I'm Surprised I do not see more Winchester 1876 shooters here!

[Grapeshot]

I'm Surprised I do not see more Winchester 1876 shooters here! I would think with all the 1876's I've seen at Cowboy Matches and the Posts elsewhere on their use on the hunting fields that someone would post something here.

[MT Chambers]

You sure that you are not talking about '73s?

[ReloaderFred]

What you see mostly at SASS matches are replica Winchester 1866 and 1873 rifles, plus a lot of Marlin 1894's. You'll also see some original 66's and 73's, and I know some who shoot original 73's, but not 1876.

Hope this helps.

Fred

[missionary5155]

Good morning
Maybe we are out side and shooting.. 50-95 with a 350 grainer powered by 84 grains of 3F is deadly on coyotes and groundhogs from any angle. If I ever tire of it I may get out the 45-60's.
Mike in ILLinois

[indian joe]

I'm Surprised I do not see more Winchester 1876 shooters here! I would think with all the 1876's I've seen at Cowboy Matches and the Posts elsewhere on their use on the hunting fields that someone would post something here.

225052 45/75 Uberti model 1976 10 shots
225053 I made the backsight for my 76

I think (like MT C) maybe you meant 1873winchester - the 76 is way too much gun for cowboy matches !!!

[Hootmix]

Hey IJ ,, like the sight ,, nice work ,, need one for my 76 Chappie ,,y'a didn't happen to draw up a set of plans ( spec's as it were ) , been giv'n some thought to do'n one myself ( mini lathe & mill ) . Fix'n to do some loads for mine for the 300yd. range ( TB & H-4198 ) ,, ya wan'a talk "76" , i'm with y'a .

coffee's ready ,, Hootmix .

[Ninety Caliber]

You see allot of them at SASS Annual Matches shot in the Cowboy Long Range side matches.

[indian joe]

You see allot of them at SASS Annual Matches shot in the Cowboy Long Range side matches.

Yeah thought about that after I posted - too much gun for main match was what I meant..:grin:

[Grapeshot]

You sure that you are not talking about '73s?


What you see mostly at SASS matches are replica Winchester 1866 and 1873 rifles, plus a lot of Marlin 1894's. You'll also see some original 66's and 73's, and I know some who shoot original 73's, but not 1876.

I was asking about the Winchester 1876. I own a Carbine in .45/60WCF and had hoped to find other shooters who shoot either the Chiappa or Uberti versions. I've used mine in long range shoots, but wanted to compare loads and boolits with other shooters.

[1Hawkeye]

The lgs down the street has a uberti with a malcom scope on it for 1000.00 and its kinda got the wheels turning a little bit. I think its a .45-75.

[Ninety Caliber]

Always wanted one, just not bad enough to load another caliber lol. If I did it would be the 45-60. Brass is allot easier to get(cut down 45-70). I shoot an '86 for Cowboy long range.

[indian joe]

Hey IJ ,, like the sight ,, nice work ,, need one for my 76 Chappie ,,y'a didn't happen to draw up a set of plans ( spec's as it were ) , been giv'n some thought to do'n one myself ( mini lathe & mill ) . Fix'n to do some loads for mine for the 300yd. range ( TB & H-4198 ) ,, ya wan'a talk "76" , i'm with y'a .

coffee's ready ,, Hootmix .

225090 This is the latest effort - couple of things different
225091 Closeup of the cross slide

No I didnt draw plans - just kinda winged it
This one is a conversion using a cheapie pedersoli staff and base (lots of work in making those two pieces for the first one)

Some decisions based on what tooling is available in the workshop - and what metal is laying around the place

1) I cut a short piece of 5/8 square, set it up in the mill vice and drilled it 11.5 mm to take the crosslide barrel
2) I drilled and reamed a piece of old 22 barrel to 3/8" for the barrel of the cross piece (had a couple decent 3/8th reamers so that looked about right)
3) turned the outside of the barrel down to neatly fit the 11.5 mm hole, polish it up, I left it attached to the stub till I milled the 3mm slot in it to clear the staff - you mill the slot in from the left hand end but not right through, leave about 1/8"closed at the right hand end, then part it off (mine is 36mm OAL) This fit is the guts of it, that hole has to be dead square, so you get the staff standing straight up.
4)now turn and polish a piece thats a nice neat sliding fit inside the 3/8" barrel - mine is 7/8" OAL center drill it, drill it through and tap a thread through (I used 5mm - maybe 1/8" x 40.? anything smaller would be flimsy - fine thread here gives you finer adjustments on windage, 40 TPI = about 2.3 MOA per turn, 32 TPI = about 3.2 MOA) This is the piece that the staff is brazed to, if you make it too short - the staff wobbles side to side - so you see the tradeoff here between stability and how much windage adjustment you can have and it comes down to how neat you can fit it and still get it to move!
5)mill a shallow trench along that piece to take the base of the staff - also mill the slot in the main body piece - and fit the body and cross barrel together -I fixed the barrel to the main block with red loctite for the second one - silver soldered the first - (time will tell with the loctite)
6) cross screw - the thread attaches to the adjustment knob - set it all up and silver solder together.
7) I made the staff for my first one, stole the pedersoli staff for the second one - either way mill the base of it square - when you assemble the staff to the base piece you must make a jig to hold it straight - I brazed mine (a bit stronger than silver solder) - there will be some filing/fitting of your brazed joint to get this to fit neat in the barrel part again.
8) so now the left hand cap is made - center drill and tap the thread in it. I turned a little recess so it goes over/outside of the barrel part to keep it centered - when I had the whole thing assembled as neat as I could, just drilled a 1/16" hole clear through cap and screw for a locking pin.
The brass knobs on the 76 one look kinda kool but not a smart idea they already worn just a little and some backlash in it and too easy to move the windage - so I will take it off one day and tap a small locking screw through the back of the body to lock that staff up once its adjusted right.
I am pretty happy with my efforts really the second one needs a few little finishing touches before I re install it - not as nice as an MVA but they work and we lookin at most of 600 aussie dollar for the good stuff.

I proly forgot heaps of stuff but maybe something here helps - its not hard but is time consuming .

[Hootmix]

Hey , Grape ,, how long a range ,, i'm still at 100 yds. ( open sights ),, what size "pill "& powder ,, I use Starline & WW ( 45/70 sized down ) brass ,,TB & H-4198 . The 4198 seems to shoot the same bullet ( 200rnfp ) a little higher than the TB a the same distance ,,using home brew pan lube . Looking a IJ's " back sight " ,, yours have a tang for the long ranges I'm sure .
Oh ! mine is a Chaparral 40/60 ,, yes sir it is smooth .

coffee's ready ,, Hootmix .

[bigted]

The lgs down the street has a uberti with a malcom scope on it for 1000.00 and its kinda got the wheels turning a little bit. I think its a .45-75.

I would really like to see pictures of a 76 with a malcolm scope on it. I can not picture how that would work in my minds eye.

[indian joe]

The lgs down the street has a uberti with a malcom scope on it for 1000.00 and its kinda got the wheels turning a little bit. I think its a .45-75.

GO GET IT NOW!!!
The Uberti 45/75 has a 20 twist - mine will shoot heavy boolits up to 525 grain - (gotta single load em) - but with a malcolm scope and proper load development that gun would make a lot of single shot shooters pay attention......... plus you get the koolest lever gun ever made

run Hawkeye! run!!!

[Hootmix]

IJ ,, " I like what you'v done ,, this will be a great winter project ,, yes sir ,it is time consuming ,,,but I work " cheap " I just added your instructions to my favorites list for safe keeping ,, thanks for taking the time ,, again nice work ( $ 600.00 worth )

coffee's ready ,, Hootmix .

[indian joe]

IJ ,, " I like what you'v done ,, this will be a great winter project ,, yes sir ,it is time consuming ,,,but I work " cheap " I just added your instructions to my favorites list for safe keeping ,, thanks for taking the time ,, again nice work ( $ 600.00 worth )

coffee's ready ,, Hootmix .

Thanks Hoot - I work cheap too - specially when I am havin fun - this kind of machining work makes you do things right - I reckon if I do a number three it will be really nice!!

[smokeywolf]

225097

[ragnar]

I shoot an early Uberti 1876 rifle in 45-60 with cut down WW brass. RCBS 45-FN-300 GC bullet, 318 gr, 25.0 gr of #5744, WLR primer. 2.5" to 3.0" 5-shot groups at 100 yards off bench on a good day with the barrel sights. I don't shoot cowboy matches.
Mike

[Rick B]

I shoot an 1884 vintage 1876 in 45-75. Rifle loves the 300 grain RCBS and the Lyman 457122. Rifle has a 28” round barrel. Sights are MVA Mid Range Soule with Hadley Eyecup and a MVA #115 Front Sight. Will use the rifle for hunting and NRA Levergun Matches. Unfortunately with the current shutdown of Jamison Brass. Head stamped, properly dimensioned and reasonably priced cases are no longer available. I encourage 45-75 1876 Shooters to contact Starline and request that they start production of this fine Cartridge.
Rick

[veeman]

This is the place to be to talk about the 1876
http://www.cascity.com/forumhall/index.php/board,89.0.html
I have Uberti 76 in 45/75.

[indian joe]

Thanks Hoot - I work cheap too - specially when I am havin fun - this kind of machining work makes you do things right - I reckon if I do a number three it will be really nice!!

I must be losin the plot!!! the sight I pictured was number three - I scratch built two - the brass knob one on my 76 - then another for the sharps - then this pedersoli conversion one in post number 12 .................................................. ........

[Hootmix]

Dang ! IJ ,, your start'n to be a one man assembly line ( lol ).

coffee's ready ,, Hootmix .

[Hootmix]

Hey veeman ,, can't you use 45-90 brass to make 45-75's ,, or what's the draw back to resizing ??

coffee's ready ,, Hootmix.

[missionary5155]

Good evening
45-75 start life as a fatter diameter.... like 50-70 brass is fatter. 45-90 is nothing more than 45-70 stretched out to 2.4 inches.
Mike in ILLinois

[indian joe]

Good evening
45-75 start life as a fatter diameter.... like 50-70 brass is fatter. 45-90 is nothing more than 45-70 stretched out to 2.4 inches.
Mike in ILLinois

Yeah need fatter .....348,, 50 alaskan , 50/110W, 32 gauge magtech shotgun brass , 50/70?

[ndnchf]

Uberti .50-95 here. Its no tackdriver, but its a hoot to shoot!

[indian joe]

Uberti .50-95 here. Its no tackdriver, but its a hoot to shoot!

Dont ya just love it !! he blows the centre out of his target then says ahh it dont shoot that good but its fun :kidding:

[Hootmix]

1 picture is worth a 100 " I did's ",,, good shoot'n .

coffee's ready ,, Hootmix .

[ndnchf]

Didn't say it don't shoot good, but with a 1-7/8", 50 yard group, tacks are in no peril of being driven to extinction:wink:

[indian joe]

Didn't say it don't shoot good, but with a 1-7/8", 50 yard group, tacks are in no peril of being driven to extinction:wink:

Now ya haveta understand I did this really scientiffically - big gun = big nails .....based on the size of the head of a standard aussie roofing nail - five shots - I gave ya five nails - one in th middle an four at the points of th compass - ya killed three of em - clipped the lid off a fourth and missed number five by a whisker......I also bet thers a bit left in you and that gun if ya would stop havin fun and get serious - so there goes tother nail!!!!

Curious what model it is (I should remember this but dont at the minute) I got a 45/75 rifle and pleased with it - if I sold enough surplus hardware to get another 76 I would want a 50/95 carbine style or short rifle - couple problems - havent sold the hardware - dont like button magazines tho they have a definite accurracy advantage (I think) .....22 inch half octagonal / half round barrel - full magzazine - 50/95 - standard barrel sights -- short rifle huh? -----nobody makes one ......phew !!! Im safe :grin: got a lathe - got a mill - somebody pass me the hacksaw - we could do this ....uh oh!!

[bigted]

The lgs down the street has a uberti with a malcom scope on it for 1000.00 and its kinda got the wheels turning a little bit. I think its a .45-75.

Oh somebody ... just anybody ... please post a picture of a 1876 or 1873 sporting the Malcolm scope. I just can not imagine how this is accomplished. Thanks

[ndnchf]

Indian joe -lol! Its a standard 28" barrel rifle with beautiful Riflesmith replica of the original factory tang sight. My tired eyes need all the help they can get.

[David LaPell]

I have always wanted a 1876 but I can't afford even an Uberti replica. I would someday like an original in either .40-60 or .45-60 but I have would have to sell one of my vehicles to finance one. They're great rifles though.

[indian joe]

Indian joe -lol! Its a standard 28" barrel rifle with beautiful Riflesmith replica of the original factory tang sight. My tired eyes need all the help they can get.

Yeah my eyes the same! a feller at the ML club last month was checkin out the guns on the rack and stopped at mine (only ten of us there so we knew whose was what) What on earth are ya doin with this front sight? ---I shoot a nice little 45 flinter I built from cheap parts - 42"barrel and I cut the front sight so it spans the full width of the black at 50 yards - its a hunk of metal about 3/16"wide and a big wide square notch in the backsight well down that long barrel - I can see it !!!! The outfit is nothing special but I dont shoot it too bad.
I like the little tang sight it leaves room to get your thumb over the grip too.

[indian joe]

I have always wanted a 1876 but I can't afford even an Uberti replica. I would someday like an original in either .40-60 or .45-60 but I have would have to sell one of my vehicles to finance one. They're great rifles though.

Heres how ya do it
Buy empty shells first (if you never get the gun they will sell for a profit later anyway)
Somewhere in the next three to five years somebody will do a run of brass for these rifles (I am a blackpowder freak so I want the bigger case capacity 45/75 or 50/95 - First choice would be the Uberti 45/75) I jumped in too quick last time and bought 348 cases but that works - If I saw starline 50/95 in the shop tomorrow I would buy 200 .

So brass first - then a set of dies
Later a mold
Now ya just gotta buy a rifle to shoot it in hey. :bigsmyl2:

On a more serious note - I go through my gun rack from time to time - and most of the cheap stuff I have is dead money - good shooters - useful - fun - but poor resale value (depreciated) and difficult enough to sell in todays climate -- the quality firearms I have accumulated over time would sell easily and all in would generate more dollars than they cost to put there (I think) ....... the Uberti owes me most of 3K and no you wouldnt get it back but its the latest addition and by time I am done .....................

[Hootmix]

Just for the thought of it ,, while mess'n around ( hide'n) in the shop today ,,I found some older " Jamison " 40/60 brass I bought right after I got my Chaparral ,,the rim thickness is only .055 , caused a little head space ( they said " it's within spec's " ) the length is 1.70 ,,I also ordered 20 rds. of " Jamison " 210gn. ammo ( the brass is also 1.70 w/ 210gn cast ) . So I started to seating cast 210 gn. rnfp bullets ( no primers ) they seated@ 2.210 - 2.214 ,, I then seated ea. rd. a little longer and tried each rd in my rifle to see if it would feed ,, seated out to 2.270 ,,will load & feed ,but not w/ more rd's. in the mag.
tube ,,my rifle will load & feed from 2.210 thru 2.260 w/o hanging up ,,now " WHY DID I DO THIS " ,, cause " I WANTED TOO ".I have plenty of Starline brass in 45/70 ,, thicker rim ,,solved head space problem , my rifle don't care about the head stamp , nor do I . What kind of different pressures will I have seating the bullets in at 2.210 + -, verses seated out to 2.225 + ,,that would interest me ,, I load w/ H 4198 & TB ,, any thought's . I loaded my 4 rds. ( diff. lengths ) shortest to longest , every which way ,, the only time the 2.270 would hang was if I loaded it last ,,I think to much spring pressure ,,if I loaded the 2.270 to be the last rd. it worked smooth. ( just kill'n time of no value to most anyone but me ).

coffee's ready ,, Hootmix.

[1Hawkeye]

I wish I could post a pic of the 76 with the malcom scope on it. I will say a for effort but uh no on the function. From the bottom of the tube to the top of the receiver is less than an inch and I just don't see how this thing ejects anything. When I first saw it I thought it was an MVA scope and was thinking about buying the rig to get the scope. I guess thats why its for sale so cheap. (cause it don't work so good no more)

[indian joe]

I wish I could post a pic of the 76 with the malcom scope on it. I will say a for effort but uh no on the function. From the bottom of the tube to the top of the receiver is less than an inch and I just don't see how this thing ejects anything. When I first saw it I thought it was an MVA scope and was thinking about buying the rig to get the scope. I guess thats why its for sale so cheap. (cause it don't work so good no more)

Hawkeye
What are ya waitin for ? Take 900 bucks cash down there right now and wave it under his nose - (subject to proper inspection of course) the adverts for malcolm scopes list all the winchester models so they must make offset mounts - the 45/75 Uberti has a 20 twist - mine likes heavier boolits (the other calibres all come with slower twist for lighter boolits - "express" rounds) it will shoot (single loaded only) heavy boolits up to 525 grain - has done 2MOA out to 500 yards with a tang sight (not done yet I am a newbie to long range stuff) ----or flog the malcolm scope off to a guy with a sharps and put a decent tang sight on it you still got a cheap outfit.

[smokeywolf]

ndnchf, that's an awfully sweet looking replica. One of the things I usually don't care for on the replicas and restorations is, they get carried away with the case coloring. Seems pretty common with the Turnbull restos. Going by just the one pic, your rifle is just (excuse me while I wipe my chin) beautiful.

As far as accuracy goes, you can't feed tacks to the family. Inside of 100 yards that should still put meat in the freezer.

Yeah, I'm a bit partial to the old Winchester levers.

[Grapeshot]

Besides me, anyone else use a 405 grain cast boolit in their 1876? My Chiappa kicks like a mule with a 405 grain RNFP with 55 grains of compressed 2Fg Goex. My rifle has a twist rate is 1:20 so it stabilizes out to 100 yards. My normal load is a 350 grain on top of 60 grains, by volume of Pinnacle BP Substitute. I haven't had the chance to try out the Uberti "Cross Fire Trail" carbine. When it cools off a little I'll take it out to the club's 100 yard range and wring it out with several loads to see which one it likes.

[indian joe]

Besides me, anyone else use a 405 grain cast boolit in their 1876? My Chiappa kicks like a mule with a 405 grain RNFP with 55 grains of compressed 2Fg Goex. My rifle has a twist rate is 1:20 so it stabilizes out to 100 yards. My normal load is a 350 grain on top of 60 grains, by volume of Pinnacle BP Substitute. I haven't had the chance to try out the Uberti "Cross Fire Trail" carbine. When it cools off a little I'll take it out to the club's 100 yard range and wring it out with several loads to see which one it likes.

Yeah I use the 405 grain in my Uberti - it seems to like the heavier boolit a little better - have two molds based on the LEE 459-405 HB - I milled the nose a little bigger flat and changed the base plug so I get a 335 grain with two lube grooves and a 405 grain with three lube grooves - both have flat base instead of the lil hollow base. (Lee will sell you the spare bits so could actually do this mod on one mold and just have two different base plugs - at 22 bucks for a second mold - who cares?) Like this mold with black cuz it carts plenty of lube - I have shot over forty in a morning session with no clean and just an occasional blow tube. The Uberti has a nice bore but it does a tad better with the bigger boolits (459 instead of 458). Have had 1500fps (just) with the 335 LEE .
Have also been experymenting with heavier boolits (pointy nose ones single loaded) as a long range proposition have shot a couple of encouraging five shot groups at 500 yards with these ....LEE 459-500-3R (is ok in calm weather but dont like any wind at all), the LEE with a little flat nose filed on it seemed more stable, and Lyman 525 postell looked ok ---I shoot the 405 grain over 63 grains of FF and the pointy boolits loaded almost on the rifling over 68 grains - card wad (juice box) over the powder. My rifle is a 28inch barrel - they weigh ten pounds - recoil not so bad - but you will feel those heavy boolit loads.

[DAVIDMAGNUM]

I am at the point where I just don't need another rifle to hold down the carpet in my safe. I haven't shot my Pedersoli Sharps in 2 or three years :sad: I still have a couple rifles to work out load development on, don't need another project or caliber to figure out. Work and family both think I need to spend time with them.
However..........I have an 1873 44WCF that I LOVE and shoot a lot of Swiss 2f through. Its big brother would be cool to have. I shoot Lever Action Silhouette and a few of the 1876 calibers look like they would be good medicine for 200 meter rams!!
What area of Eastern Maryland Grapeshot?? I am in the center of the Eastern Shore, we might have shot together.....we have similar tastes in rifles and powder.

[indian joe]

I am at the point where I just don't need another rifle to hold down the carpet in my safe. I haven't shot my Pedersoli Sharps in 2 or three years :sad: I still have a couple rifles to work out load development on, don't need another project or caliber to figure out. Work and family both think I need to spend time with them.
However..........I have an 1873 44WCF that I LOVE and shoot a lot of Swiss 2f through. Its big brother would be cool to have. I shoot Lever Action Silhouette and a few of the 1876 calibers look like they would be good medicine for 200 meter rams!!
What area of Eastern Maryland Grapeshot?? I am in the center of the Eastern Shore, we might have shot together.....we have similar tastes in rifles and powder.

David
If you do this - go the extra mile and get a 45/75 - - the original 1876 calibre - they put a 20 twist barrel on that one - it will shoot accurate with any boolit you can get in it - the 45/60 would be easier for brass but its a 1:40 twist, not gonna be as versatile for boolit weight 229302
ten shots at 100yds with a 466 grian CBE a couple days back - the low shot is first one cold barrel
Have shot a 525 grain Lyman postell also 229303
and the LEE 459-500 3R
These long pointy boolits need loaded singly of course
The rifle does almost as well with the 405 grain or a 335 grain

An 1876 will hold your carpet down better than anything else you can put in there :-D

[Good Cheer]

2008 the Big R store in Billings had me drooling every time I went in there.
Should'a got me a '76 then for sure.

[Hootmix]

I shoot a 76 Chaparral in 40-60 .. chaparral's have a 1 in 20 twist ,45-60 & 45-75 also . Some have a " tic or two " but original win. parts fit'um .

coffee's ready ,, Hootmix .

[indian joe]

I shoot a 76 Chaparral in 40-60 .. chaparral's have a 1 in 20 twist ,45-60 & 45-75 also . Some have a " tic or two " but original win. parts fit'um .

coffee's ready ,, Hootmix .

I did not know that -- pretty good incentive to take the risk on a chappie if you lookin at a 45/60.

I just had to go whole hog and get a 45/75 -have had a thing about them since way back .

[Hootmix]

Hey IJ,, yea, I got a pretty good one ( lot's of folks didn't ) but no parts available .. Chappies are very-very close copy's of the 76 win. So I collected ,a original bolt 1st. gen ,some toggle links ,( had to make the back half for the right side ) original 1st gen fireing pin,, and a original lifter " marked 40/60 ", screws are the same so I now have spare parts . And " YES " I put the origl. parts in my rifle and shot it w/ no problems . I am now looking for a 1873 Chaparral in 44/40 ( no luck yet ) . Oh! found most of the parts on the " BAY " .

coffee's ready ,, Hootmix .