'76 WINCHESTER SIGHT??

[1988RRC]

I asked this on another site and thought i would ask it here to get y'alls opinion.

Which is more common to see, the ladder rifle sight with '1876' stamped on the sight or the ladder rifle sight without the 1876 stamping?  Which is more correct for a rifle dated 1882?

[Dirty Brass]

That's a tough one - most of mine are stamped "made in italy" 

[pistol1911]

My 1876,45/60,manufactured in 1882 has 1876 on the ladder sight.

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[Buck Stinson]

All of my original '76 rifles have the long leaf sight marked 1876.  The only exceptions are my rilfes in .50 Express.  One has a special order three leaf express sight and the other has a short buckhorn with the special elevator.  This sight was standard on the .50-95 and only used for that caliber.

Adios,
Buck

[1988RRC]

Buck Stinson
what are the manufactured dates ..... serial numbers will also help, mine is 225XX.

[Buck Stinson]

1988RRC,
I'm not sure what your question is.  Are you wanting the dates of manufacture on the guns or the serial ranges in which the ladder sight appeared?  I have only a dozen guns left, after many years of collecting the model 1876.  The guns I still have are in all serial ranges from 5XXX to 63XXX.  As I said earlier, the ladder sight was standard on all 1876 models in all serial ranges.  The only exception were those guns in .50 Express caliber.  These guns had a special sight all by itself and one that was never used on any other Winchester model or caliber.  I hope this has been of some help.  Let me know if you have any further questions.

Adios,
Buck

[1988RRC]

well, i first though you may not want to give the serial numbers, so i asked for mfg. dates; then i thought you may not mind giving the sn.

i am trying for find out which sight is 'more' correct for my #225xx.

i have created a list of serial numbers, dates & ladder sights with or without the '1876' stamp from guns is see on the internet and info gathered from others.

basically making a mountain out of a mole hill.

[Buck Stinson]

I have seen a few long leaf ladder sights without the "1876" marking, but not very many.  Most of the unmarked sights of this style have been on the model 1886.  Even then, most of those sights are marked with that model date.  I have encountered some long style buckhorn sights on various 1876 rifles, but I believe some of these were either replacements or possibly special orders.  Winchester warehouse ledgers on the 1876 model are actually quite complete and most often will list any sight that was a special order extra on a particular gun.   My hunch is that unless the factory letter says otherwise, your 225XX serial range gun was shipped with the standard long leaf ladder sight that has the "1876" marking.    I also have a carbine in the 12XXX range, that has this very sight on it, but with markings on the reverse side.   Because this is an early gun, the rear dovetail is too close to the receiver, and the sight is mounted backwards in the dovetail.  The long leaf flips up forward instead of backwards and all the markings are on the inside of the leaf, not the outside.  When the sight is in the up position, you can read all the calibrations and the "1876" date.  Way cool.  I also have several short leaf carbine ladder sights made this same way.  Some are marked "1873" and some "1876".

Adios,
Buck

[1988RRC]

Buck:
interesting info on the sights you have.....any photos?

[Buck Stinson]

I'll see if I can get something put together and post them here.  May be later this afternoon.

Adios,
Buck

[Buck Stinson]

Here are a few photos of some 1876 sights.  Three carbine sights with reverse markings.  One short leaf ladder marked 1873, one short leaf ladder marked 1876 and a long leaf ladder without date.  This is the one from my .45-60 carbine in the 12XXX range.   I had mentioned earlier, that it was dated.  I was wrong, it is not.  Another photo shows an orignal long leaf ladder sight, new in the original box.  Sight is marked 1876.  The last photo is the .50 Express rifle buckhorn I mentioned.  This is the elevator that was used exclusively on the 1876 Winchester rifle only in .50 Express.  It is completely different from all other elevators.  Hope you enjoy.

Adios,
Buck 

[1988RRC]

thank you for the interesting photos;
i had not seen these before (especially the express sight).

[Dirty Brass]

Excellent! Thanks Buck!

[john boy]

Winchester 1876 Deluxe Rifle .45-60 WCF s/n 29790 mfg 1882

[1988RRC]

John Boy:
Are those sights marked on the opposite side?
If not, what was the intent of no markings? 
develop loads and mark sights your self?