The Winchester Model 1866 is an American lever-action repeating rifle produced from 1866 to 1899 by the Winchester Repeating Arms Company. The first iteration of the Winchester rifle, the Model 1866 was a refinement of the 1860 Henry rifle; nicknamed the Yellow Boy because of its distinctively-colored golden receiver, the rifle was an instant success and had a long production run of about thirty years.[1]
History[]
After Oliver Winchester purchased the assets of the bankrupt Volcanic Repeating Arms Company, renamed it the New Haven Arms Company and assumed complete ownership of said company, the company received some orders to revise and improve the Henry rifle (which was also manufactured by said company), which was a revolutionary rifle but not without its faults. As such, a new rifle was envisioned; this rifle became the Model 1866.[1]
The Model 1866 was first marketed in 1866; the rifle was an instant success, with approximately 170,100 manufactured during its production life. The rifle remained in production until 1899, despite the Model 1873 and 1894 having already been marketed and sold by that time.[2]
In recent years, the weapon has re-entered production, with replicas being produced by Uberti and Miroku Corp..[3][4]
Design Details[]
The Winchester Model 1866's action is extremely similar to that of the Henry rifle's; the Winchester incorporates a toggle-link bolt which operates like a knee joint. This knee joint is flexed when the lever is pulled down, pulling the bolt back and pulling a fresh round from the tube magazine and into the ejection port; the action is then closed by pushing the lever back into position. After the weapon fires, pulling the lever again causes the cartridge carrier to move up, aligning a fresh cartridge with the ejection port and throwing the just-fired empty cartridge out of the gun; the gun does not have an ejector.[2]
The weapon's distinctive golden receiver was achieved due to the use of gunmetal in its construction; modern reproductions of the weapon tend to use brass instead.[2]
Ammunition[]
Original Model 1866s use .44 Henry bullets. Modern replicas of the Model 1866 use a variety of more ubiquitous cartridges, such as .38 Special and .45 Colt, mainly due to the fact that .44 Henry cartridges have been long out of production and considered obsolete.[2][3]
Variants[]
The Model 1866 has four sub-variants, each with some distinguishing points.[5] The rifle was available in three lengths: rifle, carbine and "musket" (which was mainly used to differentiate longer versions of guns of the same model[5]). Of all three variations, the "muskets" were the rarest, with only approximately 14,000 produced[6] while the carbines were the most numerous.[5]
- First model
This version of the 1866 has a prominent "Henry drop" (the downward curvature of the receiver near the hammer as was what was seen on the Henry rifle[5]), a flatside receiver, a serial number printed on the side of the tang, with two screws in the upper right side of the receiver and the tang, and most prominently, the lack of a half-cock feature. All first model 1866s were rifles or carbines. Approximately 15,500 were produced.[7]
- Second model
This version of the 1866 still features the "Henry drop", albeit less prominent than with the first model; however, the second model features a flared receiver as opposed to a flat one. Half-cock was introduced to the weapons at a later date. As with the first model, all second model 1866s were rifles and carbines. Approximately 9,500 were produced.[7]
- Third model
This version of the 1866 was very similar to the second model 1866, and was the most numerous of all four versions, with approximately 146,500 produced. The production run of the third model 1866s was when the musket-length 1866s made their first appearance. The weapon's serial number is printed in block letters behind the trigger of the rifle.[7]
- Fourth model
This version of the 1866 was almost identical to the third model 1866s, except with placements of the serial number; fourth model 1866s have their serial numbers printed in a nondescript script font between the lever latch and tang screw. 21,100 were produced.[7]
Trivia[]
- Early production rifles still featured "Henry's patent" on the barrels.[8]
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 https://www.militaryfactory.com/smallarms/detail.asp?smallarms_id=364
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 https://www.gunsweek.com/en/rifles/articles/uberti-winchester-1866-yellowboy-150-years-legendary-rifle
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 https://www.uberti-usa.com/1866-yellowboy-rifle
- ↑ http://www.winchesterguns.com/support/faq/when-why-did-production-winchesters-historic-designs-move.html
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 https://www.rockislandauction.com/blog/how-to-identify-a-winchester-1866/
- ↑ https://www.rockislandauction.com/detail/56/3/winchester-model-1866-musket
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 https://www.rockislandauction.com/blogpics/2017/06-June/Winchester%201866%20Cheat%20Sheet.pdf
- ↑ https://www.icollector.com/Desirable-Early-Production-Winchester-Model-1866-Lever-Action-Rifle-with-Henry-Patent-Barrel-Marking_i15828096