The accompanying factory letter confirms the round barrel in express caliber and plain trigger. The letter goes on to state the rifle was received in the warehouse on July 27, 1881 and shipped on August 10, 1881. The .50-95 Winchester Express was the largest caliber available for the Model 1876 and proved popular with big and dangerous game hunters. Many Model 1876 rifles chambered for this powerful cartridge were shipped to England and then found their way to Africa and India where they were often employed against big cats. In North America they were used against big game like brown and black bear, moose and bison. Theodore Roosevelt loved his .45-75 '76, but he and other Americans scorned the .50 Express, and thus, the Model 1876 was only produced in limited numbers chambered for that cartridge compared to the smaller calibers. This example features a second model receiver with a dust cover guide rail attached with two screws. The dust cover is marked "WINCHESTER EXPRESS/.50 CAL 95 GRS." The cartridge elevator is marked "50-95." The top of the barrel is stamped with the two-line address/patent dates marking ahead of the rear sight and "50 CAL." at the breech. The rifle is fitted with a dovetail blade front sight and a folding ladder rear sight graduate to 1,000 yards and marked "1876." The upper tang is marked "MODEL 1876." The lower tang has the serial number. The forearm and straight grip stock are plain walnut and the buttstock is fitted with a trapdoor crescent buttplate (cleaning rod not included).

Fine, retaining 50% plus original blue finish with thinning to brown on the balance with some scattered pitting and the tangs have a smooth gray patina. 25% of the original nitre blue remains on the loading gate. Patterns of original case colors remain on the hammer and lever. The wood is also fine with some minor handling marks. Mechanically excellent. A highly desirable Winchester Model 1876 .50 Express rifle from a bygone era of dangerous game hunting.