Author Topic: Early Model 1876 Winchester  (Read 9102 times)

Offline dusty texian

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Early Model 1876 Winchester
« on: August 15, 2015, 11:59:54 AM »
This past wk. I had the good fortune of purchasing a very early Winchester Model 0f 1876 . The rifle is sr.# 3xxx Cody letter information is as follows. Oct. barrel 45/75 set trigger /////// Changed to 28" Rd. barrel 45/60 plain trigger. The rifle bore on this one is by far the best condition of all my 76 rifles, great shine and very strong rifling very little if any pitting. The action is very tight and solid wood, with the normal small dents and scratches. The metal is overall a brown patina , a real pioneer look to it. I am still in the cleaning and inspecting stages with this one , but plan to shoot it very soon. I will post how it behaves at the range. Being built during the time of westward expansion on the East Coast and ending up on the Oregon Coast where it was when I purchased it. I wish it could tell the story of how it arrived there. Here is a pic. of my newest oldest 1876 Winchester. No safe Queen here just a plain old working gun from the old west,,,,,DT

Offline Grizzly Adams

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Re: Early Model 1876 Winchester
« Reply #1 on: August 15, 2015, 12:17:39 PM »
Beautiful old rifle!  Congratulations. :)
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Offline Mike

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Re: Early Model 1876 Winchester
« Reply #2 on: August 15, 2015, 02:24:28 PM »
DT
Green >: ;D
look forward to the report. I could not of found a better home.
Buffalochip

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Re: Early Model 1876 Winchester
« Reply #3 on: Today at 11:23:59 AM »

Offline pinto beans

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Re: Early Model 1876 Winchester
« Reply #3 on: August 15, 2015, 03:47:12 PM »
Mr. Dusty, what a great find!!  Let us know how it shoots!!   :)


Offline ndnchf

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Re: Early Model 1876 Winchester
« Reply #4 on: August 15, 2015, 03:56:23 PM »
That is a sweet one! If it could talk, the stories it could tell. Looking forward to seeing how it shoots.
"We're all travelers in this world.  From the sweet grass to the packing house, birth till death, we travel between the eternities"  Prentiss Ritter, Broken Trail

Offline Black River Smith

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Re: Early Model 1876 Winchester
« Reply #5 on: August 15, 2015, 05:11:07 PM »
You are one lucky man for being able to find and acquire so many fine originals.

You are maintaining history here, for the rest of us, so keep up the good work.
Black River Smith

Offline dusty texian

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Re: Early Model 1876 Winchester
« Reply #6 on: August 16, 2015, 04:49:58 AM »
As the current caretaker of these old rifles ,I am glad others see them and enjoy them as I do. My Brother said yesterday after looking over the old rifle( If this rifle could talk it would be glad it was here, and able to hunt the prarie again) I tend to agree,,,DT

Offline dusty texian

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Re: Early Model 1876 Winchester
« Reply #7 on: August 17, 2015, 05:40:07 PM »
Today completed the cleaning and inspection of the old 76. After getting a good clean look at the workings of the old rifle she was pronounced fit for duty!  Looks like it had axle grease and prarie dust mixed in all of the hard to get to places. Dried the oil under the stocks and applied boiled linseed oil to the outside of the stocks. Waiting on a shipment of 45/60 brass for this rifle.  Once fired in a rifle I keep the brass dedicated to that particular rifle . Had two active rust spots on the extirior of the barrel and on the right side cover, and I can not let that kind of thing go.  0000 steel wool until gone then a touch of cold blue will keep her in condition and not suffering farther loss. Found one old repaired crack in the butt stock , but soild and sound. My guess is it will be a very good shooter . Will post shooting results soon as I get that brass.,,,DT

Offline ndnchf

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Re: Early Model 1876 Winchester
« Reply #8 on: August 18, 2015, 07:03:56 AM »
Sounds like a real winner DT.  I'm jealous  ;D
"We're all travelers in this world.  From the sweet grass to the packing house, birth till death, we travel between the eternities"  Prentiss Ritter, Broken Trail

Offline dusty texian

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Re: Early Model 1876 Winchester
« Reply #9 on: August 22, 2015, 06:39:24 PM »
The old 1876 is all cleaned up and ready for the first trip to the range in no telling how many yrs. The load is the original 45/60 bullet cast in WW from the original 1880 mold over a case full of 2ff Swiss ,Jamison brass ,# 200 CCI my secret lube 50/50 wax- tallow , and all this seated in the original 1880 Winchester tong tool. I am looking forward to this one more than most! Will post results after range day. .,,,DT

Offline ndnchf

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Re: Early Model 1876 Winchester
« Reply #10 on: August 22, 2015, 07:18:59 PM »
It doesn't get much more authentic than that!  Hope you get some good weather soon.
"We're all travelers in this world.  From the sweet grass to the packing house, birth till death, we travel between the eternities"  Prentiss Ritter, Broken Trail

Offline dusty texian

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Re: Early Model 1876 Winchester
« Reply #11 on: September 15, 2015, 12:01:51 PM »
Today I had a chance to get in some shooting with the old 76 RB. rifle 45/60wcf. The first two shots fired went low/left. After making a small sight move at 50yd. The old rifle gave this five shot group @ 50yd. The fired brass formed the slight shoulder and showed no sign of trouble, the rifle fed and ejected slick as grease and cleaned up very easy. Only fired 15 rounds total in this one as I had a few others to shoot.  When pulling the trigger for the first time , I wondered how long it had been since the old rifle had been fired. May never know. But one thing is for sure ,The old girl can still hold her own. ,,,,,DT

Offline Jake C

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Re: Early Model 1876 Winchester
« Reply #12 on: September 15, 2015, 12:08:54 PM »
Today I had a chance to get in some shooting with the old 76 RB. rifle 45/60wcf. The first two shots fired went low/left. After making a small sight move at 50yd. The old rifle gave this five shot group @ 50yd. The fired brass formed the slight shoulder and showed no sign of trouble, the rifle fed and ejected slick as grease and cleaned up very easy. Only fired 15 rounds total in this one as I had a few others to shoot.  When pulling the trigger for the first time , I wondered how long it had been since the old rifle had been fired. May never know. But one thing is for sure ,The old girl can still hold her own. ,,,,,DT

What a work of art. Glad to hear that it performed so well for you! There's just something about being able to fire something with that much age and history in it. It really is an incredible feeling.
Win with ability, not with numbers.- Alexander Suvorov, Russian Field Marshal, 1729-1800

Offline King Medallion

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Re: Early Model 1876 Winchester
« Reply #13 on: September 15, 2015, 06:42:38 PM »
Excellent!
King Medallion

Offline matt45

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Re: Early Model 1876 Winchester
« Reply #14 on: September 16, 2015, 09:45:16 AM »
Is it just me, or has anyone else noticed that the vintage 1876's tend to shoot better than rifles of a similar age?  Could this be because Winchester paid more attention to the barrels, or could it be because they tended to be purchased by people who tended to take better care of their firearms (and any other unstated reason)?

Offline dusty texian

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Re: Early Model 1876 Winchester
« Reply #15 on: August 14, 2022, 09:39:01 AM »
An old thread but decided to add a report instead of starting a new . The same old 28" RB 1876  Winchester in 45-60 wcf  with the early five groove rifling . Took it out along with a few others yesterday and shot the old rifle at 50 , 100 and 200 yds gong steel  that old rifle will shoot !  It was easy to hit the 200 yd . 18" steel gong time after time . That old five groove barrel still has good shine and sharp rifling . The clean up was easy . Thinking this old rifle needs to go on a hunt ! ,,,,, DT

Offline King Medallion

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Re: Early Model 1876 Winchester
« Reply #16 on: August 14, 2022, 09:49:31 AM »
Started life as a 45/75, then change to 45/60, at the factory?
King Medallion

Offline dusty texian

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Re: Early Model 1876 Winchester
« Reply #17 on: August 14, 2022, 09:54:41 AM »
Yep started 45-75 with set trigger , then changed 45-60 standard trigger . It also has the lid / dust cover . ,,,,,DT

Offline King Medallion

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Re: Early Model 1876 Winchester
« Reply #18 on: August 14, 2022, 10:26:24 AM »
Wonder why the factory would do that, to a kinda specialty rifle? Custom order? Doesn't seem logical. Glad you got it tho!
King Medallion

Offline Black River Smith

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Re: Early Model 1876 Winchester
« Reply #19 on: August 14, 2022, 11:36:03 AM »
Thanks for bringing this one back out.
Black River Smith

 

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