Special order, deluxe, Winchester "Centennial Model" 1876 rifle manufactured c. 1882. The rifle has the "Third Model" receiver with integral dust cover rail and dust cover with serrated rear edge. The 28-inch, full octagon, extra length barrel has a sporting style front sight with nickel-silver blade and sporting style folding leaf rear sight marked "1876" at the top of the leaf. The upper tang is factory drilled and tapped. The crescent steel buttplate has a sliding brass trapdoor and the butt trap contains a four-piece, jointed steel cleaning rod with brass tip. Special order factory sling swivels are mounted on the forearm tip and stock. The rifle has a special order highly figured fancy grain forearm and pistol grip stock with a piano finish and Winchester "Style H" checkering. The bottom of the pistol grip has a factory ebony inlay. The barrel, magazine, and loading gate have the Winchester blue finish. The forearm cap, receiver, dust cover, hammer, trigger and crescent buttplate are color casehardened. The top barrel flat is roll-stamped with the two-line legend "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. The caliber, "45-75 W.C.F.", is roll-stamped on the top of the barrel between the rear sight and the receiver. "45-75" is roll-stamped in script numerals across the brass cartridge carrier. The upper receiver tang is roll-stamped "{ MODEL. 1876.}" in fancy letters with foliate devices at either end. The serial number is stamped in tiny numerals across the bottom of the receiver between the lever latch and the rear tang screw. As the first lever action repeating rifle capable of handling most powerful big game cartridges of the day the Winchester "Centennial Model" was popular with American hunters including Theodore Roosevelt but manufactured in relatively small numbers. Special order, deluxe, Model 1876 rifles like this example are scarce and highly desirable firearms.

Very fine. This rifle retains 50% plus of the blue finish. The Winchester legend and caliber designation are sharp. The loading gate has a blue-gray patina. The rear sight leaf and base show pitting and age discoloration and while the rear sight is correct for the rifle it may be a replacement. The case colors on the forearm cap, receiver, dust cover, hammer and lever have faded to a mottled silver-gray patina. The buttplate has a dark patina with patches of age discoloration. The deluxe highly figured walnut stock has a repair visible in wrist with recut checkering. The forearm is fine overall. The checkered panels show light-moderate handling wear. This is a good looking example of a scarce, deluxe, special order, Winchester "Centennial Model" 1876 rifle.