GUN FALL 2017
The live portion of this session begins on Tuesday, October 31, 2017.
SCARCE WINCHESTER MODEL 1876 SPECIAL ORDER BIG 50 LEVER ACTION RIFLE WITH FACTORY LETTER. WINCHESTER 1876 26416 50-95 Cal. 50-95 Express. Standard Grade rifle with 21-3/4" rnd bbl (standard length for this caliber was 26"), full magazine, half nickel front sight and 1876 marked sporting leaf rear sight. Receiver is 3rd type with milled dust cover rail containing a 3rd type dust cover that is marked "WINCHESTER EXPRESS / .50 CAL. 95 GRS.". Cal marking "50-CAL" is over the chamber area of the bbl and bottom of carrier is marked "50-95". Mounted with uncheckered, straight grain American walnut with straight stock and crescent buttplate that has a trap. Left side of lower tang, under the wood is marked with the assembly no. "1505" with matching assembly no. in top tang channel of butt stock and inside toe buttplate. Given that the front sight is centered at 1" from the muzzle and the magazine band is centered at 3-3/4" from the muzzle indicates, almost certainly that the bbl was cut at the factory and the sight and magazine band relocated to factory standards. Accompanied by a Cody Firearms Museum letter which identifies this firearm as a rifle in Express cal with rnd bbl and plain trigger received in the warehouse September 11, 1882 and shipped December 4, 1882 to order no. 1352. Given the lengthy time this rifle remained in the warehouse one could speculate that it was during that time the bbl and magazine were reduced in length. This rifle was produced in 1882 at a time when the West was still wild with marauding hostile Indians and numerous outlaws to contend with, and subsistence hunting was a way of life. This rifle would have been ideally suited for about anything. The large express caliber was certainly capable of taking any North American big game and would have been a very effective self defense arm. CONDITION: Very good to fine, all matching, bbl cut as noted. Bbl and magazine retain 92-94% thin orig Winchester type blue turning a little plum. Receiver retains strong blue around the side plates with the balance a blue brown patina. Side plates have been cleaned and artificially aged. Hammer retains moderately faded case colors and the lever dark case colors on the sideturn brown on outerfaces. Buttplate is a gray patina. Stock has a couple of small bruises otherwise wood is sound and retains about all of a lightly restored finish. Mechanics are crisp. Strong bright bore with good shine and scattered pitting. 52506-4 JRL (6,000-10,000)