Original U.S. Winchester Model 1873 .44-40 Repeating Rifle with 24" Round Barrel and Surface Oxidation Made in 1882 - Serial 96873A

Original Item: Only One Available. "The Gun that Won the West!" This lovely patinated "frontier worn" 1873 Winchester repeating rifle is in .44-40 caliber, confirmed with measurements and fitting a cartridge to the chamber. The barrel marking is no longer legible, and the marking on the brass carrier block has worn away. It features a very nice 24" heavy-walled 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 replacement copper blade, and a "flat-top" rear adjustable sight. The serial number is 96873A denoting the year of manufacture as 1882.

Also, as it is marked with a serial number over 90,000, this is considered a "Third Model", although a VERY early one, with an "A" serial suffix. This design 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.

This rifle was purchased at a recent auction, and definitely looks to have had led an interesting life. Almost the entire surface of the metalwork has an almost "pebbled" texture from oxidation and subsequent cleaning. However near things like the screws, edges of the receiver side plates, near the stock, and in other more protected areas, it has the original smooth finish. It almost looks like it had some type of oxidation agent applied to the exterior to give it this lovely textured patina, but we more suspect that it was in an area that went through temperature changes, and slowly over decades moisture would condense on the metal, and cause minor oxidation. Areas that were close to wood and near joints often would have had a bit of oil / grease to prevent oxidation.

However this happened, the gun has a look that is simply impossible to duplicate due to its unique history. The address and patent markings on the top of the barrel are mostly obscured by the oxidation, and originally would have read:-

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

The stocks are in very good condition, with a great color and patina, showing the lovely red brown color of aged and oiled walnut, and no major damage. There is just a bit of light wear and staining, as expected, but they really are in top shape compared to most we see. The butt stock has a lovely crescent butt plate, which has 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 mostly bright finish with crisp lands and grooves. There is some past oxidation and fouling, now cleaned away, but the lands are still crisp and we do not see any major irregularities in the surface. We would rate this an 8-9 out of 10, definitely well above average.

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

Specifications-

Year of Manufacture: 1882
Caliber: .44-40 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.