Winchester 1866 question

[Bugler]

Was the '66 ever offered in anything other than .44 Rimfire? I ask because my brother is looking at one that is engraved but is chambered for 44wcf (44-40).  He thinks it is original.....I think it is a replica...Uberti, Navy Arms, etc. I can't get eyes on because of the distance...

 

What do you fellow members say?

 

Bugler

[Chantry]

According to the 32nd Edition of Blue Book of Gun Values, the Model 1866 Rifle/Carbine/Musket Fourth Model was chambered in 44-40.  Using the first serial number (149,000) listed for the 4th Model, I went to the link below and production of the 1866 4th Model started in 1878, however it does NOT specify if that was the start of the 44-40 chambering, just the start of the production of the 4th Model.

 

https://winchestercollector.org/dates/

 

On edit:  The book warns against fakes

[Cliff Hanger #3720LR]

1860 Henry was chambered in .44 rim fire.

The 1866 Winchester was chambered in 44-40 (do not think it was ever chambered in .44 rim fire)

[Abilene Slim SASS 81783]

Short answer - originally chambered for .44 Henry, then later in .44-40.  Scroll down to "1866 Winchester"

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winchester_rifle

[Chili Ron]

Howdy,

44 W.C.F. lets hope Winchester didn't actually mark 44 40 on any of its products.

Ive heard there were rimfires converted to Central Fire way back when.

A few pix could eliminate modern copies, I would think.

Best

CR

 

[Alpo]

I think wiki is confused.

 

The 1866 - the IMPROVED HENRY - was chambered in 44 Henry flat rimfire.

 

Near the end of its production run they made some in centerfire, but it was not 44/40. It was 44 Henry flat central fire.

 

The 1866 Winchester is not large enough to take the 44/40 cartridge.

[Dustin Checotah]

Quote

37 minutes ago, Alpo said:

I think wiki is confused.

 

The 1866 - the IMPROVED HENRY - was chambered in 44 Henry flat rimfire.

 

Near the end of its production run they made some in centerfire, but it was not 44/40. It was 44 Henry flat central fire.

 

The 1866 Winchester is not large enough to take the 44/40 cartridge.

 

Seems that I read that recently. Might have been in the American Rifleman.

[Asa Smith]

On 8/21/2019 at 7:15 PM, Alpo said:

I think wiki is confused.

 

The 1866 - the IMPROVED HENRY - was chambered in 44 Henry flat rimfire.

 

Near the end of its production run they made some in centerfire, but it was not 44/40. It was 44 Henry flat central fire.

 

The 1866 Winchester is not large enough to take the 44/40 cartridge.

+1

[Forty Rod SASS 3935]

On 8/21/2019 at 5:53 PM, Dustin Checotah said:

Seems that I read that recently. Might have been in the American Rifleman.

That's what all of my references tell me: Flaydermann's Guides, seven books on Winchesters two more on lever guns in general, and two about gunsmithing the old lever guns. 

[Rye Miles #13621]

On 8/21/2019 at 7:39 PM, Cliff Hanger #3720LR said:

1860 Henry was chambered in .44 rim fire.

The 1866 Winchester was chambered in 44-40 (do not think it was ever chambered in .44 rim fire)

Not true! The 1866 was chambered for .44 rimfire it was the 1873 that was first chambered in .44 WCF (or better known as .44-40)

 

Development[edit]

After the war, Oliver Winchester renamed New Haven Arms the Winchester Repeating Arms Company. The company modified and improved the basic design of the Henry rifle, creating the first Winchester rifle: the Model 1866. It retained the .44 Henry cartridge, was likewise built on a bronze-alloy frame, and had an improved magazine and a wooden forearm. In 1873 Winchester introduced the steel-framed Model 1873 chambering the more potent .44-40 centerfire cartridge. In 1876, in a bid to compete with the powerful single-shot rifles of the time, Winchester brought out the Model 1876 (Centennial Model). While it chambered more powerful cartridges than the 1866 and 1873 models, the toggle link action was not strong enough for the popular high-powered rounds used in Sharps or Remington single-shot rifles.

From 1883, John Moses Browning worked in partnership with Winchester, designing a series of rifles and shotguns, most notably the lever-action Winchester Model 1886, Model 1892, Model 1894, and Model 1895 rifles, along with the lever-action Model 1887/1901 shotgun, the pump-action Model 1890 rifle, and the pump-action Model 1893/1897 shotgun

[Grass Range]

I have an original 66 Win chambered in 44 Rim Fire

[Colorado Coffinmaker]

 

I'm not gonna list any references ... However, the 1866 was NEVER chambered in 44-40.  The rifle was originally chambered in 44 Henry Flat.  The carrier block and mortice were not long enough to accept the 44-40.  Late production the 1866 was built for 44 Henry Central Fire.  Those central fire '66s were built for export only and shipped to South America.  Only a couple central fire have made their way back into this country.   Anyone claiming an "Original" Winchester in 44-40 is peddling a FAKE.  Several 1866s have been converted to Central Fire, but just a few.