Oliver Winchester invented the Winchester repeating rifle in 1860
Oliver Winchester made the first Winchester Rifle(repeating)
Most of the early work was done in New Haven, Connecticut
that was in 1860.
1860
Winchester Repeating Arms
"The gun that won the west"
Henry
By and large, Benjamin Henry. Oliver Winchester reorganized the New haven Arms Company to the Winchester Repeating Arms Company when Henry tried to take over New Haven, feeling he had been under compensated for the design of the Henry Repeating Rifle. Winchester immediately had parts of the Henry Rifle redesigned for the Model 1866. Winchester had the magazine improved, a loading gate was added to the right side of the receiver (a Nelson King design), and wooden forearms were added, but other elements of the rifle remained the same as the Henry such as the ammunition it fired, and the double firing pin.
Winchester repeating arms company made your rifle in 1955 at there New Haven,Conn.plant.
In general terms, the Henry Repeating Rifle is considered to be the forefather of the Winchester Model 1866 (the first such rifle and Model to bear the "Winchester" name). Tyler B. Henry was the inventor of the Henry Rifle, and was granted the patent for his creation on October 16th, 1860.
Please include the model number and serial number to get a answer to your question.
The Winchester Model 1873 was not invented by a single person, but instead was the culmination of Winchester's continual efforts to make improvements to older designs. The basic design was originally patented by Henry B. Tyler (the inventor of the original Henry Repeating Rifle), which was then taken over by Oliver Winchester, improved upon, and released as the Winchester Model 1866. The Model 1873 was the next evolution of the Model 1866, and the advent of the centerfire cartridge versus a rim fire cartridge. Bert H.