Originally developed from the Henry rifle this rifle became famous for its rugged construction and lever-action breech mechanism that allowed the rifleman to fire a number of shots before having to reload: hence the term, "repeating rifle". The first model, the Model 1866, was nicknamed Yellow Boy because of its brass receiver. The 1866 was only available in .44 caliber rimfire cartridge at first, and the more modern centerfire cartridges were added to the production line later. Its tubular magazine was located underneath the barrel. This non-firing version clearly demonstrates the workings of the lever-action loading system.