Winchester Model 1876
Winchester Repeating Arms · Rifle · Discontinued · 1876
Also known as: Winchester Centennial Model, Centennial Model 1876, Model 1876 WCF, Winchester '76
Overview
The Winchester Model 1876, or 'Centennial Model,' was a larger, heavier evolution of the toggle-link Model 1873, scaled up to handle far more powerful cartridges for big-game hunting and frontier defense. Introduced at the 1876 Philadelphia Centennial Exhibition, it was the most powerful lever-action repeater Winchester offered until the Browning-designed Model 1886 replaced it. Chambered originally in the bottlenecked .45-75 WCF and later in .45-60, .50-95 Express, and .40-60, roughly 63,800 were produced from 1876 to 1898 in sporting-rifle, carbine, and musket configurations.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 4300 g (151.7 oz) |
| Overall Length | 1252 mm (49.29") |
| Barrel Length | 660 mm (25.98") |
| Action Type | Lever Action |
| Firing Mechanism | Hammer Fired |
| Trigger Type | Single Stage |
| Magazine Capacity | 12 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Tube |
| Muzzle Velocity | 421 m/s (1381 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 2013 J (1485 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 180 m (197 yd) |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Wood |
| Finish | Blued |
Calibers
- .45-75 Winchester · primary — also known as .45-75 WCF, .45-75 Centennial
- .45-60 Winchester — also known as .45-60 WCF
Features
- Firing modes: Repeating
- Feed systems: Tubular Magazine
- Safety mechanisms: Half Cock Hammer Notch
- Features: Tubular Magazine, Exposed Hammer, Loading Gate, Adjustable Rear Sight, Toggle Link Action, Octagon Or Round Barrel Options
Variants
- Model 1876 Sporting Rifle — Standard
- Model 1876 Carbine — Carbine
- Model 1876 Musket — Musket
- Model 1876 Express Rifle — Express
- Model 1876 One of One Thousand — Special
Service history
Operators
- North-West Mounted Police · adopted 1878 · as Carbine, .45-75
- Texas Rangers
- Civilian hunters and ranchers
Conflicts
- American Indian Wars (1876-1886)
- North-West Rebellion (1885)
Production
Estimated total produced: 63,872 · Production years: 1876-1898
.45-75 was the most common chambering (~24,881 units). Roughly 7% were exported to India, South Africa, Canada, and Hawaii.
Origin
Country of origin: United States
Designer: Winchester Repeating Arms Company
Discontinued: 1898
Notes
The toggle-link action, though scaled up from the Model 1873, was never quite strong enough for the largest cartridges and limited the power the rifle could safely contain. Barrel and magazine capacity varied by configuration; carbines held roughly 8 rounds.
Background
Theodore Roosevelt carried an engraved Model 1876 on his Dakota Territory hunting expeditions and praised it lavishly in his writings, cementing the '76 as an icon of the American West. Its adoption by Canada's North-West Mounted Police made 'Winchester' a household byword for the trusty repeating rifle.