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September 14, 2016
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Hi All, about a year ago I bought a Winchester 2nd Model 1876, serial #17099 in 45 – 60 cal. It has a 28 inch barrel with a Lyman globe front side and what I believe is a Mid-Range Winchester rear tang sight.
When i received my Winchester Letter, it said my rifle was shipped with a 26 inch barrel. I emailed Jessica at Cody Firearms to see if it was a misprint. She assured me that their records list a 26 inch barrel. I asked her if it had been sent back to the factory for re-barreling and she said there was no record of that. Jessica also said they don’t have records on Winchester 1876s after about 1906, so if it was changed after that they would have no record.
The patina on the barrel matches the receiver, so they have been mated up for a long time. Cornell’s book “Standard Catalog of Winchester Firearms states “the Express Rifle had a 26 inch barrel with the same stock as the Sporting Rifle”.
Anybody have knowledge of something similar?
Thank you for any help you can give me, Richard Pike
July 31, 2005
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Richard, the collecting fraternity would say you have a rifle that “does not letter.” There can be different reasons. Maybe it was a clerical error by the warehouse staff while recording it (they may have been low paid young workers). Or perhaps it was repaired by a non factory gunsmith. Or, as Jessica mentioned maybe it was repaired in the factory after they quit keeping records on 1876’s. It’s possible the original barrel was shot out or damaged and it was replaced with what they could get. The 28 inch barrel was standard for the 1876 rifles in .45-75, .45-60 and .40-60. It would have been easier to find a replacement barrel in 28 inch length than 26 inches. As early as that gun is, I think it would have the small diameter barrel tenon.
Can it affect the value? Maybe. More so on deluxe or high priced guns. There is no hard and fast answer.
I don’t believe the sights are original to the rifle. Both the Lyman and mid range vernier tang sights came out much later than your rifle. Nice sights, though. Maybe they were added when the barrel was changed. No one is alive that would know.
I would enjoy it as is.
I call myself a collector as it sounds better than hoarder
September 14, 2016
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Bill Hockett said
Richard, the collecting fraternity would say you have a rifle that “does not letter.” There can be different reasons. Maybe it was a clerical error by the warehouse staff while recording it (they may have been low paid young workers). Or perhaps it was repaired by a non factory gunsmith. Or, as Jessica mentioned maybe it was repaired in the factory after they quit keeping records on 1876’s. It’s possible the original barrel was shot out or damaged and it was replaced with what they could get. The 28 inch barrel was standard for the 1876 rifles in .45-75, .45-60 and .40-60. It would have been easier to find a replacement barrel in 28 inch length than 26 inches. As early as that gun is, I think it would have the small diameter barrel tenon.Can it affect the value? Maybe. More so on deluxe or high priced guns. There is no hard and fast answer.
I don’t believe the sights are original to the rifle. Both the Lyman and mid range vernier tang sights came out much later than your rifle. Nice sights, though. Maybe they were added when the barrel was changed. No one is alive that would know.
I would enjoy it as is.
Bill Hockett said
Richard, the collecting fraternity would say you have a rifle that “does not letter.” There can be different reasons. Maybe it was a clerical error by the warehouse staff while recording it (they may have been low paid young workers). Or perhaps it was repaired by a non factory gunsmith. Or, as Jessica mentioned maybe it was repaired in the factory after they quit keeping records on 1876’s. It’s possible the original barrel was shot out or damaged and it was replaced with what they could get. The 28 inch barrel was standard for the 1876 rifles in .45-75, .45-60 and .40-60. It would have been easier to find a replacement barrel in 28 inch length than 26 inches. As early as that gun is, I think it would have the small diameter barrel tenon.Can it affect the value? Maybe. More so on deluxe or high priced guns. There is no hard and fast answer.
I don’t believe the sights are original to the rifle. Both the Lyman and mid range vernier tang sights came out much later than your rifle. Nice sights, though. Maybe they were added when the barrel was changed. No one is alive that would know.
I would enjoy it as is.
Bill, thank you for taking the time to respond to my inquiry. I appreciate the information. I still consider it to be a nice addition to my Winchester collection.
Thanks again, Richard
June 4, 2017
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I have had several 1876’s with barrel length not matching the letter, 26″,28″ or 28″,26″. In all my cases the guns were high condition with other nice special order features. The guns in my opinion correct. I took the forearms off and inspected them closely, without a doubt they were original. Had to be ledger mistakes or a large dealer switching barrels when the gun was new. When I looked at the ledger pages most times the guns were sold in multiples with ditto marks, when they missed a line the barrel would be read as standard 28″.
I Think ledger errors are more apt to occur on a 26″, 28″ 76 barrels than most other models. This was someone in the warehouse looking at racks of guns and putting ditto marks on a ledger pages.
That said it does affect the value when you sell. T/R
September 14, 2016
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TR said
I have had several 1876’s with barrel length not matching the letter, 26″,28″ or 28″,26″. In all my cases the guns were high condition with other nice special order features. The guns in my opinion correct. I took the forearms off and inspected them closely, without a doubt they were original. Had to be ledger mistakes or a large dealer switching barrels when the gun was new. When I looked at the ledger pages most times the guns were sold in multiples with ditto marks, when they missed a line the barrel would be read as standard 28″.I Think ledger errors are more apt to occur on a 26″, 28″ 76 barrels than most other models. This was someone in the warehouse looking at racks of guns and putting ditto marks on a ledger pages.
That said it does affect the value when you sell. T/R
TR, thank you for this information. I bought the rifle at a very fair price so I don’t think I will lose money if or when I sell it. As you know they didn’t make many 1876s.
Thanks again, Richard
June 4, 2017
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Richard, On the same subject, possible ledger mistakes, I have seen several 1873 rifles in 32wcf with 32″ barrels that were in my opinion original, with no barrel length listed. Also early 38wcf 1873 rifles with a shotgun butt not mentioned maybe because they considered it standard for the 38. Some early 50-95 1876 rifles did not mention caliber but sure looked original.
You add the 1876 26″-28″ barrel thing to the above three and that makes four possible letter mistake idem’s I have seen more than just a couple times. I’ve bought these possible mistakes because I believed the guns were original and knew resale value would be affected. I liked the guns and I did not try to change them, original for my guns is what I believe not what the letter says.
By in large the letters are correct, these are possible rare exceptions! T/R
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