NOTE: this is an example of a previous customer restoration, and therefore the firearm is not for sale. Please browse the showroom for our current selection of restored, pre-owned and refinished firearms that are for sale, as well as other collections. Be sure to SUBSCRIBE to our newsletter to be among the first to learn about new additions to our website.

Manufactured 1883 | .50-95 Winchester Express

When this Winchester Model 1876 left New Haven in 1883, America was deep into a decade of transformation. The great bison herds were disappearing, rail lines stitched the continent together, and the frontier, though not yet closed, was beginning to look back on itself. For sportsmen, ranchers, and men who made their living far from settled towns, the Model 1876 represented the upper end of repeating rifle capability. It was powerful, refined, and unmistakably modern for its day.

Often called the “Centennial Model,” the 1876 was Winchester’s answer to shooters who wanted the speed of a lever action paired with the authority of a big bore cartridge. Chambered here in .50-95 Winchester Center Fire, this rifle was built for serious work, whether that meant hunting large game, guarding a remote spread, or riding hard country where a single rifle needed to do everything asked of it. It was a rifle of confidence and one that spoke volumes about its owner.

Mechanical Restoration

Our restoration began with the barrel, the literal backbone of the rifle. The original 26-inch barrel was removed, carefully recrowned, and reinstalled to ensure accuracy. Following reassembly, the rifle was test fired to confirm performance befitting a big bore Winchester of this class.

The action was then fully disassembled and cleaned, with internal components inspected and serviced as needed. Additional gunsmithing addressed critical safety and function issues. The set trigger mechanism was repaired, and the hammer full notch and trigger sear engagement were rebuilt to correct hammer follow. These steps restored proper lockup and ensured the rifle operates as its designers intended in the nineteenth century. It is crisp, reliable, and safe.

Wood Restoration

The walnut buttstock and forend showed the honest wear of a rifle that had lived a full life. To preserve as much original material as possible, both pieces were soaked to lighten the wood, then carefully steamed to raise and repair handling marks accumulated over decades of use. Cracks in the wrist were stabilized and repaired before final shaping.

Once structurally sound, the wood was sanded to final preparation, pore filled, and refinished using our traditional Red Oil finish. This brought depth and warmth back to the grain without erasing its age. Original checkering patterns on both the buttstock and forend were recut, restoring sharp definition while remaining faithful to Winchester’s original style.

Metal Finishing

The barrel and magazine tube were polished to achieve a period correct surface, with original markings restored before both components were rust blued, just as Winchester would have done in the era.

The receiver and associated parts were polished and prepared with careful attention to original contours and edges. Functionality of the dust cover and its rail was preserved throughout the process. Screws were repaired where necessary, and original markings, including tang marks, brass carrier marks, and dust cover markings, were restored to their proper clarity.

The receiver, lever, hammer, forend cap, and crescent buttplate were finished using traditional bone charcoal color case hardening, producing the vivid yet organic colors collectors associate with high grade nineteenth century Winchesters. The extractor and loading gate were nitre blued, while the bolt, sights, screws, and small parts received a deep charcoal blue. This completed the rifle’s authentic factory appearance.

Final Assembly

With finishing complete, the rifle was carefully reassembled, lubricated, and greased for long term preservation and proper operation. The result is not a rifle made new, but one thoughtfully returned to its rightful place in history. It is mechanically sound, visually correct, and respectful of its 1883 origins.

This restored Winchester Model 1876 stands today as it once did, a powerful expression of American ingenuity at a pivotal moment in the nation’s story, preserved for the next steward who understands that owning such a rifle is not just possession, but responsibility.