Winchester Model 1866 Third Model .44 Henry 27″ Musket Antique
SOLD FOR: $3,578.00
LSB#: LSB260803CC001
Make: Winchester Repeating Arms Company
Model: Model 1866 Third Model Musket (Infantry Rifle)
Serial Number: 31271
Year of Manufacture: Circa 1870 / Antique
Caliber/Gauge: .44 Henry
Action Type: Lever-action repeating rifle with an external hammer, top ejection, a right-side loading gate, full-length tubular magazine, and lever lock.
Markings: The verified receiver serial number is “31271”. The remaining original factory markings have been lost to erosion.
Barrel Length: 27″, round
Sights / Optics: The rifle has a fixed blade front sight and a folding ladder rear sight.
Stock Configuration & Condition: The furniture consists of a two-piece smooth walnut stock set with a straight-grip buttstock and long musket forearm secured by three barrel bands. It has sling swivels on the buttstock and forward barrel band and a brass flat trapdoor buttplate. The LOP measures 13 3/8″ from the front of the trigger to the rear of the buttplate. The wood shows extensive scratches, compression marks, gouges, and handling wear. There are no cracks. Overall, the stocks are in Good condition.
Type of Finish: The barrel, magazine tube, bands, hammer, lever, and small parts were blued. The receiver and buttplate are brass.
Finish Originality: Original; the steel retains 0% of its original blue finish.
Bore Condition: The bore is dark with somewhat bright lands. There is erosion and pitting down the length, concentrated in the grooves. The rifling is defined where not interrupted by erosion. In this writer’s opinion the bore rates 4/10.
Overall Condition: The steel surfaces have a uniformly dark brown and gray patina with modest erosion, pitting, freckling, scratches, and handling wear. The receiver and buttplate show age patina, scratches, spotting, and small areas of verdigris. The steel retains 0% of its original blue finish, and the original factory markings have been lost to erosion. Overall, this rifle rates Fair.
Mechanics: The action functions correctly. We did not fire this rifle. As with all previously owned firearms, a thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance requirements.
Box, Paperwork & Accessories: None.
Our Assessment: The Model 1866 was the first repeating arm sold under the Winchester name, refining the Henry system with Nelson King’s side loading gate and an enclosed tubular magazine. In musket form, its 27-inch barrel and long forearm gave the design an infantry-style profile distinct from the shorter rifle and carbine configurations.
This circa-1870 Third Model preserves the long-musket silhouette and original brass-and-steel character despite hard use. Complete blue loss, eroded markings, and a rough bore make condition the central limitation, yet the three-band furniture and functioning action still convey the architecture of Winchester’s infantry-pattern 1866. Please see our photos for a better understanding of the condition and good luck with your bids! – L.S.