Third Model manufactured in 1885. This rifle has a blue barrel with full-length magazine and color casehardened forearm cap, receiver, hammer, lever and crescent buttplate. The forearm and pistol grip stock are highly figured fancy grain walnut with Style H checkering. The pistol grip has an ebony inlay. The Third Model receiver has an integral dust cover guide and dust cover with serrated finger guides. The barrel has a standard sporting style front sight with nickel silver blade and a folding leaf rear sight with "1876" on the top of the leaf. The receiver has a special order single set-trigger and the buttplate has a sliding brass trap door. The upper tang is drilled and tapped. The top barrel flat is roll stamped "-WINCHESTER'S-REPEATING ARMS. NEW HAVEN. CT.-/KING'S-IMPROVEMENT-PATENTED-MARCH 29. 1866. OCTOBER 16.1860." ahead of the rear sight. The caliber designation "CAL. 45-60" is stamped on the top barrel flat just ahead of the receiver. "{ MODEL. 1876.}" is roll stamped on the upper receiver tang in fancy letters with foliate designs at either end. "45-60" is stamped in script numerals on the bottom of the cartridge elevator and the serial number "45793" is stamped in tiny numerals across the lower tang between the lever latch and the tang screw. The accompanying factory letter verifies the rifle configuration, caliber, octagon barrel, set trigger, checkered pistol grip stock, casehardened, that it was received in the warehouse on August 27, 1885 and shipped to order number 22494 the next day. Comes with an iron single cavity 45-60 bullet mold with wooden handles and a Winchester 45-60 reloading tool.

Very good. The barrel and magazine have a smooth gray brown patina with traces of blue in protected areas. The receiver has a mottled silver gray patina with traces of case colors on the side plates. Most of the case colors are present on the hammer and the sides of the lever. The buttplate has a smooth gray brown patina. The markings and serial numbers are sharp. The fancy grain walnut stock and forearm are fine. The forearm checkering has significant handling wear but the checkering on the pistol grip remains sharp. The forearm is dark from handling; most of the figuring remains visible on the stock. This is a solid representative example of a scarce Deluxe Special Order Winchester Third Model 1876 rifle.