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Not everything adds up neatly here. However, a ’76 with a 30 inch heavy barreled rifle is of strong appeal to me. Do you suppose the original barrel stayed with the rifle and was put back on at some point? Other opinions and reactions to this rifle would be appreciated. Oh, the actual barrel length seems a red flag.
It’s another one of those guns needing an explanation, however it is a decent looking ’76 and the non-lettered mid-range tang site is a bonus. At the low end a helluva buy , at the high end so-so, but still not bad . My opinion only
W.A.C.A. life member, Marlin Collectors Assn. charter and life member, C,S.S.A. member and general gun nut.
Folks, This rifle also had caught my eye and there were questions that just didn’t seem to have ready answers. I asked for Jesi at the museum to be especially careful in her research, and she advises that the passage that Waddy Colvert put on the earlier letter about the conversion being done in 1886? (I’ve forgotten the exact date when it was supposedly converted after leaving the warehouse in 1879), was erroneously applied as that notation was on the line for the serial just above THIS rifle. INSTEAD, this rifle was listed as “To 40/60, Octagon barrel, plain trigger” between receipt in the warehouse on April 24, 1879 and Shipped from warehouse on May 13, 1879, Order number 15234.
Now what that tends to mean to me, at least, is the new barrel was standard weight, in 40/60 caliber, with standard trigger. The lower tang as presented on the “for auction” version shows NO perforation as needed for the trigger block safety. The barrel is just a little “off” what I would expect a 32 inch barrel to measure, and it does not appear (danger there!) to be “heavy”. I decided that for me, at least, there were too many questions and not enough answers. I would think a query to RIA for someone to carefully measure the diameter at the muzzle might help. But you would have to have a strong imagination to think the notation for the conversion was a clerical error. My take at least, and I am not contemplating being in on this rifle.
Tim
The estimate of $4,500-6500 says it all, RIA knows it’s a gun with questions. T/R
I would like to know who the 1972 Winchester letter was addressed to. The first gun on the list, 1873, SN 227576 is a rifle my dad purchased from a guy by the name of John Fox back in 1969 for $550.00. The letter on RIA is dated 1972 and I dont think he sold it till years later. Ive been trying to reconstruct a list of some of the guns he used to own and catch them when they turn up at auction.
1892takedown @sbcglobal.net ......NRA Endowment Life Member.....WACA Member
"God is great.....beer is good.....and people are crazy"... Billy Currington
Chris, the 76 you guys are talking about is from the John Fox collection. The name on the Olin letter could be John E. Fox?
Chuck said
Chris, the 76 you guys are talking about is from the John Fox collection.
Yes, for the heavy barreled ’76, RIA lists the provenance: Provenance: The John Fox Collection.
It looks like this RIA auction contains 108 pieces from the John Fox collection.
steve004 said
Yes, for the heavy barreled ’76, RIA lists the provenance: Provenance: The John Fox Collection.
See my edited post. Just because John owned it at one time I’m not sure who put it in the auction? Maybe Rick knows?
Chuck said
Chris, the 76 you guys are talking about is from the John Fox collection. The name on the Olin letter could be John E. Fox?
I must have the purchase date wrong (1969), could have been later, but definitely says it was purchased from John Fox. I missed the provenance in the auction description for the heavy barrel. Where was John Fox located, what state?? Interesting how these things resurface even after 50 years. Could be that it was a letter to him as you suggested.
1892takedown @sbcglobal.net ......NRA Endowment Life Member.....WACA Member
"God is great.....beer is good.....and people are crazy"... Billy Currington
I edited my post on the provenance to note that there are 108 pieces from the John Fox collection in this RIA auction.
That makes sense. My dad told me he received a number of deluxe or special order 1873 or 1876 rifles in the early 1970’s that he purchased from a guy in Montana. Said they had to be in high condition otherwise he wasnt interested, or so the story goes. Had often wondered who the guy in Montana was.
1892takedown @sbcglobal.net ......NRA Endowment Life Member.....WACA Member
"God is great.....beer is good.....and people are crazy"... Billy Currington
Win4575 is a friend of John’s. Here’s his comment from a thread on 1 of 1000 rifles:
win4575 said
One of the most historic and prominent 1 of 1000 73’s in existence, is coming up for auction at Rock Island in early December. This is serial #7282. This rifle, from the collection of the late John E. Fox, was ordered by Granville Stuart in 1875. I know this rifle very well as John was a close friend for almost 50 years and we lived just a few miles from eachother.
There’s more discussion of what John had and who saw it in this thread:
https://winchestercollector.org/forum/winchester-rifles/real-1-of-1000-1873/page-2/#p98235
I wish I could give you all some info on this ’76, but honestly I don’t remember the gun. John had soooo much stuff in his collection, plus another vault full of guns he had for sale. I’m convinced that the Winchester letter dated 1972 is one sent to John by Tom Hall. Most of his collection coming up in December, are items I’m familiar with. John and I used to shoot Granville Stuart’s 1 of 1000 from a garage bay, into a cottonwood stump outside in the yard.
January 26, 2011
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win4575 said
I wish I could give you all some info on this ’76, but honestly I don’t remember the gun. John had soooo much stuff in his collection, plus another vault full of guns he had for sale. I’m convinced that the Winchester letter dated 1972 is one sent to John by Tom Hall. Most of his collection coming up in December, are items I’m familiar with. John and I used to shoot Granville Stuart’s 1 of 1000 from a garage bay, into a cottonwood stump outside in the yard.
I liked the sign John had on his table with his hats. “Buy a $10,000 gun, get a free hat”
~Gary~
Two of the guns on the list were purchased from Fort Carson Antiques – Guns in Carson City Nevada. Serial 9498 and 8099. He had a ad in the Jan 1972 Gun Report. $995 and $1250 respectively.
Bob
WACA Life Member--- NRA Life Member---- Cody Firearms member since 1991 Researching the Winchester 1873's
Email: [email protected]
pdog72,
John has another hat that said ‘Don’t tell mom I trade guns, she thinks I play piano in a whorehouse”.
win4575 said
I wish I could give you all some info on this ’76, but honestly I don’t remember the gun. John had soooo much stuff in his collection, plus another vault full of guns he had for sale. I’m convinced that the Winchester letter dated 1972 is one sent to John by Tom Hall. Most of his collection coming up in December, are items I’m familiar with. John and I used to shoot Granville Stuart’s 1 of 1000 from a garage bay, into a cottonwood stump outside in the yard.
Rick, didn’t he have a wall of guns? Seems we talked about that once?
A 30′ wall of Winchesters (mostly 73’s and 76’s) with a few brass guns, a few 86’s and a couple of screamer ’92 carbines. One 20′ wall with single shots, mostly Sharps and another 30′ wall with Colts. Percussion, conversions and single actions. These were all part of his collection and rarely for sale or trade. The other vault always had 75 guns or more for sale.
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