Range Report - Original .45-75 Winchester 1876 SRC
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- KirkD
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Range Report - Original .45-75 Winchester 1876 SRC
Today I made a quick trip over to the range just down the road to try old and very obsolete caliber in a 139 year-old carbine with a rich history in western Canada in the 1880's and 90's with the Northwest Mounted Police
Vintage Firearm: An original Winchester Model 1876 saddle ring carbine .45-75 issued to the Northwest Mounted Police in 1882. Photo of it at the range is below. Load: 28 grains of 5744 under a soft cast 350-grain bullet for 1,335 fps
I'm 67 years old and the open iron sights on this carbine are dadgummed hard to see. They're pretty blurry actually, so I tore off a small piece of masking tape, punched a small hole in it with the tip of a ballpoint pen, stuck it to the lens of my glasses, and I had a peep sight that really sharpened up the sights. Still, the rear sight notch is pretty tiny and shallow when looking at it from back of the receiver, so I'm sure the gun shoots more accurately than what today's results show. Blame it on old eyes and open iron sights. Here's a photo of the rear sight. First, I tried two shots at 50 yards to see how high this carbine shoots. Turns out it shoots about 5 & 1/2" high at 50 yards. Having figured that out, I tried three rounds into a target, aiming about 6" low. The result was a 3-shot, 1 & 7/8" group at 50 yards. Not exactly Olympic caliber, but good enough to make me think I should try my last 5 shots at 100 yards. Here is the 50 yard target with an original .45-75 round to get some perspective. I put up a larger target at 100 yards and figuring I'd still better aim low, I fired my last five rounds. One of the first ones was a bit of a flyer to the low and slightly left. It is very hard to see exactly where the top of the rear sight is, so it is going to take a bit of practice before I'm consistent with this old carbine. Not counting the flyer, I got a 4-shot group at 100 yards of 2 & 7/8". I'll have to shoot this more if I'm going to be able to shoot well with this. It still shoots about 6" high at 100 yards. I think it must be sighted in for about 175 yards at its lowest setting. I'd like to try it at 200 yards. Here's a photo of the 100 yard target ...
Vintage Firearm: An original Winchester Model 1876 saddle ring carbine .45-75 issued to the Northwest Mounted Police in 1882. Photo of it at the range is below. Load: 28 grains of 5744 under a soft cast 350-grain bullet for 1,335 fps
I'm 67 years old and the open iron sights on this carbine are dadgummed hard to see. They're pretty blurry actually, so I tore off a small piece of masking tape, punched a small hole in it with the tip of a ballpoint pen, stuck it to the lens of my glasses, and I had a peep sight that really sharpened up the sights. Still, the rear sight notch is pretty tiny and shallow when looking at it from back of the receiver, so I'm sure the gun shoots more accurately than what today's results show. Blame it on old eyes and open iron sights. Here's a photo of the rear sight. First, I tried two shots at 50 yards to see how high this carbine shoots. Turns out it shoots about 5 & 1/2" high at 50 yards. Having figured that out, I tried three rounds into a target, aiming about 6" low. The result was a 3-shot, 1 & 7/8" group at 50 yards. Not exactly Olympic caliber, but good enough to make me think I should try my last 5 shots at 100 yards. Here is the 50 yard target with an original .45-75 round to get some perspective. I put up a larger target at 100 yards and figuring I'd still better aim low, I fired my last five rounds. One of the first ones was a bit of a flyer to the low and slightly left. It is very hard to see exactly where the top of the rear sight is, so it is going to take a bit of practice before I'm consistent with this old carbine. Not counting the flyer, I got a 4-shot group at 100 yards of 2 & 7/8". I'll have to shoot this more if I'm going to be able to shoot well with this. It still shoots about 6" high at 100 yards. I think it must be sighted in for about 175 yards at its lowest setting. I'd like to try it at 200 yards. Here's a photo of the 100 yard target ...
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Last edited by KirkD on Thu Sep 30, 2021 9:49 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Kirk: An old geezer who loves the smell of freshly turned earth, old cedar rail fences, wood smoke, a crackling fireplace on a snowy evening, pristine wilderness lakes, the scent of
cedars and a magnificent Whitetail buck framed in the semi-buckhorn sights of a 120-year old Winchester.
Blog: https://www.kirkdurston.com/
cedars and a magnificent Whitetail buck framed in the semi-buckhorn sights of a 120-year old Winchester.
Blog: https://www.kirkdurston.com/
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Re: Range Report - Original .45-75 Winchester 1876 SRC
Really enjoyed your report KirkD. I enjoy making the old ones shoot again and that one has a history! Do you know who/unit it was issued to? I'd have to try it with black too. Just to see how good that was.
M. M. Wright, Sheriff, Green county Arkansas (1860)
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- KirkD
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Re: Range Report - Original .45-75 Winchester 1876 SRC
The NWMP archives show that this serial number was "on charge" to C Division at Fort Battleford in 1894 and in another inventory done in 1897. Don Klancher, a retired Inspector with the RCMP and who has access to the archives, told me that a particular officer would be issued a particular carbine and he would be responsible for its care, with regular inspections to ensure that was done. This is important info, because C Division moved from Fort MacLeod to Fort Battleford in 1886, so it is likely that it was a C Division carbine and it would have spent from 1882 to 1886 at Fort MacLeod (near the infamous Fort Whoop up in the southwestern corner of what is Alberta today), and then carried by the officer of C Division who it was issued to, when they moved to Fort Battleford in 1886 - about a 370 mile ride on horseback.M. M. Wright wrote: ↑Thu Sep 30, 2021 9:02 pm Do you know who/unit it was issued to? I'd have to try it with black too. Just to see how good that was.
Kirk: An old geezer who loves the smell of freshly turned earth, old cedar rail fences, wood smoke, a crackling fireplace on a snowy evening, pristine wilderness lakes, the scent of
cedars and a magnificent Whitetail buck framed in the semi-buckhorn sights of a 120-year old Winchester.
Blog: https://www.kirkdurston.com/
cedars and a magnificent Whitetail buck framed in the semi-buckhorn sights of a 120-year old Winchester.
Blog: https://www.kirkdurston.com/
Re: Range Report - Original .45-75 Winchester 1876 SRC
Absolutely the best part of my day Sir, thank you! Your group is better than my last scoped one!
- Carlsen Highway
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Re: Range Report - Original .45-75 Winchester 1876 SRC
Wonderful post.
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Re: Range Report - Original .45-75 Winchester 1876 SRC
Cool beans Kirk thanks for sharing.
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USAF-72-76
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Disclaimer, not responsible for anyone copying or building anything i make.
Always consult an expert first.
-------------------------------------------------------------
USAF-72-76
God Bless America.
Disclaimer, not responsible for anyone copying or building anything i make.
Always consult an expert first.
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Re: Range Report - Original .45-75 Winchester 1876 SRC
Wow Kirk, that's provenance. If I had a Colt SAA I could document like that, (they do exist) I'd double the price on it. "If only it could talk" sorta comes true with this old '76.
M. M. Wright, Sheriff, Green county Arkansas (1860)
Currently living my eternal life.
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Currently living my eternal life.
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- earlmck
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Re: Range Report - Original .45-75 Winchester 1876 SRC
What a great old rifle, and a fine report on it. Thanks Kirk!
That would be a great candidate to join in with our "big levergun" shoot we do here in Central Oregon. We stretch 'em on out to 500 yards, but we have nice large targets.
That would be a great candidate to join in with our "big levergun" shoot we do here in Central Oregon. We stretch 'em on out to 500 yards, but we have nice large targets.
The greatest patriot...
is he who heals the most gullies. Patrick Henry
is he who heals the most gullies. Patrick Henry
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Re: Range Report - Original .45-75 Winchester 1876 SRC
Very nice! I would say that it and you certainly shoot well enough to harvest a deer with it. That was a great report.
If you are nearsighted (need reading glasses), a 0.5 or maybe even a 1.0 pair of readers will really sharpen up the sights-----the down side is the target will be more blurry, but I can shoot much better with some iron sighted rifles doing this.
If you are nearsighted (need reading glasses), a 0.5 or maybe even a 1.0 pair of readers will really sharpen up the sights-----the down side is the target will be more blurry, but I can shoot much better with some iron sighted rifles doing this.
Re: Range Report - Original .45-75 Winchester 1876 SRC
This post reminds me of why I'm on this forum!
Glad to hear your 76 shoot's adequately for it's age!
Will you hunt with this old dog, or is it just for target fun?
Johnny
Glad to hear your 76 shoot's adequately for it's age!
Will you hunt with this old dog, or is it just for target fun?
Johnny
- KirkD
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Re: Range Report - Original .45-75 Winchester 1876 SRC
I'm not sure if I will hunt with it or not. These NWMP original carbines are very hard to find and horrendously expensive to acquire (this one cost me my four finest vintage Winchesters plus cash). So I might just hunt with my two remaining vintage Winchesters, a nice 38-55 made in 1904 and an old 44-40 Model 92 saddle ring carbine made in 1913.
Kirk: An old geezer who loves the smell of freshly turned earth, old cedar rail fences, wood smoke, a crackling fireplace on a snowy evening, pristine wilderness lakes, the scent of
cedars and a magnificent Whitetail buck framed in the semi-buckhorn sights of a 120-year old Winchester.
Blog: https://www.kirkdurston.com/
cedars and a magnificent Whitetail buck framed in the semi-buckhorn sights of a 120-year old Winchester.
Blog: https://www.kirkdurston.com/
Re: Range Report - Original .45-75 Winchester 1876 SRC
Kirk, good write up, the old rifle can still sling lead and 5744 is a good powder I use it in 30-30 and 45 colt for cast lead bullets. danny
Re: Range Report - Original .45-75 Winchester 1876 SRC
Fantastic old Winchester and a great range report.
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- gamekeeper
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Re: Range Report - Original .45-75 Winchester 1876 SRC
Great post Kirk, target shooting and history of a fine old and scarce Winchester....
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- horsesoldier03
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Re: Range Report - Original .45-75 Winchester 1876 SRC
Very nice. Who would not love to have a gun with that much history!
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Re: Range Report - Original .45-75 Winchester 1876 SRC
Thanks for posting this Kirk. I really need to get out to shoot!!!
Re: Range Report - Original .45-75 Winchester 1876 SRC
Great report on an awesome carbine! I saw a NWMP carbine at a gunshop in Traverse City as a kid, between the firearm design and sheer size I thought it was about the neatest thing going. Same shop had an original Walker Colt from the same collection.
Eric
Eric