Original U.S. Winchester Model 1873 .44-40 Repeating Rifle Made in 1893 with 24" Octagonal Barrel - Serial 446494B

Original Item: Only One Available. "The Gun that Won the West!" This lovely "frontier worn" 1873 Winchester repeating rifle is in .44-40 caliber, correctly marked with 44 W.C.F. over the chamber and 44 CAL. on the brass carrier block. It features a desirable 24" octagonal 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. The serial number is 446494B, denoting the year of manufacture as 1893.

Also, as it is marked with a serial number over 90,000, this is considered a "Third Model", which featured improvements over the first two iterations of the design. The most noticeable change from the Second to Third models is that the dovetail that the dust cover slide on is machined directly into the receiver, and not attached by screws as it was previously. The Third model is what Winchester made until the end of the production run when the serial numbers exceeded 700,000.

The engraving on the top of the barrel is just a bit worn, but still fully legible:-

WINCHESTER'S-REPEATING-ARMS. NEW HAVEN. CONN. U.S.A.
— KING'S IMPROVEMENT PATENTED MARCH 29.1866. OCTOBER 16.1860. —

The overall metal finish is good, showing a lovely light gray patina overall, with signs of past peppering and oxidation. We can also see some past pit rusting in a few areas now cleaned away. The stocks are in good "frontier used" condition, showing long use and exposure to the elements. The stocks are in very good condition, showing a lovely red brown color. They look to have been varnished at some time in the past, and then saw additional use. There is no major damage we can see such as structural cracks or repairs, just a hairline crack on the left side of the butt stock where it meets the receiver. The butt stock has a lovely crescent butt plate with a working storage compartment (empty).

This lever action repeater is offered with the action in fully functional tight condition, with a working original dust cover. It cycles well, and we did not notice any sticking or major slop in the action. The bore is in very good condition, showing a partly bright finish with strong lands and grooves. The grooves show past oxidation and fouling, now cleaned away, but this is definitely well above average for a Model 1873, especially in the popular .44-40 chambering. We would rate it an 6-7 out of 10, definitely well above average.

A lovely honest used example of an iconic frontier repeating rifle with a great aged look. These are becoming increasingly hard to find on the market in nice condition. Fully cleaned and ready for display!

Specifications-

Year of Manufacture: 1893
Caliber: .44-40 Winchester
Cartridge Type: Centerfire Cartridge
Barrel Length: 24 Inches
Overall Length: 43 Inches
Action type: Lever Action Repeater
Feed System: 12-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.