The Winchester Model 1876 or "Centennial Model" was released as a up sized version of Winchester's iconic Model 1873. Capable of handling larger and more powerful cartridges, the Model 1876 was intended to be able to handle anything that was thrown at it on the Western Frontier. Manufactured in 1881, this is a very desirable example of a casehardened Winchester deluxe Model 1876 rifle. These large frame, large caliber Winchesters were often viewed as a working gun and valued for their utility, with relatively few being ordered with any extra features. Noted Winchester historian and author George Madis notes that seven out of every eight Model 1876s was a standard rifle. The included factory letter lists the rifle in .45-60 caliber with an octagon barrel, plain trigger, casehardened finish, and a checkered pistol grip stock when received at the warehouse on 30 July 1881 and shipped the same day in order number 26588. Madis also notes that only about one out of every nine Winchester 1876s was casehardened, one out of every 400 had special wood, one out of every 420 had a pistol grip stock, and one out of every 630 had checkered wood, making the combination of features found on this rifle quite scarce. The top barrel flat is marked with the standard two-line address and King's patent marking, as well as the caliber marking at the breech and repeated on the bottom of the cartridge elevator. The left side of the lower tang is marked "XX 1323", stock inlet is marked "P 1323", and inside toe of the buttplate is marked "1323". It is fitted with a beaded blade front sight, filler in the rear sight dovetail, and a mid-range peep sight mounted on the upper tang. It is mounted with a very finely figured, H-pattern checkered forearm and pistol grip stock with a trapdoor crescent buttplate containing an included five-piece cleaning rod.

Very good, retains 30% of the original blue finish and some strong, mostly silvered, traces of the original case colors with the balance having thinned to mostly a smooth dark grey-brown patina and some scattered light surface pitting on the magazine tube. The wood is very good, with some scattered minor handling marks and mostly crisp checkering. Mechanically excellent. This is a rare opportunity at a special order casehardened Winchester deluxe Model 1876 rifle. Do not miss your chance!