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Winchester 1876 Grooved Forend??

LeversLevers Member Posts: 26 ✭✭
edited January 2016 in Ask the Experts
Recently acquired a Win. 1876 in 45-75. Gun was made in 1877. Cody letter states octagon barrel, lid, set trigger. Does not state a barrel length. Barrel is 23" and has serial number on bottom flat midway between receiver and muzzle. Condition is fantastic. Odd thing is the forend is grooved. Anybody ever seen this in a 1876?

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    MG1890MG1890 Member Posts: 4,649
    edited November -1
    Got pics? If barrel length was not on the letter then it is assumed to be standard, which I believe would have been 28".

    The grooved forend is likely not original. Serial number should not be on barrel.

    Lot going on here that points to some "customizing".

    The 3 digit number on the side of the tang, stock inlet and buttplate are typical "special order" stock numbers. Is this a pistol grip, checked, XX or XXX grade wood, anything special about the stock??

    It should be on the letter.

    Something weird going on here.

    In the Herbert Houze book "The Winchester 1876 Centennial Rifle" There is a complete statistical breakdown of model '76's. In the 45-75 chapter under "stock forms and finishes" there is no "grooved forearm" rifle listed, but there is one "no forearm".

    Maybe you have factory rework, but I doubt it.....

    Those special order numbers should not be on a rifle with standard wood.
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    LeversLevers Member Posts: 26 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Havent figured out how to post pics. The Cody letter states the gun was in the warehouse for a year and a couple months which seems kind of odd. Serial on barrel is something I have not seen before either. Hoping for more input please.
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    LeversLevers Member Posts: 26 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Also there are two 3 digit numbers on side of lower tang. Both numbers are also on tang slot on stock and 1 of the numbers is on inside of buttplate.
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    LeversLevers Member Posts: 26 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by MG1890
    Got pics? If barrel length was not on the letter then it is assumed to be standard, which I believe would have been 28".

    The grooved forend is likely not original. Serial number should not be on barrel.

    Lot going on here that points to some "customizing".

    The 3 digit number on the side of the tang, stock inlet and buttplate are typical "special order" stock numbers. Is this a pistol grip, checked, XX or XXX grade wood, anything special about the stock??

    It should be on the letter.
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    LeversLevers Member Posts: 26 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Straight grip. Nice wood but I wouldnt say especially nice. No "XX" markings. The only thing special about the wood is the grooved forearm. Color, quality, and grain of forearm and stock match quite well. How do I post pics?
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    LeversLevers Member Posts: 26 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    With regards to the serial number on bottom side of barrel, the font of the numbers matches the font of numbers on tang.
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    Spider7115Spider7115 Member, Moderator Posts: 29,714 ******
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by Levers
    Straight grip. Nice wood but I wouldnt say especially nice. No "XX" markings. The only thing special about the wood is the grooved forearm. Color, quality, and grain of forearm and stock match quite well. How do I post pics?

    Instructions for posting pics are posted at the top of this Forum: http://forums.GunBroker.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=259294
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    charliemeyer007charliemeyer007 Member Posts: 6,579 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Make a junk email account then sign up at photobucket. Upload your pic's there. Then copy the URL for each one and paste it in the URL box after clicking on the Icon 4th from the right on the Format line at the top of the box you typed in your replies (yellow with sun and mountain).
    Directions here.
    http://forums.GunBroker.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=259294

    As kid I got shoot a 76 in 45-60. I liked the 95 in 30-06 better.
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    LeversLevers Member Posts: 26 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by MG1890
    Got pics? If barrel length was not on the letter then it is assumed to be standard, which I believe would have been 28".

    The grooved forend is likely not original. Serial number should not be on barrel.

    Lot going on here that points to some "customizing".

    The 3 digit number on the side of the tang, stock inlet and buttplate are typical "special order" stock numbers. Is this a pistol grip, checked, XX or XXX grade wood, anything special about the stock??

    It should be on the letter.

    Something weird going on here.

    In the Herbert Houze book "The Winchester 1876 Centennial Rifle" There is a complete statistical breakdown of model '76's. In the 45-75 chapter under "stock forms and finishes" there is no "grooved forearm" rifle listed, but there is one "no forearm".

    Maybe you have factory rework, but I doubt it.....

    Those special order numbers should not be on a rifle with standard wood.
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    Bert H.Bert H. Member Posts: 11,279 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    The numbers on the bottom of the barrel are most likely a work order number. Does the CFM letter mention a "R&R"?

    The 3-digit number on the left inside edge of the lower tang, butt stock upper tang channel, and inside edge of the butt plate toe is an assembly number. Winchester marked them after all the parts were final fitted, but before they were finished so that all of the parts could be reunited after being returned from the finishing process.

    The original barrel and magazine tube were 28-inches long. If the CFM letter does not list a "R&R", they were shortened by somebody other than Winchester.

    Is the barrel channel in the forend stock perfectly inletted for the octagon contour barrel? Grooved forends were sometimes used for Muskets, but would be inletted for a round barrel.
  • Options
    LeversLevers Member Posts: 26 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by MG1890
    Got pics? If barrel length was not on the letter then it is assumed to be standard, which I believe would have been 28".

    The grooved forend is likely not original. Serial number should not be on barrel.

    Lot going on here that points to some "customizing".

    The 3 digit number on the side of the tang, stock inlet and buttplate are typical "special order" stock numbers. Is this a pistol grip, checked, XX or XXX grade wood, anything special about the stock??

    It should be on the letter.

    Something weird going on here.

    In the Herbert Houze book "The Winchester 1876 Centennial Rifle" There is a complete statistical breakdown of model '76's. In the 45-75 chapter under "stock forms and finishes" there is no "grooved forearm" rifle listed, but there is one "no forearm".

    Maybe you have factory rework, but I doubt it.....

    Those special order numbers should not be on a rifle with standard wood.
  • Options
    LeversLevers Member Posts: 26 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by Levers
    Recently acquired a Win. 1876 in 45-75. Gun was made in 1877. Cody letter states octagon barrel, lid, set trigger. Does not state a barrel length. Barrel is 23" and has serial number on bottom flat midway between receiver and muzzle. Condition is fantastic. Odd thing is the forend is grooved. Anybody ever seen this in a 1876?


    https://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/320xq90/r/905/1rnYOL.jpg
    Gun in question is gun in foreground.
    https://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/320xq90/r/910/2yWpLw.jpg

    Forearm is correctly cut to fit the octagon barrel. Number on bottom of barrel matches serial number on lower tang. I have had credible people tell me that serial numbers were put on barrels, especially older guns. The dovetail for the mag cap, front sight, and barrel band all look factory and are same distance from muzzle as on my other 76. Rear sight dovetail is also same distance from receiver as on other 76.
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    Spider7115Spider7115 Member, Moderator Posts: 29,714 ******
    edited November -1
    You will need to start a new thread as they get locked after 10 replies. Just title it something like "Winchester 1876 continued".

    1rnYOL.jpg
    2yWpLw.jpg
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