Winchester 1866 3rd Model Carbine SRC .44 Henry Lever Rifle, 1875 Antique
SOLD FOR: $7076
LSB#: 230914LM076
Make: Winchester Repeating Arms Co.
Model: 1866 Saddle Ring Carbine 3rd Model
Serial Number: 126580
Year of Manufacture: 1875
Caliber: .44 Henry Rimfire
Action Type: Lever Action with Tubular Magazine.
Barrel Length: 20”
Sights / Optics: The front sight is a blade integral to the front barrel band. The rear sight is a fixed “V”-notch buckhorn sight dovetailed to the rear of the barrel. The rear sight is not original to the gun.
Stock Configuration & Condition: The stocks are two-piece smooth walnut with a banded forend, straight comb, straight grip and brass (gunmetal) buttplate with a sliding door over a storage compartment (there is a 3-piece cleaning rod in the compartment). The stocks have scattered nicks, dings, bruises and scratches. There is a small loss in the top-right of the wrist at the front and a crack in the right-front. There are a series of very small but deep marks along the top of the comb. There are grain-lines opening up, mostly along edges. The LOP measures 13 3/8″ from the front of the trigger to the back of the buttplate. The plate has gone to a mustard patina with scattered nicks and scratches. Overall, the stocks are in Good-Very Good condition as Antique.
Type of Finish: Blue & Brass
Finish Originality: Original
Bore Condition: The bore is dark gray. The rifling is generally well defined. There is moderate erosion and light-moderate pitting scattered through the bore. There is a bulge in the bore about 2″ from the muzzle and there are a couple of notable scratches in the bore between the bulge and the muzzle. In this writer’s opinion, the bore rates 3 out of 10.
Most antique firearms have bores that will show erosion. This is not only due to age but to the use of black powder. When fired, black powder reacts corrosively. NRA Antique Firearm Conditions Standards are quite lenient for bores. In some cases the NRA standards disregarded the bore’s condition for collectors firearms.
Overall Condition: This rifle retains about 30% of its metal finish. The barrel and magazine tube have worn to white or gone to a light patina with some scattered darker spots of oxidation and minor erosion. There is a dent in the magazine tube on the bottom-right about 4″ from the muzzle The receiver has gone to a mustard patina with the crystalline appearance of old brass, showing scattered nicks, scuffs and scratches. The action shows operational wear. There are tool marks around most screw and pin heads. The screw heads range from sharp to disfigured with usable slots. The markings range from clear to worn and incomplete. Overall, this rifle rates in about Very Good condition as Antique.
Mechanics: The action functions correctly. The hammer has a half-cock safety. We have not fired this rifle. As with all used firearms, a thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance standards.
Box, Paperwork & Accessories: There is a three-piece cleaning rod in the buttstock. Also included is a Cody Firearms Records Office records search which indicates that this rifle was received as a Carbine on November 24, 1875 and shipped April 24, 1876 on order number 2917.
Our Assessment: The Model 1866 rifle was the first firearm to be built by the new Winchester Arms after they changed their name from the New Haven Arms Company in 1866. The Model 1866 was a much-improved version of the Henry rifle, with a loading port on the right side of the receiver featuring a spring-loaded cover, through which cartridges could be fed into a new solid magazine tube that was much stronger than the slotted tube used on the Henry. The loading gate precluded the need for an external follower, allowing for a walnut forend to be installed which prevented the user from burning their hands during extensive firing. The M1866 was made in rifle, carbine and musket versions and in four different models dependent on date of manufacture. All of the different models were chambered in .44 Henry Rimfire, with some of the later 3rd Models chambered in .44 Henry Centerfire and some converted to Centerfire later.
This rifle is a Model 1866 Saddle Ring Carbine 3rd Model. The rifle has honest wear given its age and has not been converted for center-fire cartridges, still having its rimfire firing pin bushing. Most Winchester collectors would never think that their collection was complete without at least all three variations of the M1866, while some would argue for all of the variations of the four different models. This 1866 3rd Model Saddle Ring Carbine will be a great addition to a collection. Please see our photos and good luck!
Please forgive any typos, I was educated in California -Bud
