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I have an 1876 rifle caliber 45/75 serial 1685 which I posted a few years ago asking about grooved forend. A recent post has prompted me to post this rifle and inquire more about the numbers stamped on various parts of the gun. Being an earlier gun there is no caliber marking and the gun would have had an open top receiver. I have a Cody letter on the gun with the only things out of the ordinary are a set trigger and “lid added”. The gun does have a thumbprint dust cover. Numbers on the gun include the serial number on the underside of the barrel about halfway to the muzzle and on the side of the bolt. There is a 3-digit number on the left side of lower tang, tang channel on stock and on butt plate. There is also a 2-digit number on the left side of the lower tang and tang channel on stock. The finish on the gun appears original and is quite nice. 
Opinions on all the number markings would be appreciated. Thanks.
Mine (2545) is marked with assembly numbers in the same manner and places as yours with the exception of the barrel. It does have “123” on the barrel and the assembly number elsewhere is “1213”, but dont think they denote the same thing. The “123” is done in a different font and likely inspector numbers, would guess. It was converted from a 45-75 with 30″ barrel and set trigger to a 45-60 with 30″ barrel and plain trigger before it left the factory. It also has a dust cover but it is not mentioned in the ledger. At the late date that it shipped from the warehouse, June 5, 1880, it may have been normal to add the dust cover and not mention in the ledger, dont know.
1892takedown @sbcglobal.net ......NRA Endowment Life Member.....WACA Member
"God is great.....beer is good.....and people are crazy"... Billy Currington
1892takedown said
Mine (2545) is marked with assembly numbers in the same manner and places as yours with the exception of the barrel. It does have “123” on the barrel and the assembly number elsewhere is “1213”, but dont think they denote the same thing. The “123” is done in a different font and likely inspector numbers, would guess. It was converted from a 45-75 with 30″ barrel and set trigger to a 45-60 with 30″ barrel and plain trigger before it left the factory. It also has a dust cover but it is not mentioned in the ledger. At the late date that it shipped from the warehouse, June 5, 1880, it may have been normal to add the dust cover and not mention in the ledger, dont know.
Is the bolt on yours also numbered? Odd mine has the serial, not assembly or other number, on the barrel and bolt.
Mine dont correspond to anything having to do with the SN (2545) or order number (20156).
1213 on the buttplate, upper tang buttstock inlet, left lower tang
965 on the bolt, upper tang buttstock inlet, left lower tang
1892takedown @sbcglobal.net ......NRA Endowment Life Member.....WACA Member
"God is great.....beer is good.....and people are crazy"... Billy Currington
In the 73’s, open tops had additional stampings beyond the normal assemble numbers. There is a different assemble number stamped on the left side of the tang on the top and bottom tang right next to the receiver and then a single digit stamped on the left side of the receiver just behind the rear toggle pin. I don’t know if the 76’s did something like that.
Bob
WACA Life Member--- NRA Life Member---- Cody Firearms member since 1991 Researching the Winchester 1873's
Email: [email protected]
Bob, The only other markings that Ive found on the rifle, other than the under barrel stamp, are below:
No markings on the tang or receiver like your 73
1892takedown @sbcglobal.net ......NRA Endowment Life Member.....WACA Member
"God is great.....beer is good.....and people are crazy"... Billy Currington
Chris,
Those stamps on the bolt and retractor are normal.
Bob
WACA Life Member--- NRA Life Member---- Cody Firearms member since 1991 Researching the Winchester 1873's
Email: [email protected]
Mark, 1685 is the serial number, 548 is an assembly number and the 85 might be too? The 85 could be an inspectors mark. The I is an inspectors mark. Early guns are often a lot harder to decipher. Are there any numbers on the stock?
Chuck said
Mark, 1685 is the serial number, 548 is an assembly number and the 85 might be too? The 85 could be an inspectors mark. The I is an inspectors mark. Early guns are often a lot harder to decipher. Are there any numbers on the stock?
Chuck,
Only number on the stock is the 548 and 85 in the tang channel of butt as pictured above. The serial number on the bolt and barrel is most puzzling. Thought maybe the bolt was numbered as it is special to the gun for the added dust cover.
mark minnillo said
Chuck,
The serial number on the bolt and barrel is most puzzling. Thought maybe the bolt was numbered as it is special to the gun for the added dust cover.
I’m not the one to answer that. I have never owned a 76 that early. Like I said before early guns are often found with unusual markings that are not the norm on later guns. I just looked at the documents for my #8023 gun. It appears that I may have not pulled the wood or if so did not write down what I saw?
The 85 is the last two numbers of the serial. Some 73s and 76s have the last two numbers of the serial number on the inside of the side plates if case colored. Sometimes one or both are a number or two off. I assume they were fitted then cased so keeping them with the right gun was important. If they warped or didn’t match color maybe the worker swapped with another gun’s side plates? T/R
Ive got another 76 (14181) that letters with a 26″ round barrel in 45-60, case hardened, shotgun butt, order 25399. It has the same “123” inspectors marks as my earlier 76 mentioned (2545) above on the underside of the barrel close to the receiver. The bolt is not numbered. The upper tang inlet, shotgun buttplate, and left lower tang are numbered “127” (in addition to the assembly number on the lower tang is the “CF”). The sideplates are both numbered “81” for the last 2 digits of the SN, as TR mentioned above.
I agree with Chuck, the earlier guns have some interesting assembly or inspectors marks in places that are absent in later guns, even though they may be separated by a short period of time. Maybe it has something to do with the assembly and matching up parts for guns in the early going that became more standardized later in their early, or later production. Can only speculate.
1892takedown @sbcglobal.net ......NRA Endowment Life Member.....WACA Member
"God is great.....beer is good.....and people are crazy"... Billy Currington
Chris,
The 123 is a mark for a inspection or a test. Early 73’s had a CCC right next to the breach then there was a +++ and finally the 123 for the rest of the production.
Bob
WACA Life Member--- NRA Life Member---- Cody Firearms member since 1991 Researching the Winchester 1873's
Email: [email protected]
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