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Hello fellow collectors,
Just wanting to ask the forum world if anybody has owned, seen or know of any Winchester 1866 Short Rifles. I did purchase a 1866 short rifle (and a 1866 28″ long rifle) from Julia’s auctions a few years ago however I can not find much information on these special little guns. Finally when I got the chance to fly to America and visit the Cody museum in Wyoming last year I was fortunate enough to be allowed down where all the serial number records are kept. When we looked through the records and I found my serial number (see photo), it states that my 66 is a rifle with a carbine length oct bbl. I also noticed that there 18 other guns with the same/similar description with carbine lengths noted with either Rnd or Oct bbl.’s, so I am assuming that a batch of these were made for someone.
I have lettered my short rifle 66 (which was also done prior to the auction) however it seems that any special length barrel 1866 is seldom seen in the auction world in the U.S let alone here in Australia, does anybody know a little bit about these as I would love to hear from you.
cheers
Chris 
Chris,
I looked through some old records I have on 66’s and found one of those guns on the same page as yours, 133318 which is listed as carbine length but in my records it says its engraved and signed by J Ulrich
Bob
WACA Life Member--- NRA Life Member---- Cody Firearms member since 1991 Researching the Winchester 1873's
Email: [email protected]
Thanks Bob,
what records have you got? are they different to the Cody records and how do they indicate Ulrich signing.
cheers
Chris,
They are not like the Cody records, they are just the guns as observed at gun shows, auctions, books etc. The gun in question was observed with a 20″ octagon barrel engraved with the Ulrich stamp back in 94
Bob
WACA Life Member--- NRA Life Member---- Cody Firearms member since 1991 Researching the Winchester 1873's
Email: [email protected]
According to Parson’s book (pg 107) there were 201 20″ short rifles made. On longer barrels there were 10 carbines with 24″ barrels, 38 26″, 46 28″, 14 30″, 2 32″ and a deluxe pair shipped in 1882 shotgun butts, gilt receivers, nickel plated with 38″ gilt octagon barrels. There were 3 half-round, 3 button mag rifles and 8 carbines with button mags. This is based on the available records starting at serial 125,000.
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