An extremely rare Winchester Model 1876 "burial gun" rifle chambered in .50 caliber. Winchester Model 1876, rare .50 caliber rifle with original 30” length barrel. The Model 1873 was the most common Native American rifle on the frontier, but some of the larger Model 1876 rifles were known. Most significant of which was the .45 caliber Model 1876 used by Hunkpapa Sioux chief Gall. In itself, the powerful .50-95 chambering in the Model 1876 is quite rare and was first offered in 1879. This rifle has had the magazine shortened about 8 ½ inches during its time of use. This was fairly common to do if the relatively fragile magazine tube became dented and could no longer house cartridges. The entire barrel, forearm and magazine tube is encased in sinew sewn and brass tack reinforced rawhide. The heavy saddle wear on the walnut forend ahead of the receiver is evident through the rawhide. Some of the rawhide is split and dry, with rust staining from the metal underneath, but is basically nearly all intact. The protruding barrel portion is heavily rusted and like the Model 1873 above shows no sign of being cleaned or restored. The barrel retains a small front sight and rear sight just ahead of the receiver where the rawhide was cut to allow the rear sight to be exposed for use. The receiver is heavily rusted with the mechanics “frozen” in time. It should be assumed that this rifle, like the Model 1873 above, was encased in a sewn leather scabbard which typically covered the rifle ahead of the butt stock. The butt stock on this Model 1876 is so weathered it was wrapped with leather thong at the wrist to hold it to the upper and lower tangs of the receiver- no doubt this was done at the time of its collection. It is fortunate and remarkable that the stock was preserved and kept with the rifle instead of being lost to time. A rare Winchester and an extremely rare and important Native American artifact. It is estimated that it was placed on burial scaffolds sometime in the 1880s as this burial practice was generally discontinued around 1890. Scaffold burials usually consisted of the body of a man (women were not buried on scaffolds) being placed either in a tree or on a four-pole supported platform about seven or eight feet off the ground. This was done to keep animals from the body. Typically the corpse was sewn or wrapped in a buffalo or elk hide and weapons and possessions placed on the platform with the deceased. Judging by the weathering of the walnut stock, the rusting of the metal, and the degradation of the rawhide wrappings, it can be assumed this rifle was left to the elements for five to seven years. It appears likely that they were originally encased in typical stitched leather rifle covers which protected the receiver and barrel more than the exposed butt stock. It can further be assumed that this item was collected some time in the 1890s when, unfortunately, little respect for such sacred sites was common and travelers through the plains and west thought little of collecting “Indian souvenirs.” Probably when this rifle was collected, the scaffolds had rotted and fallen in. Unless such burial weapons and artifacts were collected in the first several years of internment, they would be lost forever due to rusting or being covered by eventual brush and dirt. Because of their extreme scarcity, few items such as this exist in private collections and of the few that have survived to the present time, most would be in museums. Included with this rifle comes a good deal of printed information and photography concerning Native American scaffold burials. This Winchester rifle has been in the same collection for years. Items like these are so rare, it is nearly impossible for the collector of Native American artifacts, firearms or old west items to have an opportunity like this. This rifle weighs 8lbs 2oz. This firearm qualifies as an Antique, and does not require FFL Transfer or NICS Background Check.