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LOT 1011
Outstanding Special Order Winchester “Centennial” Model 1876 Lever Action Rifle with Desirable Casehardened Receiver - Serial no. 14488, 45-60 WCF cal., 28 inch round bbl., blue/casehardened finish,
walnut stock. The Winchester Model 1876 Rifle made its public debut in 1876 at the Philadelphia Centennial Exposition where it garnered the title “The Centennial Model” in honor of the Revolutionary War. By all accounts the Model 1876 was “a revolutionary gun,” as legendary Winchester expert George Madis pointed out. Originally chambered in only .45-75 WCF cartridge, the Model 1876 offered a larger caliber for customers, particularly those out West, who believed .44-40 WCF lacked the stopping power for whatever came their way. With only 63,871 rifles and carbines manufactured between 1876 and 1897 surviving examples of the Centennial rifle are scarce, especially those in high condition. The Model 1876 was a “working man’s gun” and thus surviving examples display all the character of hard use. This example, however, remains in excellent condition, worthy of the finest public or private collection.
The rifle was manufactured in 1881, when a powerful rifle would have still been highly valued on the wild Western frontier. It has special order casehardened, later Second Model receiver with the dust cover guide retained with two screws and a dust cover with grip serrations at the rear. Winchester expert George Madis notes that only one out of every nine Model 1876s received a casehardened finish. It has a round barrel which was very scarce in this model, Madis noting that approximately 2/3 of Model 1876s produced had an octagon barrel. The top of the barrel is marked with the two-line address and King’s patent marking ahead of the rear sight, with the caliber marking at the breech (“CAL. 45-60”). The caliber marking is repeated on the bottom
of the cartridge elevator: “45-60.” The model designation is marked on the upper tang, and the serial number is marked on the lower tang. The left side of the lower tang is marked “1156CF”, with the assembly number “1156” repeated in the stock inlet along with the letter “P”, as well as inside the buttplate. It is fitted with a German silver blade front sight and a folding ladder rear sight which is marked “1876”. It is mounted with a nicely figured, smooth forearm and straight grip oil finish stock with a trapdoor crescent buttplate containing an included four-piece cleaning rod. This slightly higher than standard grade wood was typically chosen by Winchester for rifles ordered with “standard” wood but other special order features.