Manufactured in 1884, this is an incredible, benchmark example of a special ordered Winchester deluxe Model 1876 rifle that is truly capable of raising the bar for even the most prestigious lever action, Winchester, or 19th century American arms collections. These large framed rifles were introduced by Winchester in the centennial year of the United States, offering customers a scaled up version of their incredibly popular Model 1873, which was capable of handling larger and more powerful cartridges, many of which were quite capable of handling the largest and most dangerous game in North America. The Model 1876 is known to have been a favorite of America's "cowboy in chief", Theodore Roosevelt, during his time spent in Dakota Territory, prior to being elected president. In his "Hunting Trips of a Ranchman", Roosevelt claimed that he used his "centennial" rifle almost exclusively and that it was "the best gun for any kind of game to be found in the United States, for it is deadly, accurate, and handy as any, stands very rough usage, and is unapproachable for the rapidity of its fire and the facility with which it is loaded.” While this example is not configured like Teddy's '76, it certainly shows a comparable level of special order and deluxe features, the sort that would have been required by a discerning western rancher or hunter of similar standing as Roosevelt. The included factory letter with this rifle confirms the casehardened finish, .40-60 caliber, an octagon barrel, set trigger, Beach and graduated peep sights, and a checkered pistol grip stock when received at the warehouse on 29 July 1884 and shipped the following day in order number 13505. Winchester author and historian George Madis estimates that one out of every nine Model 1876s was casehardened, one of every 14 had a set trigger, one of every 400 had special wood, one of every 420 had a pistol grip stock, and one of every 630 had checkered wood, making this rifle's configuration relatively scarce. This specific example has the Third Model receiver, with the integral dust cover guide and the dust cover with grip serrations at the rear. The top of the barrel is marked with the standard two-line address and King's patent marking, as well as the caliber marking at the breech, which is repeated on the bottom of the cartridge elevator. The upper tang has the model marking under the sight base, and the serial number is on the lower tang, perpendicular to the line of the rifle itself. The left side of the lower tang is marked "1971 XXX", with "S 1971" in the stock inlet, and "1971" inside the buttplate. It is fitted with the documented special order, gold washed Beach combination front sight, an "1876" marked folding ladder rear sight, and the documented graduated peep sight on the upper tang. It is also fitted with the documented special order set trigger as well as a set of sling swivels that, while not documented in the factory letter, appear to have been installed by the factory. It is mounted with a very attractive, highly figured, H-pattern checkered forearm and an incredibly figured, checkered, pistol grip stock with an ebony insert on the bottom of the grip and a trapdoor crescent buttplate containing an included five-piece cleaning rod. Provenance: The Ray Bentley Collection (sold 2005); Herb Glass Jr.; The Pelton Family Collection