Original U.S. Winchester Model 1873 .38-40 Repeating Rifle with Round Barrel made in 1887 - Serial 239722B

Original Item: Only One Available. "The Gun that Won the West!" This wonderful Winchester repeating rifle is in .38-40 caliber, correctly marked with 38 W.C.F. over the chamber, and .38 CAL on the the brass carrier block. It features a very nice 24" round barrel and full-length magazine tube. As with all examples, it is marked MODEL. 1873. on the upper receiver tang. Features the classic front sight with a nickel blade and iconic "buckhorn" rear adjustable sight, with a replacement wedge. The serial number is 239722B, which denotes the year of manufacture as 1887. The engraving on the top of the barrel present and legible:

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

Condition of the rifle is very good, with the metalwork showing a lovely gray patina overall, faded from the original blued finish. There is a bit of past peppering in a few areas near the muzzle and ejection port, probably from powder residue, but otherwise it's really quite nice. The wood stocks are in very good condition, showing the lovely dark red brown color of aged walnut. They show wear consistent with use including dents and scrapes, and have lovely grain with an oiled finish. The butt stock has a crescent butt plate with a storage compartment (empty).

This lever action repeater has a crisp tight action in fully functional condition with an original dust cover. The rifle cycles well and dry fires, with good smooth mechanical operation. We did not notice any sticking or other issues that are often seen on these old rifles. The bore is in very good condition, showing clear lands and grooves with a partly bright finish. There is definitely some past wear and fouling, now cleaned away, but no bulges or major oxidation. We would rate it an 8 out of 10.

A very nice example of an iconic gun with a great look, ready to display!

Specifications-

Year of Manufacture: 1887
Caliber: .38-40 Winchester
Cartridge Type: Centerfire Cartridge
Barrel Length: 24 Inches
Overall Length: 43 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.