Winchester(Hotchkiss) Ist Model Bolt Action 45/70 Rifle

[Horsefeathers]

I just got a Winchester bolt action rifle in 45/70 cal. It is a Navy Musket ,28 &3/4 in. bbl. Inspector mark DFC on bbl. with an anchor and US over that It 's #27XX No cartouche on stock which is in exc. condition. the gun is in v.g. cond. I fired some smokeless loads. First 405 gr.fn,22 grs. 4759 groups dead on at 50 yards. Second load-28 grs. 5744 405 gr. bullet  impacted low and left in the dirt . Cant figure that one out?  Will try black powder loads next.        Are parts available? And  Any one else have one? I would appreciate any Comments on this  Rifle. ( It should feel at home with my four other 45/70 rifles..........Horsefeathers.

[talon]

A good review of this rifle is Canfield's "Winchester in the Service"(1991). It may be a 3ed model as the inspector cited was accepting those, and not earlier ones. Then, too, it could be an aftermarket 'put together'.
If the piece is in decent shape, suggest you not shoot it very often, and possibly sell it and use the proceeds to get just about any modern 45-70 you want. Old guns are fascinating, to be sure, but after so many years, and with modern shells, can be easily wrecked.

[WJM]

I can't comment on your rifle. I will say that I had a eye opening revelation when I found out about all of the old bolt action 45-70s. They predate the lever action 45-70s and were used by the U.S. military in large numbers. American Rifleman had a great article on the Remington Lees (1879s, 1881s and 1885s) about a year ago. I am generally a single action / lever action fan, but I went out and got a Gibbs (Navy Arms) Enfield action (#4) 45-70 which looked (to me) like an updated "Remington Lee".