Winchester 1866
14,000 model '66 muskets were manufactured.
When Oliver Winchester takes the control of New Haven Arms, it re-elects it Winchester Repeating Arms Company. He ask Nelson King to improve the Henry rifle which will become the first Winchester rifle, Winchester 1866.
Quickly one allots the nickname of Yellow Boy to him, because of his bronze breech.
This weapon uses cartridges calibre 44 rimfire, has a tubular magazine and a side door of effective loading.
The three models, respectively with barrel of 51, 61 or 68 cm, were produced with 160.000 specimens.
Carabine : Barrel : 51cm, total 100cm, weight : 3,5kg, 13 shots.
Rifle : Barrel : 61cm, total 110cm, weight : 4,1 / 4,3kg, 17 shots.
Musket : Barrel 68cm, total 117cm, weight : 4,3kg, 17 shots.
In connection with the bronze breech
In fact an alloy of copper, zinc and tin.
Known in the USA under the name “Gunmetal”, also known under the name of Red Brass.
This alloy is used at the origin for the weapons, by afterwards for many uses of which all that touches with the vapour and salt water because of its very good resistance in this respect.
It has a tensile strength from 221 to 310 MPa, a density of 8,719 kg/m3, and a Brinell hardness from 65 to 74.
Alain
Here the drawings of the Belgian Patent.
