decision that has drawn mixed reactions from local experts. The Model 1873, famously known as ‘the gun that won the West,’ won with 31.2% of the vote, according to The New York Times. The referendum, created by Republican Idaho Gov. Brad Little through House Bill 932, featured six firearms as options for the honor.

The other five firearms were the M1911 pistol, the Colt Single Action Army revolver (also known as the Peacemaker), the Winchester 1894 rifle, the M1 Garand, and the Remington 700. The Winchester 1894, a popular lever-action firearm, finished second with 25.4% of the vote, while the Colt Single Action Army came in third with 15.1%.

Experts in the state had criticized the referendum, arguing that the choices offered by the Legislature didn’t reflect the state’s history with firearms. According to an Oct. 13 article in the Coeur d’Alene Press, some questioned how the Legislature arrived at the specific guns listed, with none of them directly tied to Idaho’s history. George Milton, owner of Gem State Firearms, told the outlet that lawmakers ignored the contributions of gun writer Elmer Keith, a key figure in the development of the Magnum cartridges.

Idaho was one state that avoided the Democratic sweep, with Republicans retaining the governorship, the state U.S. Senate seat, all statewide offices, both Congressional seats, and maintaining substantial majorities in the state Legislature, according to The New York Times. However, the state’s decision to name the Model 1873 as its official firearm has sparked debate among local experts and gun enthusiasts, with some calling the effort a ‘laughing joke.’

I cast my ballot for the Winchester Model 1873, the Gun that Won the West. Idaho’s Second Amendment tradition runs deep, and this one’s earned a place as our state gun. https://t.co/2VuitfjFsT

@RaulLabrador4ID on X

Source: Daily Caller

Written by

Connor Davis