Manufactured in 1876 as a First Model with integral dust cover grooves on either side of the ejection port and dust cover with checkered "thumbprint" grip area. Only around 31,000 of these First Models were manufactured, with deluxe, special order examples like this one being even more rare. The included factory letter lists the rifle with a half octagon barrel, plain trigger, XXX checkered stock, and casehardened finish when received at the warehouse on 22 May 1876 and shipped the same day in order number 5836. According to George Madis in "The Winchester Book", one of every 900 rifles had a part octagon barrel, one of every 600 had special wood, and one of every 700 had checkering. Madis does not list the rarity of casehardened finishes, but they are comparatively quite scarce. This early production example correctly lacks caliber markings, as .44-40 W.C.F. was the only caliber offered until 1879. The top barrel flat is marked with the two-line address and King's patent marking. The model designation is marked on the upper tang and the serial number is on the lower tang. The left side of the lower tang is marked with the assembly number "XXX 4859", with "4859" repeated in the stock inlet and inside the buttplate. It is fitted with a Lyman beaded blade front sight and a later production replacement elevation adjustable notch rear sight. The receiver has a special order casehardened finish. It is mounted with a finely figured forearm and straight grip stock featuring a variation of the G pattern checkering noted by Madis and a trapdoor crescent buttplate containing a four-piece cleaning rod.

Exceptionally fine, retains 85% plus of the original blue finish on the barrel, 80% of the vibrant original case colors, and 80% plus of the original nitre blue on the loading gate with the balance having thinned to mostly a smooth grey patina and some traces of a protective varnish throughout. A few dings are visible on both sides of the breech of the barrel. The wood is very fine with a few scattered light handling marks, some light crazing of the finish, and a few minor blemishes in the in the otherwise crisp checkering. Mechanically excellent.