Description

Use of the 1866 Winchester “Yellowboy” has spanned from the beginning – to end, of the legendary era known as the “Wild West”. The Yellowboy was the first gun to carry the Winchester name after the company changed names from the New Haven Arms Company. With the patented improvements (by Nelson King) on the Henry Rifle, the Winchester Repeating Arms Company offered the improved firearm in a rifle, carbine, and musket models. Most Henry rifles had frames made from gun metal (rather than iron) which was able to withstand the force produced by the .44 Henry flat rimfire cartridge. The gun metal used is a form of bronze with a similar color as brass; which attributed to the rifle quickly earning the name “Yellow Boy.” With its lever operated repeating mechanism, the Yellowboy could be fired and upon one swift motion, eject the empty shell and load a fresh round into the chamber without the user taking the rifle from their shoulder. The rifles effectiveness and impressive firepower made it a favorite among frontiersmen, hunters, sport-shooters and military personnel alike. Some 150,000 Yellowboys were produced from 1867 to 1893.