This is a rare First Model 1876 Sporting Rifle that lacks the dust cover guide rail and sliding dust cover found on rifles manufactured after approximately serial number 1600. The Cody Firearms Museum letter describes this Model 1876 as: "Rifle, Barrel Shape: Round" and "Plain Trigger". The letter further states that it was received in the warehouse on July 21, 1877 and shipped on August 18, 1877. In addition to the rarely encountered First Model receiver without dust cover, the rifle lacks the sear block found on later production rifles and has the first style loading lever with rounded front. The rifle has a 28-inch round barrel and full length magazine, factory sling swivels on the forearm cap and stock and crescent buttplate with sliding brass butt trap door. The barrel has a sporting style front sight with nickel-silver blade and sporting style buckhorn rear sight with knurled edges and solid back. The upper receiver tang is factory drilled and tapped. The top of the barrel 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" using serif letters on the first line and block letters on the second line. The upper receiver tang is roll-stamped: "MODEL 1876." in fancy letters. The serial number is engraved on the lower tang between the lever latch and the buttplate. The barrel and brass cartridge elevator have no caliber markings which indicate that the rifle is chambered for the standard .45-75 W.C.F. cartridge. The barrel and magazine have a blue finish while the rear sight, forearm cap, and receiver are bright blue. The hammer, trigger, lever, and crescent buttplate are casehardened. The stock and forearm are oil-finished straight grain American walnut. All Model 1876 Winchester rifles, muskets, and carbines are scarce in any condition. First Model 1876 Winchesters without the sliding dust cover are rare.

Excellent. The barrel has 90% plus of the original blue finish with some light surface discoloration and minute spots of surface corrosion on the upper left side of the barrel extending about three-inches forward from the forearm cap. The balance of the barrel has nearly all of the blue finish with crisp Winchester markings. The magazine tube has 95% plus of the blue finish with a few scattered and very minor handling marks along the bottom. The forearm cap has 90% of the original bright blue finish with several very small spots of finish loss. The receiver, side plates, and tangs have 95% of their bright blue finish with a few scattered and very insignificant spots of finish wear. The loading gate has 90% of the fire-blue finish. The hammer, trigger, and lever retain nearly 85% of the muted case colors with some scattered spots of age discoloration. The case colors on the crescent buttplate have aged to a dark patina with a few scattered spots of light pitting. The straight grain walnut stock and forearm are in excellent condition and have nearly all of the original oil finish intact. Wear is limited to a few scattered and very insignificant handling marks. First Model Winchester 1876 Sporting Rifles are rare in any condition. This is an exceptional example of a highly desirable and seldom encountered Winchester rifle.