3rd Model Winchester Model 1873 ’73 Lever Action Rifle Factory Round Heavy Barrel, MFD 1884 Antique
SOLD FOR: $2,962
LSB#: 140325XX25
Make: Winchester
Model: 1873 Rifle
Serial Number: 157589 (The “A” suffix found on the lower tang is technically not part of the serial number but Winchester’s method of tracking the specific mechanical configuration of the receiver group.)
Year of Manufacture: 1884
Caliber: .44-40 Winchester (.44 Winchester Center Fire)
Action Type: Lever Action with Full Length Tubular Magazine
Markings: The top of the barrel is marked “Winchester’s Repeating Arms, New Haven, CT. / King’s Improvement Patented March 29.1866. October 16.1860.” and “44 CAL”. The lower tang is marked “157589A”. The top tang is marked “MODEL 1873”. The bottom of the brass carrier is marked “44 CAL”.
Barrel Length: The round heavy barrel is 241/4” in length and 0.820” in diameter at the muzzle.
Sights / Optics: The front sight is a blade dovetailed into the top of the barrel. The rear sight is a “U” notched semi-buckhorn elevator sight which is dovetailed into the barrel. The upper tang is drilled, tapped and filled for an aperture sight.
Stock Configuration & Condition: The stocks are two piece walnut with a lacquered finish. The buttstock crescent shaped steel buttplate, a smooth straight grip, and a forend with a blued steel nose cap. The buttplate has a brass trapdoor over a hole in the stock for access to the stock bolt, but we think the trapdoor is installed upside down. The buttstock is slightly darker in color than the forend and shows heavy oil staining in the wrist area. The wood to metal fit is excellent. Besides dark marks from old bruises under the finish, there are few marks in the current finish. The buttstock shows a small compression mark on the left side of the wrist, a few shallow compression marks in the belly and at the toe, a tiny compression marks at the front of the comb, a shallow compression mark on the right side near the belly and a few light scuff marks. The forend shows two small compression marks on its left side between the rear sight and the nosecap, several more on its underside near the nose cap and four light scrape marks on the left side near the nosecap. There are no cracks or chips noted. The LOP measures 13 1/16” from the front of the trigger to the back of the buttplate. The buttplate shows surface loss, light pitting at the toe and a scratch between the lower screw and the trapdoor. The buttplate is in about Good condition. The stocks rate in about Very Good overall condition.
Type of Finish: The rifle is blued.
Finish Originality: The finish is original.
Bore Condition: The bore is bright, tending to gray at the muzzle. The rifling shows light wear. There is extremely light pitting near the muzzle.
Overall Condition: This rifle retains about 20% of its metal finish, most of it on the receiver, lower tang and the underside of the barrel. he barrel, magazine tube and receiver have all developed a brown patina. The barrel and magazine tube show a very few light marks with a few tiny compression marks on the right side of the magazine tube midway along its length, two small compression marks on the right side of the barrel at the front of the forend, and a few marks on the left side at the forend. There are two light compression marks in the top of the barrel just in front of the rear sight and scattered light pinprick surface erosion on the top of the rear sight. The sides of the receiver and the lever show scattered light surface frosting. The receiver shows surface loss on its edges, thinning, and a few light marks on each side. The upper tang and the rear of the lower tang show surface loss. The lower tang also shows a spot of surface loss behind the trigger from the lever, a hole drilled into, but not through, the metal just behind the mainspring tensioning screw and a few light scratches. Most of the screw heads are distressed. The markings are clear. Overall, this rifle rates in about Very Good condition.
Mechanics: The action functions correctly. It has a dust cover on the receiver that slides on an integral rail typical of the Third Models. The hammer has a half-cock position and the lever safety is operational. We have not fired this rifle.
