GUN FALL 2015
The live portion of this session begins on Monday, October 5, 2015.
WINCHESTER MODEL 1876 SPECIAL ORDER LEVER ACTION RIFLE. WINCHESTER 1876 47655 40-60 Cal. .40-60. Standard grade rifle with scarce special order 30" oct bbl, full magazine, half nickel front sight, and "1876" marked ladder rear sight. Mounted with uncheckered, straight grain American walnut with straight stock & crescent buttplate with trap. The Model 1876 is one of, if not, the lowest production of Winchester lever action rifles with only about 64,000 produced in the period 1876-1897. This model was the first big bore repeating rifle and as such was in great demand on the American frontier for its tremendous stopping power and rapid fire capability. It remained as a premiere long range big bore hunting & defense rifle until the advent of the Marlin Model 1881 & Winchester 1886, both of which were chambered for the more powerful, higher velocity cartridges, including the venerable 45-70. Those rifles were immediately successful, causing a drastic drop in demand for the heavier, more delicate Model 1876. This rifle was produced in about 1884 when the West was still wild and carrying & using a firearm was a daily way of life. Few of the firearms of that era are found today with high orig finish and special order pieces are especially rare. PROVENANCE: The Estate Collection of Phil A. Bleakney, Jr. CONDITION: Very fine plus. Bbl, magazine tube & forend cap retain 96-98% strong orig blue with only light sharp edge wear and a couple of tiny nicks in the sharp edges. Receiver retains about 95-97% orig blue showing slight dulling with sharp edge wear and some light candy-striping, mostly on right side. Hammer retains brilliant case colors and the lever strong, dark case colors on the sides, lightly to moderately faded on outer faces. Buttplate retains about 70-75% orig blue. Mechanics are crisp. Brilliant shiny bore shows very little use. 49059-23 JR (6,000-10,000)