Original U.S. Winchester First Model 1873 .44-40 Lever Action Repeating Rifle with 23" Round Barrel Serial 23215 - Made in 1877

Original Item: One of a Kind. This is it! This is a very rare FIRST MODEL Winchester 1873, and is one of the earliest 1873 rifles that we have had! These were only produced for about 6 years ending in late 1879, with serial numbers ranging from 1 to approximately 31,000. This rifle is in the very popular .44/40 caliber, the same as the Colt Frontier 1873 Revolver which allowed the owner to use the same ammunition for both rifle and handgun. This really is "The Gun that Won the West!"

This example has a 23" heavy round barrel with a full-length magazine tube, which may indicate that the end of the barrel was damaged and removed at some point. Features the classic blade front sight and iconic "Semi-Buckhorn" rear adjustable sight. The serial number is still relatively crisp and reads 23215, denoting the year of manufacture as 1877, making this a relatively late example of the first design, made during the last third of production.

Another key aspect of the FIRST MODEL was the use of the "thumbprint" style dust cover, included on this example, which was replaced in the subsequent models. This type fits into a dovetail over the ejection port, unlike the later variety, which slides on a dovetail on the rear receiver. The "print" on the top still bears the correct finely checkered texture, and is the 4th pattern oval type, the last used, which is correct.

The engraving on the top of the barrel is still fully present, with just a few areas showing a bit of peppering:

WINCHESTER'S REPEATING ARMS. NEW HAVEN. CT.
KING'S-IMPROVEMENT-PATENTED-MARCH 29.1866. OCTOBER 16.1860.

Stocks are in good condition, with the lovely dark brown color that only aged oiled walnut has. Both show a good amount of wear from use and subsequent cleaning, with overall scratching and minor dents, but no major damage. This is definitely a rifle that saw long use on the frontier, giving it an unmistakable patina of age. While worn, there are no cracks we can see, and the crescent butt plate is in good shape, with a working storage compartment (empty).

The barrel and action still retain much of the original blued finish, especially on the bottom of the barrel, with the balance faded to a lovely plum patina. There are a few signs of past peppering, especially on the top of the receiver. The rifle is in overall very nice condition. Very crisp tight action in fully functional condition with the original dust cover. The bore is in very good to excellent condition, showing crisp lands and grooves and a bright finish. There is some fouling and oxidation and fouling near the muzzle, probably more from weather than from use, but it still rates an 8-9 out of 10, one of the best bores we have seen on a First Model 1873! Many that we see are close to shot out, so this is a real treat!

A very good condition early example of an iconic gun, cleaned and ready to display! Probably the best bores on a First Model 1873 that we have ever had!

Specifications-

Year of Manufacture: 1877
Caliber: .44-40 Winchester
Cartridge Type: Centerfire Cartridge
Barrel Length: 23 Inches
Overall Length: 42 Inches
Action type: Lever Action Repeater
Feed System: 15-round tube magazine

The Model 1873 was one of the most successful Winchester rifles of its day, gaining the reputation as "The Gun that Won the West". Still an icon almost a century and a half later, it was manufactured between 1873 and 1919. Originally chambered for the .44-40 cartridge, it was later produced in .38-40 and .32-20, all of which were also popular handgun cartridges of the day, allowing users to conveniently carry just one type of ammunition. The Model 1873 was produced in three variations: a 24" barrel rifle, 20" barrel carbine, and a musket. The easy to transport and handle carbine was the most popular, while the musket accounted for less than 5-10 percent of total production.

Due to feeding problems, the original Model 1873 was never offered in the military standard .45 Colt cartridge, although a number of modern reproductions are chambered for the round. The popularity of the original Model 1873 led Colt to manufacture .44-40 a version of the Single Action Army revolver called the "Frontier Model".

To both celebrate and enhance the Model 1873's prestige, Winchester established a coveted One of One Thousand grade in 1875. Barrels producing unusually small groupings during test-firing were fitted to rifles with set triggers and a special finish. Marked One of One Thousand, they sold for a then princely $100. A popular 1950 Western starring Jimmy Stewart, Winchester '73, was based on the coveted gun. Promotions included a search for One of One Thousand rifles by Universal Studios, with advertisements in sporting magazines and posters in sporting goods stores.

A second grade of Model 1873 barrels producing above average accuracy were fitted to rifles marked One of One Hundred, and sold for $20 over list. Approximately 136 One of One Thousand Model 1873s were sold, and only eight One of One Hundreds. In all, over 720,000 Model 1873s were produced.

The .38-40 Winchester round is actually a .40 caliber cartridge shooting .401 caliber bullets. The cartridge was introduced by Winchester in 1874 and is derived from their .44-40 Winchester. This cartridge was introduced for rifles, but in its reintroduction for Cowboy Action Shooting it has seen some popularity as a pistol cartridge. It is not particularly well suited to hunting larger game, but it was popular when it was introduced, along with the previous .44-40 Winchester, for deer hunting. It can be used successfully on smaller game animals, and for self-defense.

NOTE: This gun is NOT considered obsolete calibre, so we are not able to ship to the United Kingdom. Please note that for international shipping, these MUST be shipped using UPS WW Services. International customers should always consult their country's antique gun laws prior to ordering.