Page 65 - 83-BOOK1

LOT 56
Very Desirable Winchester Model
1876 .50 Express Lever Action Rifle with Factory Letter - Serial
no. 18435, 50 express cal., 26 inch round bbl., blue finish, walnut stock.
The accompanying factory letter confirms the round barrel in “express” caliber, plain trigger and shotgun buttplate. The rifle was received in the warehouse on November 1, 1881 and shipped on December 5, 1881.
The second model receiver has 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. British proofs are stamped on the barrel and receiver at the breech. The rifle is fitted with a dovetail blade front sight and an elevation adjustable rear sight. The upper tang is marked “MODEL 1876.” The lower tang has the serial number. The buttstock is fitted with
a steel shotgun buttplate. 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. This Model 1876 Eventually made it back to the United States, possibly through Canada, where it would have been used against North America 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. CONDITION: Fine, retaining 60% original blue finish with the
balance a smooth brown patina mixed with a couple patches of
pitting. Traces of original nitre blue remain on the loading gate. 20% original case colors remain on the hammer and lever. The wood is also fine with a couple chips, short stress line at the buttplate tang and minor handling marks. Mechanically excellent. An untouched, highly desirable Winchester Model
1876 .50 Express rifle from a bygone era
of dangerous game hunting. Provenance: The John Fox Collection. Estimate:
8,500 - 13,000
63