This is both an extraordinary and attractive, totally original example of a deluxe Winchester Model 1876 rifle documented with a Cody Firearms Museum letter. The letter lists the rifle features as: "45/60 caliber, Barrel Shape: Octagon, Plain trigger" and "Checkered stock with pistol grip". The letter further states that this rifle was shipped from the Winchester warehouse on November 19, 1883. The Third Model receiver has a integral dust cover rail and dust cover with serrated edges. The upper receiver tang is factory drilled and tapped for a rear sight. The crescent steel buttplate has a sliding brass trapdoor, and the butt trap contains a jointed steel cleaning rod. The barrel has a standard sporting style front sight with nickel-silver blade and a folding leaf rear sight graduated to 1,000 yards and marked "1876" at the top of the leaf. The rifle features a blued barrel, magazine, dust cover and loading gate. The forearm cap, receiver, hammer, trigger, lever and crescent buttplate are color casehardened. The forearm and pistol grip stock are highly figured, fancy gain walnut with a high polish piano finish and Winchester "Style H" checkering. The pistol grip has a bone or ebony inlay. The top barrel flat is roll-stamped with the two-line legend: "WINCHESTER-REPEATING ARMS. NEW HAVEN CT./KING'S-IMPROVEMENT-PATENTED-MARCH 29. 1865. OCTOBER 16. 1860." ahead of the rear sight. "CAL 45-60" is stamped on the top of the barrel in front of the receiver. "45-60" is stamped on the cartridge elevator in script numerals. The upper tang is roll-stamped: "{ MODEL. 1876.}" in fancy letters with foliate devices at either end. The serial number "37896" is stamped across the lower tang in script numerals between the lever latch and the tang screw.

Excellent. The rifle is all original and retains 95% of the blue and color casehardened finish. The barrel and magazine show only very light high point wear. The loading gate and dust cover retain nearly all of the high polish blue finish. The forearm cap, receiver, hammer and lever have nearly 95% of the casehardened finish with strong case colors. There is some frosting on receiver flats and edges ahead of the side plates but no actual finish loss. The bottom of the lever has a gray-brown patina. The brass cartridge elevator has a mellow, un-polished patina. The buttplate has light to moderate handling wear and retains about 85% plus of the case colors with some traces of surface discoloration. All of the barrel and receiver markings are crisp. The fancy grain walnut stock and forearm are both in excellent condition and retain 95% of the high polish piano finish. The checkered panels are sharp. Handling wear on the stock and forearm is minimal. This is an outstanding example of a scarce and extremely desirable deluxe Winchester Model 1876 Lever Action Rifle. It would be hard to improve upon this exceptional rifle.