Lot 3047

NWMP and Legion of Frontiersmen Winchester Model 1876 Carbine

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NWMP and Legion of Frontiersmen Winchester Model 1876 Carbine

Estimate: $7,500 - $11,000

Starting Bid: $6,500

(0 Bids)

by Rock Island Auction Company
August 23, 2026 9:00 AM CDT
Live Auction
3600 Harwood Road
Bedford, TX, US 76021

Highly Desirable Documented North-West Mounted Police and Legion of Frontiersmen Marked Winchester Model 1876 Lever Action Saddle Ring Carbine with Factory Letter Manufactured in 1885, this is a solid example of a rare and desirable Winchester Model 1876 carbine issued to the Canadian North-West Mounted Police (N.W.M.P.) and later issued to the Edmonton Reserve Militia, Alberta Provincial Police and later the Legion of Frontiersmen. The included factory letter lists the carbine as received at the warehouse on 17 April 1885 and shipped the following day. According to Klancher in "Arms and Accoutrements of the Mounted Police 1873-1973", a total of only 1,611 of these carbines were ordered by the Canadian government, all of which saw hard use and a high attrition rate during their time on the unforgiving northern frontier, with only 939 reported placed in storage in 1906. That book lists this carbine by serial number on p. 186 as one of the carbines issued to the N.W.M.P. These carbines were the longest serving of all the N.W.M.P. longarms, spanning from 1878 to 1905, and again, from 1907 to 1914. These carbines were the companions of the mounted policemen through the turbulent times of both the Yukon Gold Rush and the North-West Rebellion. In the same book it is noted that in 1916, the N.W.M.P. loaned 710 of these carbines to the Edmonton Reserve Militia for training purposes, who then sold them to the Alberta Provincial Police in 1919. From there, some of the carbines were then acquired by the Legion of Frontiersmen, a paramilitary organization tasked with protecting the fringes of the British Empire and intelligence collection. This example has the third model receiver with the integral dust cover guide and dust cover with grip serrations at the rear. The top of the barrel is marked with the standard two-line address and King's patent marking, as well as the caliber marking at the breech, which is repeated on the cartridge elevator. The upper tang has the model marking, while the serial number is marked on the lower tang. It is fitted with a block blade front sight, the correct "Spanish meter" folding ladder rear sight graduated 1-5 on the left, and a saddle ring on the left of the receiver. It is mounted with a smooth forearm and nicely figured straight grip stock with a carbine buttplate. The right side of the stock is correctly stamped, very faintly, with the "N.W.M.P." marking in an arched banner. These stamps were notoriously struck lightly and are often absent on these hard-working carbines. Additionally, this carbine is stamped "LOF.127." on the bottom of the stock just behind the lower tang, confirmation that it found its way to the Legion of Frontiersmen through the other two mentioned organizations.

Manufacturer: Winchester

Model: 1876

BBL: 22 inch round

Stock: walnut

Gauge: 45-75 Winchester

Finish: blue

Serial Number45337

Class: Antique

  • Condition: Very good as a survivor of the harsh Canadian northwest frontier, retaining traces of the original blue finish with the balance mostly grey patina, a few scattered patches of light pitting and surface oxidation, and some scattered minor dings. The wood is good with the dings and scars of frontier life, all typical of a carbine carried by the North-West Mounted Police. Mechanically functions. A rare and historic frontier survivor issued to multiple Canadian police and paramilitary organizations!

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Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $199 $10
$200 $499 $25
$500 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 $99,999 $5,000
$100,000 $199,999 $10,000
$200,000 + $25,000