Winchester Model 1876 Rifle with Cody Firearms Museum letter and evaluation letter by George Madis. The Cody letter describes this Model 1876 as: "Rifle, Round barrel, Plain trigger" and "Lid". The letter states that this rifle was shipped from Winchester on April 9, 1879, and returned for repair on March 25, 1914. The Madis letter discusses this rifle in detail and notes that the inside of the upper tang is stamped with the initials "J.P.P." (John P. Parker) who was responsible for factory repairs. The Madis letter notes that this rifle was re-barreled (with the extra long round barrel) in 1914 and that the barrel and receiver have are proofed marked and the barrel has later style markings. He also states that the rifle was apparently refinished in 1914 and retains nearly all of the 1914 Winchester finish. The rifle has a replacement 28-inch round barrel and full-length magazine. The barrel has a sporting style front sight with nickel-silver blade and folding leaf rear sight marked "1876" at the top of the leaf. The rifle has the Second Model receiver with screw-fastened dust cover rail and dust cover with a serrated finger guide along the rear edge. The upper receiver tang is factory drilled and tapped. The crescent buttplate has a sliding trapdoor. The rifle has the Winchester charcoal blue finish with fire blue loading gate and color casehardened hammer, trigger, and lever. The stock and forearm are oil-finished, straight grain, American walnut. The left side of the barrel is roll-stamped: "WINCHESTER'S REPEATING ARMS. NEW HAVEN. CT./KING'S IMPROVEMENT PATENTED MARCH 29. 1866. OCTOBER 16. 1860." in small slanted block letters ahead of the rear sight. The caliber: "45-75 W.C.F." is roll-stamped on the left side of the barrel between the rear sight and the receiver. Oval Winchester "W/P" proof marks are stamped on the top of the barrel and the receiver. "45-75" is stamped across the bottom of the brass cartridge elevator in script numerals. "MODEL. 1876." is stamped on the upper tang in fancy letters. The serial number is stamped in script numerals on the lower tang behind the lever latch.

Very fine. This rifle retains 95% plus of the factory refurbished blue and casehardened finish with very little handling wear and a few very insignificant scratches. The loading gate retains nearly all of the fire blue finish. The walnut stock and forearm are in excellent condition with nearly all of the varnish finish; wear is limited to some minor handling marks. The barrel legend, caliber markings and proof marks are extremely sharp. This is a very fine example of a Winchester Model 1876 "Centennial Rifle" with interesting documented history.