3033

Exceptional Winchester Model 1876 Lever Action Rifle

Currency:USD Category:Firearms & Military / Long Guns - Rifles Start Price:7,000.00 USD Estimated At:14,000.00 - 22,500.00 USD
Exceptional Winchester Model 1876 Lever Action Rifle
Buyer's Premium is 20.5% by credit card, reduced to 18% if payment is made by cash, check or wire transfer. Contact Rock Island Auction Company to complete your registration with the auction house.
Exceptional Winchester Model 1876 Lever Action Rifle

This is an exceptional original example of a Winchester Model 1876 rifle that was manufactured in 1882. This standard configuration rifle has a blue barrel, magazine, forearm cap, receiver and crescent buttplate. The hammer and lever are color casehardened. The stock and forearm are straight grain, oil finished American walnut. The full octagon barrel has the standard sporting style front sight with nickel silver blade and folding leaf rear sight graduated to 1,000 yards and marked "1876" on the top of the leaf. The receiver has the Third Model integral dust cover rail and dust cover with serrated edges. The loading gate has a fiery niter blue finish. The upper receiver tang is factory drilled and tapped for a rear sight. The buttplate has a sliding brass trap door. The rifle is chambered for the standard .45-75 cartridge and has no caliber markings on the barrel or cartridge elevator. The top of the barrel is roll stamped with the two-line legend "WINCHESTER'S- REPEATING ARMS.NEW HAVEN. CT./KING'S-IMPROVEMENT-PATENTED-MARCH 29. 1865. OCTOBER 16. 1860." ahead of the rear sight. "{MODEL 1876}" is roll stamped in fancy letters on the upper tang with foliate devices on either end of the marking. The serial number "33924" is stamped in script numerals on the lower tang between the lever latch and the tang screw. Nicknamed the "Centennial Model" for the year of introduction, the Model 1876 was designed as a lever action repeating rifle capable of handling large caliber cartridges. The Model 1876 was a popular big game rifle and was enthusiastically endorsed by hunter, out-doorsman and future President Theodore Roosevelt.

Manufacture: Winchester
Model: 1876
BBL: 28 inch octagon
Stock: walnut
Gauge: 45-75
Finish: blue
Grips:
Serial Number: 33924

Excellent. The rifle is all original and retains at 95% plus of the original blue overall. 95% blue finish is present on the barrel which shows only traces of edge wear. The barrel legend is extremely sharp. The finish on the bottom of the magazine and forearm cap show some very minor handling wear; the blue thinning slightly with traces of plum brown patina. Most of the high polish blue finish is present of the receiver and side plates which show only traces of edge wear and minimal handling marks. The only significant finish loss is on the rear quarter of the dust cover. The loading gate retains 90% of the fire blue finish. The heel of the buttplate retains most of the blue finish while the bottom shows light wear and has 60% of the blue finish. 85% of the muted case colors are present on the hammer and lever. The stock and forearm are excellent; nearly all the original oil finish remains intact and wear is limited to a few very insignificant storage marks. Standard configuration Model 1876 rifles were purchased as working firearms and typically show hard use. This is an exceptional example of a standard configuration of a Model 1876 "Centennial Rifle" that remains in truly exceptional original condition.