Original Item: Only One Available. Every Schoolboys dream! A genuine M-1866 YELLOW BOY, the legendary Brass-framed first Winchester Saddle Ring Carbine. First introduced in 1866, having taken over the Henry Rifle Company, Oliver Winchester launched one of the iconic Firearm names in the history of THE OLD WEST.

This Yellow "Gunmetal"-Framed  Beauty is in .44 centerfire with a 20" round barrel and full-length magazine tube. These were originally all made in .44 Henry Rimfire, however a few late production Winchester 1866 rifles were configured to fire .44 Henry Centerfire. There were also period conversions to other centerfire cartridges. We unfortunately have not been able to determine whether this was a factory centerfire rifle, or whether it was converted shortly after.

The carbine features a barleycorn front sight attached to the barrel, and a fixed rear sight, which both look to have been attached after production. The serial number is 149104, denoting the year of manufacture as 1875, two years after the release of the Model of 1873. It is important to note that the model 1866 production continued throughout the 1870s and 1880s, as the model 1866 was cheaper, and remained popular. This meant that factory parts for other calibers were readily available. Model 1866 Winchesters between 25,000 – 149,000 are considered the "third model", which ended up being the most widely made model. The issues with the 1st and 2nd models had been ironed out, making this a very robust design.

This example has seen a lot of use, however the original barrel address markings are still partly legible in the light, something very rare to see on a model 1866!:-

The receiver also still has the original saddle ring attached on the left side, which is often missing. Stocks are in good condition, a with a few dings, small chips, and minor imperfections but retains much of the original finish, and are the dark red-brown color of aged oiled walnut. The action has a beautiful patina on the "gunmetal" frame, which we have left intact. Barrel looks to have been cleaned and over the years, with small areas of light peppering. Features a brass "flat" butt plate, with a working storage compartment.

The rifle is in overall very nice condition. The action cycles well, though it is definitely stiff, and takes a strong hand on the ejection lever. It is somewhat worn, so it can be finicky as well, as with any lever action repeater of this age. The bore is partly bright, showing rifling in areas, but does also show wear and past oxidation. Many examples that we have seen are completely dark, so this is definitely one of the best we have seen.

A very nice example of an iconic gun. Only one of a few that we have ever offered for sale!

Specifications-

Year of Manufacture: 1878
Caliber: .44, possibly Boxer.
Cartridge Type: Centerfire Cartridge
Barrel Length: 20 Inches
Overall Length: 39 Inches
Action type: Lever Action Repeater
Feed System: 13-round tube magazine

The first Winchester rifle – the Winchester Model 1866 – was originally chambered for the rimfire .44 Henry. Nicknamed the "Yellow Boy" because of its receiver of a bronze/brass alloy called gunmetal, it was famous for its rugged construction and lever-action "repeating rifle" mechanism that allowed the user to fire a number of shots before having to reload. Nelson King's improved patent remedied flaws in the Henry rifle by incorporating a loading gate on the side of the frame and integrating a round, sealed magazine which was partially covered by a forestock.

France purchased 6,000 Model 1866 rifles along with 4.5 million .44 Henry cartridges during the Franco-Prussian War. The Ottoman Empire purchased 45,000 Model 1866 rifles and 5,000 carbines in 1870 and 1871. These rifles were used in the 1877 Russo-Turkish War, causing much surprise when outnumbered Turks at the Siege of Plevna inflicted many times more casualties than their opponents armed with single-shot Krnka and Berdan rifles. The Model 1866 compelled Russians to develop a new rifle, the Mosin–Nagant, after the war.

The Swiss Army initially selected the Model 1866 to replace their existing single-shot Milbank-Amsler rifles. However, ensuing political pressure to adopt a domestic design resulted in the Vetterli Model 1867, a bolt-action design utilizing a copy of the Winchester's tubular magazine, being adopted instead.

Due to public demand, the Model 1866 continued to be manufactured and sold until 1899, mainly because they were less expensive than the later steel-framed centerfire models. Later models were chambered for the .44-40 Winchester cartridge.

NOTE: This gun is NOT considered obsolete calibre, so we are not able to ship to the United Kingdom. Please note that for international shipping, these MUST be shipped using UPS WW Services. International customers should always consult their country's antique gun laws prior to ordering.