The First Winchester 66 or Improved Henry Rifle

[Henry4440]

Winchester 1866 Swiss Contact musket receiver sn.1


Winchester 1866 Swiss Contact musket cal.45, made early autumn 1866


Winchester 1867 carbine sn.14



Winchester 1868 musket cal.455 sn.15


Winchester 1868 carbine sn.10


Throughout 1866,1867 and 1868, the bulk of the company's production was exported abroad for use by variety of nations as either a primary or auxiliary service weapon.When military sales began to fall off in late 1868, O.F.Winchester decided that it was time to reenter the civilian market.
Though press notices were published as early as Sept. 1866, the Winchester company did not begin any advertising campaign for the Model 1866 until early 1869. Likewise, the firm's catalogs from 1867 to 1870 stressed the military applications of the Winchester rifles and especially the results of the Swiss Rifle Trials, which involved the Models 1866 and 1867 Iron Frame rifles. By 1868 though, the firm's broadsides had begun to more prominently mention the standard Model 1866.

[Branding Iron Bill]

It's interesting to see how the lever action design evolved starting with the volcanic and ending with mod. 95.  I was not aware of the mod 67 and 68 being in the links of progration.  Shows how little I know.  Thanks for posting those pics LH.  Looks like a precursor to the mod. 73 with the the overlapping side plates, and sharp corners on the receiver caracteristic of the 73.  The hammer design looks somewhat odd ballish.  You mention cal. .45 and .455.  Were these rim fire or center fire?  Just curious.

[Henry4440]

You mention cal. .45 and .455.  Were these rim fire or center fire?  Just curious.

Houze wrote:....The increasing popularity of the reloadable centerfire cartridge and their ballistic superiority over rimfire rounds had been recognized by Winchester.Indeed, the Model 1866 to 1868 series of the iron frame rifles had been chambered for that type of ammunition. Consequently, it was only a matter of time before the Winchester company introduced a commercial centerfire rifle......

I know the caliber, but not the charge. 40 grs. , 50 grs. , 70 grs. ?

[Fox Creek Kid]

L.H., are you going to reprint the entire book here? 

[Henry4440]

L.H., are you going to reprint the entire book here? 

NO!!!!!!

[Fox Creek Kid]

IMO, this transitional period, from the Henry to the early '66's and all the interim Swiss, Cuban contract guns, etc., is THE most exciting time in the history of Winchester as they were literally exploding with ideas that were nurtured by O. Winchester as he hired good people and most importantly he had CAPITAL. 

[Buck Stinson]

I keep looking at reply #15 with the "serial number" photos.  I understand that the Henry and early 66's had the serial number under the wood on the lower tang.  Henry's also has the serial number stamped just forward of the receiver ring on the top barrel flat and on several other major parts.  However, no mention is made in this reply about the '73 or '76 photos.  Are you implying that the numbers on the lower tangs, buttstock and buttplate are also serial numbers?  If so, that is incorrect.  Those numbers are assembly numbers and have nothing to do with the serial number of the guns they were assigned.  I have dozens or original 1873 and 1876 Winchesters in my collection and have owned dozens more.  In certain early serial ranges, you'll see these assembly number on the inside lower tang, buttstock and buttplate tow, along with other markings.  The "X"s denote the grade of the special order wood.  The #73 in one photo is the assembly number followed by a "C".  The C stands for carbine.  On later guns in each of these models, you will sometimes find a two digit number located on the bottom of the barrel, next to the reciever.  This is the date that the barrel was proof tested.

[Henry4440]

 Are you implying that the numbers on the lower tangs, buttstock and buttplate are also serial numbers?  If so, that is incorrect.  Those numbers are assembly numbers and have nothing to do with the serial number of the guns they were assigned.  

Buck, i'm not implying that the numbers in the pics from '73 and '76 are serial numbers.
I know that  serial numbers were on the outside of the lower tang.

Win 73


Win 73


Win 76


I never know what the other numbers means.Until now.

The pics in reply#15 were an answer for Driftwood's  question about the 'hook' in reply#13.

[Buck Stinson]

I thought it was important that people understood that those were not the serail numbers of the guns, but rather assembly numbers.  Just trying to clearify things a bit.