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I’ll be picking this up in June next year from Dad in Minnesota. This was the 2nd rifle I ever shot as a 10 year old (with help from Dad’s strong arms)
He knows I love the rifles and their history and he wants to make sure the official transfer from Father to Son is while he’s still alive (he’s 87). He’s taken this out of the safe once a year and gave it a good cleaning. The bore is absolutely bright, rifling sharp and lands/grooves in mint condition.
Here is his story on this rifle. His facts on this rifle may not be correct but this is what he recalls:
“Serial # 57XXX, The rifle is King’s Improvement, Patented March 20,1866 ….October 20, 1880. Round Barrel, Interior Brass Shell Feed and Extractor. with Lever Action. Rear fold down Elevated Sight. It is really in good shape for its age and has never been refinished. I bought this gun in the early 1940’s at around 12 years old and used it as a youngster for deer hunting….at my Grandpa’s Resort at Cass Lake, MN.
During the second World War there were not any new firearms for sale. My Uncle Ed who was a traveling salesman bought it in Iowa from one of his customers before he was drafted into the Second World War. He use to take me deer hunting and put me in the woods somewhere on a log while he went off and tried to chase deer my way. I paid for it from the money I made at that early age by taking people out fishing from my Gramp’s resort on Cass Lake. It cost me a whole $10.00 that was a lot of money for a kid in the 40’s. So basically that is all the info I have on it.”
I’ve been told it’s quite valuable and I made sure Dad got his whole collection insured which amounts to around $50k.
I reloaded 18 Black Powder .45-75 cartridges for him as a gift (along with a Cody Winchester letter) in a stage coach box that I customized to accept the cartridges. He absolutely loved the birthday gift and proudly keeps it on his desk. This WON’T be coming home with me next June, only his rifle.
Enjoy!
You never have to worry about lying if you always tell the truth.
And the stage coach ammo box project I made for his desk. A “Generations” of fathers/sons montage photo in the back of the box lid.
You never have to worry about lying if you always tell the truth.
That’s a wonderful story and quite an ammo box.
"This is the West, sir. When the legend becomes fact, print the legend."
Brian,
Very nice rifle, and ammo box. That’s a special rifle to be handed down for sure. I like the story of how your dad acquired it.
Welcome to WACA.
Al
Thank you gents! I did not make the box from scratch. Dad has always been a thrift shopper…so I picked it up in a Goodwill story, then customized it into a cartridge box. He asked how much I paid to make it (naturally, being a Depression era baby) and I told him $5 for the box”. He was elated! I didn’t tell him how much each brass piece was brand new. 😉
You never have to worry about lying if you always tell the truth.
Brian,
Welcome from a fellow Minnesotain. I’m stuck in California now, having served my quota of snow shoveling over my early years.
Your photos and story really bring the heart of collecting and passing on the tradition. Nice work !
FYI: I grew up hunting in the Cass Lake/Blackduck area and stayed at an old fishing camp called the Hideaway. Great memories of blind shooting with my first Model 12, and then jump shooting from an old rice boat, paddling down a river through the bog. Walked the logging trails for partridge too. That was in the late ’50’s and the 60’s. The good old days with Dad.
I know you’ll enjoy your membership !
Bill
Blueliner Bill,
Holy cow! That’s where I learned to duck hunt too! Cass lake, specifically on Norway Beach Point. We used to hunt Rice Lake too. 1960’s and early 70’s.
Thank you for the welcome!
My father’s Grand dad owned the resort on Cass that turned into the Girl Scout camp on the east side. It’s now owned by the state I believe.
Photo of Dad and I in 1971 at Rice Lake.
You never have to worry about lying if you always tell the truth.
Very nice rifle, ammo box and story! Thanks for sharing with us.
I know you will be thrilled to get it.
Winchester Model 1873 44-40 circa 1886
sportsdad60 said
Blueliner Bill,Holy cow! That’s where I learned to duck hunt too! Cass lake, specifically on Norway Beach Point. We used to hunt Rice Lake too. 1960’s and early 70’s.
Thank you for the welcome!
My father’s Grand dad owned the resort on Cass that turned into the Girl Scout camp on the east side. It’s now owned by the state I believe.
Photo of Dad and I in 1971 at Rice Lake.
Brian,
Does this look familiar ? Probably 1960 at Hideaway on Big Rice Lake ( or Little Rice, I forgot ! )
After the morning hunt, did afternoons filling gunny sacks with crappies, but I diverge from the original topic….
Good Hunting,
Bill
Great memories!
You never have to worry about lying if you always tell the truth.
By gum, Blueliner! I’ve driven through Cass lake many times on my way from Southern Canada to Western Canada. Beautiful country around there. Years ago, I was down in Honduras and met an older woman who ran a compound down there. We got to talking one evening and it turned out she was from Case Lake, MN as well.
Sportsda60, that is a beautiful example of an original Winchester Model 1876 and a real pleasure to admire. Thanks for posting those photos for the rest of us to enjoy.
win38-55 said
By gum, Blueliner! I’ve driven through Cass lake many times on my way from Southern Canada to Western Canada. Beautiful country around there. Years ago, I was down in Honduras and met an older woman who ran a compound down there. We got to talking one evening and it turned out she was from Case Lake, MN as well.Sportsda60, that is a beautiful example of an original Winchester Model 1876 and a real pleasure to admire. Thanks for posting those photos for the rest of us to enjoy.
Small world, and a great ’76 with heritage !
Bill
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