George_Chabot's Full Review: Arthur Pirkle - Winchester Lever Action
Winchester Lever Action Repeating Rifles - Models of 1866, 1873 & 1876 (For Collectors Only), By Arthur Pirkle (1995)
Winchester Rifles have a long heritage with Americans and are among the most recognizable and popular rifles ever produced. The guns have been produced since 1866, and, in fact, the early models were named just that, after the year they were introduced. So the first model Winchester is called the Model 1866. The volume here covers the Models 1866; 1873; and 1876 Winchester lever action repeating rifles.
This book is a badly needed compendium of information on the early Winchester Lever Actions so that the collector can verify the correctness of their Winchester or to appraise a Winchester they are considering buying. As collectors know, completeness and correctness of any collectible antique means a great deal to the value of the item.
The Model 1866 Winchester rifle was the first practical repeating rifle on the American market. It is a direct descendant of the Henry Rifle, the one that earned the epithet "that damned Yankee rifle you can load on Sunday and fire all week," during the American Civil War.
The Henry and its even earlier antecedent the Volcanic Rifle had weaknesses, (mainly ammunition, magazine, and method of loading) that were finally addressed by the Model 1866, affectionately known as the "Yellow Boy" from its brass frame. Incidentally, you may be interested to know that the Volcanics were a product of the obscure firm Smith & Wesson, who would later go on to great success with the metallic cartridge revolver.
The Model 1873 was an improvement over the Yellow Boy, with stronger centerfire ammunition, a stronger steel frame, and other improvements. The Model 1876 addressed the desires of hunters to have a higher powered repeating rifle, more akin to the Sharps or Remington single shots. The Model 1876 was not as successful as the 1866/1873 due to the inherent limitations of the old fashioned toggle link lock to handle higher pressure than that generated by handgun-sized ammunition.
The Winchester guns were all similar in method of operation. A long tube underneath the barrel served as a magazine which could be loaded with a given number of cartridges through the loading port (King’s Improvement) on the right side of the receiver. The cartridges were fed into the breech by manipulation of a lever up and down. This action cocked the hammer, ejected any spent cartridge, fed a cartridge in, and locked the breech. The shooter was then prepared to aim and fire. The gun could be fired as fast as the operator could operate the lever and pull the trigger.
Any of the same model gun superficially resembles its peers but as the guns were produced over long periods, changes and improvements inevitably were introduced. Guns of the same model made a decade apart had significant differences that might not be evident to the untrained eye. That is why this book is so badly needed. To document the changes as they occurred by serial number so the collector can be assured his Winchester is original, or if not, can identify which parts are replacements. With the value of Winchesters only ascending it becomes more important to verify the authenticity, as fraud is very possible. A Winchester Rifle is a valuable piece of American history that should be preserved for future generations to appreciate.
The book contains information to verify the Models 1866/1873/1876 and determine if each and every part is correct. Each part is described and pictured, usually through a line drawing, dimensions and proper markings are also given so you are soon able to tell if things are generally kosher. These parts and their changes are keyed to serial number, so you can look up the serial number of your gun, check the original configuration and quickly know if you are examining an original or a Frankenstein gun. You can flip back through and zero in quickly on the parts you are not sure of. Information as to the exterior finish is also provided so you will be able to tell if the gun has been refinished - usually a big no-no to collectors.
Special appendices describe special and valuable variations of the three rifles, like the fabled "One of One Thousand," featured in the compelling movie Winchester '73.
A product of North Cape Publications, the book is a highly valuable reference book, which brings me to my only con, and it may not have a solution. A book like this should be made of the finest permanent materials as it documents some very esoteric and valuable information, however, it is made of cheap pulp paper and is paperback. This is inconsistent for a permanent part of a reference library, in my opinion. Some of the Winchesters you may be examining can be worth many thousands or tens of thousands of dollars, yet the book is a cheaply made paperback. It just seems inconsistent to me.
The book contains 202 pages and is about 8 x 5" in size. I highly recommend it for all Winchester enthusiasts and especially for Winchester collectors, or those who would like to become one.
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