One of the other guns I had in my collection was another saddle ring carbine, and very rare just as a gun. It was a Winchester 1876 saddle ring carbine.
I had been at a gun show at an elementary school off of Cottage Lane in Sacramento in the mid-seventies and a fellow there said he had an old Winchester 1873 rifle he'd inherited from his uncle he wanted to sell that was just like one I had on my table. I said let me look at it. He said he didn't have it with him but he was at his house down in Bakersfield. I asked him what he wanted for it. He said $35. I said "Sold! Ship it to me." I pulled two twenties out of my pocket, gave him my address, shook his hand, and he walked away. My dad said "You're insane! He just walked off with $40 of your money and you'll never hear from him again!"
I said, "You're probably right, dad. I don't know what came over me."
Two weeks later, a long package arrived from UPS. . . In it was a Winchester, but it wasn't an 1873, nor was it a rifle. It was the 1876 saddle ring carbine, one of the rarest and most desirable collector guns for a Winchester collector. . . And one of the hardest to ever find. My dad said, "Damn, I don''t believe it!"
It was in pretty good shape, with a good amount of original bluing, the top cover still there and some case hardening still showing. I gave it to my dad to look over and he was inspecting it and he suddenly WHISTLED LOUD! "Would you Look at that!" and handed it back to me and pointed at the serial number. It was serial number 76!
Before the internet, I liked going to Gun Shows, many displays of very rare one of a kind fire arms that I could see up close.