This is a very fine example of a Winchester Model 1866 Saddle Ring Carbine with Cody Firearms Museum letter. The letter identifies Model 1866, Serial No. 134582 as a "Carbine" and states that it was shipped from the Winchester warehouse on February 16, 1877. The carbine has a blue barrel, magazine, barrel bands and loading gate. The hammer and lever are casehardened. The stock and buttplate are brass and the straight grain black walnut stock and forearm have a varnish finish. The carbine has the early upper barrel band with integral front sight blade and the early style two-leaf rear sight. The magazine has the early threaded plug. A staple-mounted saddle ring is located on the left side of the receiver. The brass carbine buttplate has a sliding brass trap door and the trap contains a jointed steel cleaning rod. The top of the barrel is roll-stamped with the two-line legend, "WINCHESTER'S-REPEATING-ARMS. NEW HAVEN. CT./KING"S-IMPROVEMENT-PATENTED-MARCH 29. 1866. OCTOBER. 6. 1860." ahead of the rear sight. The serial number is stamped on the lower receiver tang behind the trigger. Four British Birmingham proof and inspection marks are stamped on the left side of the barrel below the rear sight. A small proofmark is stamped on the upper left side of the frame in front of the ejection port. Two illegible proof marks are stamped on the stock below the lower tang.

Very fine. The barrel and magazine retain 50% of the original blue finish. The finish on the top of the barrel between the lower band and the rear sight is thin and has scattered age spots. The barrel legend is fully legible. The upper and lower barrel bands retain 40% of the original finish. The hammer and lever have 80% or more of the gray-brown case colors. The brass receiver and buttplate are excellent. The brass has a mellow unpolished patina. The side plate joints are tight. The receiver and buttplate have minimal handling marks. The stock and forearm are excellent and retain most of the varnish finish with only a few minor handling marks. This is a very fine original example of a Winchester Third Model 1866 Saddle Ring Carbine.