This is a fine example of a documented Deluxe, Special Order, Winchester Model 1876 lever action rifle with Cody Firearms Museum letter. The Cody letter lists the features as: "Type: Rifle, Caliber: 40/60, Barrel Type: 1/2 Octagon, Trigger: Plain, Checkered stock with pistol grip, 1/2 Magazine, Shotgun butt" and "Casehardened". The letter states this rifle was shipped from Winchester on June 4, 1886. The rifle has a blued 26-inch barrel with casehardened forearm cap, receiver, hammer, trigger and lever and shotgun buttplate. The dust cover and loading gate have a fire blue finish. The forearm and pistol grip stock are highly figured, fancy grade, walnut with a piano finish and Winchester "Style H" checkering. The bottom of the pistol grip has a horn or ebony inlay. The barrel has a replacement Sheard front sight with 1914 patent date and a sporting style buckhorn rear sight with flat top. A folding graduated peep sight is mounted on the upper receiver tang. The Third Model receiver has an integral dust cover rail and a dust cover with serrated edges. The top of the barrel is roll-stamped: "WINCHESTER'S-REPEATING ARMS. NEW HAVEN. CT./KING'S-IMPROVEMENT-PATENTED-MARCH 29.1866. OCTOBER 16. 1860." in two lines ahead of the rear sight. "CAL. 40-60" is stamped on the top barrel flat between the rear sight and the receiver. "40-60" is roll-stamped in script numerals across the bottom of the cartridge elevator. The serial number, "53011" is stamped in small numerals across the lower tang between the lever latch and the rear tang screw.

Fine. This rifle retains 50% of the faded original blue finish. Most of the blue finish is on the barrel; has started to fade to a plum colored patina and there are several minor scratches along both sides of the round portion of the barrel. The caliber markings and Winchester legend are sharp. The dust cover and loading gate retain 75% of the original blue finish. The receiver has 40% of the original casehardened finish intact; the case colors have faded slightly and silvered on contact points. The case colors on the forearm cap have aged to a dark patina. The hammer, trigger and lever retain at least 90% of the strong case colors. The buttplate has an even silver patina with a few spots of age discoloration. The highly figured walnut stock and forearm are in fine condition and retain half of the original high polish piano finish. The checkered panels on the forearm and pistol grip show light-moderate handling wear. The stock and forearm have a few fairly minor handling marks with a shallow chip on the upper right side of the stock at the junction with the buttplate and a tiny chip at the end of the stock comb. Deluxe Winchester Model 1876 rifles are scarce in any condition. This is a fine example of a deluxe, special order, Winchester Model 1876 Lever Action rifle.