George Madis reported that in 1943 at the height of WW2, Winchester ran an advert on its Model '97 to include one named "Old Reliable" that was then testing shotshells for the Army Air Corps after firing 1,247,000 rounds over 29 years. On March 13, 1914, M.A. Robinson, Winchester Ballistic Engineer, took serial number 128195 at random out of the regular production line. This '97 was assigned exclusively to testing Winchester ammunition and had been fired heavily and with only one broken firing pin and spring over those 29 years. The advert goes on to say that 128195 was given the name "Old Reliable" by factory personnel and now tests the production ammunition used in training aerial machine gunners on how to lead fast moving Axis planes and shoot them out of the skies.
No doubt Old Reliable was cleaned and lubricated regularly but even so, what a record! 1,247,000 rounds. Try that with a modern repeater.
