Useful links and blogs for the 1876

[Grizzly Adams]

I am making this a sticky, and will add to it as I locate links that will be useful for shooters of the 1876.  As additional resources are identified, we will add them to this thread.

Shooting With Hobie - Read all about Hobies adventures with the Chaparral NWMP SRC in 45-75.  Good information regarding forming brass for this caliber.  A very informative blog!   http://shootingwithhobie.blogspot.com/2007/04/winchester-1876-src-nwmp-reproduction.html

"DISCLAIMER RELOADING:  We allow members the exchange of reloading ideas, techniques and loads. However, under NO circumstances does the publication of any specific load(s) on the board indicate a recommendation of data published. The caution(s) mentioned in the reloading manuals of starting 10% below any recommended load(s) and working your way up apply in spades! Both experienced and inexperienced reloaders, PLEASE consult the available commercial reloading manuals. It is easy to make mistakes when typing, so view any data published in a post with common sense and suspicion... If it doesn't sound right, it probably isn't!" CasCity.com assumes NO responsibility for any loads published.

Rare Winchesters - This is a great site for anyone interested in all the grand old Winchesters!

http://www.rarewinchesters.com/

The Battle Of The Big Dry Wash, Article by Kirk Durston.

http://www.leverguns.com/articles/1876.pdf

Marauder's Home Range.   Helpful tips, pics, and information on disassembly and maintenance of the toggle link designs, including Schematic drawings of the 1873 and 1876.

http://marauder.homestead.com/Rifles.html

So how do I make 45-75 Brass from 348 WCF Brass? http://www.cascity.com/forumhall/index.php/topic,22054.msg283723.html#msg283723

Smokeless Load Development for the 45-60 - PDF Files
http://www.loaddata.com/articles/PDF/LD-%20HL%2045-60%20pearce.pdf
http://www.loaddata.com/articles/PDF/45-60%20WCF.pdf

[john boy]

Grizzly - great post.  The Battle Of The Big Dry Wash article brings back 'memories' for me.  When I was communicating 'heavily' with the boyzs in Italy about the incorrect breech pin - it was the parts diagram on Kirk's site that I referenced.  Still have it in my reference directory

[Chiefht]

Great Links lots of useful reading 

Thanks Grizz

[Jubal Wilson]

Hi Griz,
The links to Hobie and Crotchey Old Grouch aren't wokring for me anymore. Please check on them for me. Thanks. Jubal

[Sir Charles deMouton-Black]

Here's Hobie's blog;

http://shootingwithhobie.blogspot.com/2007/04/winchester-1876-src-nwmp-reproduction.html

[Grizzly Adams]

Here's Hobie's blog;

Thanks for the updated link, Sir Charles.  I have made the change above. COG's page is down, so I remove  the dead end link.

[Grizzly Adams]

I think you may have left that last 'L' off the new link at the top??

Fixed!  Thanks.

[Oregon Bill]

Reading Kirk Durston's article on the 1876, he mentions that Winchester was at work on a military prototype with longer receiver and more robust parts than the 66 and 73 as early as 1866, and that there is a Model 1868 prototype in the collections at the Cody Museum. The unusual yet familiar Winchester in this Youtube may be one of those prototypes. Anyway, I just get tired of gunwriters and others repeating the myth that Winchester simply "stretched the receiver of the 1873" to throw together a lever rifle that could handle buffalo-class cartridges when in truth it had been in development for a decade before its introduction.

/www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMYQZS0VlCA

[Coal Creek Griff]

To make it a little easier:

[Oregon Bill]

Griff, I am still not sure if this is in fact a prototype of the rifle-caliber Winchester in development as of 1866 -- or a prototype of the 66 we know as the "Yellow Boy." Nothing definitive comes up in a search for an 1866, 1867 or 1868 that I can find... 

[Boone May]

Oregon Bill, 
Herbert Houze's "The Winchester Model 1876 Centennial Rifle" covers the earlier developments of these big bore lever rifles.  You are correct, the design that became the Model 1876 pre-dated the Model 1873.  The Model 1873 was introduced commercially first.  The design that eventually became the Model 1876 was based on Model 1866 "Swiss" rifles, as well as the Model 1868.  Not many of these were made and were not released commercially.  There is also an earlier cartridge called by collectors today the .46 OFW for Oliver F. Winchester.  It predates the .45-75.

Also, there was a Model 1878 Winchester in .45-70 which was submitted to ordnance trials.  It had a longer receiver but looks just like an 1876 action.  It was totally capable of handling the power of the .45-70 cartridge.  That's another old myth, that the 1876 action was "not strong enough" to handle the .45-70 cartridge.  What hog wash!

[Oregon Bill]

Boone, I just looked up that desirable volume, and it is $200 used. Wish someone would reprint it in paperback. Thanks for your post.

[King Medallion]

yeah, I've been looking for a copy too, but not at that price.

[Oregon Bill]

Houze book now running $280-$500 plus. ... 

[King Medallion]

My son got me a copy, like new, for Christmas.