The Cody letter describes "Model 1876, serial number 37802" as: "Rifle, Barrel Shape: Octagon, Plain trigger, Casehardened" and "Checkered stock with pistol grip". The letter further states that this rifle was shipped from Winchester on October 5, 1883. The rifle has the Third Model receiver with integral dust cover guide rail and dust cover with serrated finger guide along the rear edge. The rifle has a full octagon barrel and full length magazine. The barrel has a Sheard style front sight with silver bead and folding adjustable leaf sight graduated to "10" and marked "1876" at the top of the leaf. The upper tang is factory drilled and tapped. The steel crescent buttplate has a sliding brass trapdoor. The butt trap contains a Winchester, five-piece, jointed cleaning rod with brass tip. The pistol grip stock and forearm are fancy grade "X" or "XX" walnut with fine factory checkering. The bottom of the buttplate has an ebony inlay. The barrel, magazine, dust cover and loading gate have a blue finish. The forearm tip, receiver, hammer, trigger, lever and buttplate are casehardened. The stock and forearm have a semi-gloss oil or varnish finish. The top barrel flat 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. 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 letters across the lower tang between the lever latch and the tang screw.

Very good plus. 25% of the blue is present on the barrel which shows traces of plum patina and some edge wear. The Winchester legend is sharp. The magazine has 30% of the thin blue finish with the balance a plum-brown patina. The dust cover and loading gate retain 40% of the thin blue finish. The case colors on the forearm cap and receiver have faded to a mottled silver gray patina. The sides of the hammer and lever have traces of case colors with silvering on contact points. The buttplate has a silver-gray patina with scattered spots of age discoloration and traces of pitting on the heel and toe. The nicely figured stock and forearm are both in very good condition with scattered light handling marks. The checkered panels on the right side of the stock and forearm show moderate contact wear. This is a solid representative example of a scarce special order Winchester Deluxe Model 1876 lever action rifle.