Winchester Lever Action Development: Model 1876
This video explores the development of the Winchester Model 1876 lever-action rifle. It details how the Model 1873's pistol-caliber limitations led Winchester to design a rifle capable of handling more powerful cartridges for long-range hunting. The video explains the challenges of adapting the 1873 action to cartridges like the .45-70 Government due to the toggle lock design and cartridge length sensitivity. It then discusses Winchester's solution: designing a new round, the .45-75, with a bottlenecked case for improved obturation, and later introducing the .45-60 straight-wall cartridge. The Model 1876, though not as revolutionary as the 1873, found success with its intended audience, including notable figures like Theodore Roosevelt.











