Winchester 1873 3rd Model Saddle Ring Carbine, Blue 20” Lever Action Rifle & Scabbard, MFD 1905 C&R
Sold For: $3,326.00
LSB#: 161011DT02
Make: Winchester
Model: 1873 Saddle Ring Carbine
Serial Number: 601737 (The “B” 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: 1905
Caliber: .32-20 Winchester (.32 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.”, a circled “WP” proof and “32 W.C.F.”. The top of the receiver’s chamber ring is also marked with a circled “WP” proof. The lower tang is marked “601737” and “B”. The upper tang is marked “MODEL 1873 / WINCHESTER / TRADE MARK”. The bottom of the brass carrier is marked “32 CAL.”.
Barrel Length: The round barrel is 20” in length.
Sights / Optics: The front sight is a blade fixed to a rectangular base which is fixed to the barrel. The rear sight is a folding ladder sight dovetailed into the top of the barrel. When the ladder sight is folded down, a “U” notch is presented. When folded-up, there is a “U” notch on the top edge of the ladder’s slide. The right rear face of the ladder is marked with hash lines from “0” to “20”. The upper tang is drilled, tapped and filled for an aperture sight.
Stock Configuration & Condition: The stocks are two-piece lacquered walnut that are dark with oil staining around the metal parts and in the wrist. The buttstock has a straight grip and a curved carbine style steel buttplate. The forend is held with a barrel band. The buttstock shows several scrapes through the finish, a deep bruise on the left side, a deep ding in the right side at the buttplate and a large area of finish loss on the left side at the back of the wrist. There are multiple small dings and handling marks scattered over the buttstock and forend. The forend also shows a few deep dings and drag lines with areas of finish loss. The wood to metal fit is Excellent. The LOP measures 12 7/8” from the front of the trigger to the back of the buttplate. The buttplate shows thinning, very light wear at the heel and a large scab of erosion. The buttplate is in about Very Good condition. The stocks rate in about Very Good condition.
Type of Finish: The rifle is blued.
Finish Originality: The finish is original.
Bore Condition: The bore is mostly bright, turning to gray at the muzzle. The rifling shows moderate to heavy wear. There are spots of light erosion from the muzzle back several inches with two deeper tool marks near the muzzle.
Overall Condition: This rifle retains about 25% of its metal finish. There is surface loss at the front of the barrel and magazine tube, and on the magazine hanger, barrel band, the rear half of the barrel, the receiver, lever and the back half of the lower tang. The remainder of the barrel and magazine tube show thinning and several tiny dings and scratches. There are also several tiny dings and/or tool marks in the magazine tube hanger. There are spots of erosion on the right side of the barrel about two inches in front of the forend, at the front of the loading gate, on the right side of the receiver in front of the loading gate and in the dust cover. The receiver shows several small dings and scratches, with several more scratches in the left sideplate. The carrier has developed a mustard colored patina and the lower tang has a mark through the finish from rubbing on the lever. The hammer knurling shows light wear. The screw heads are sharp except for the left sideplate screw, which is disfigured. The markings are clear. Overall, this rifle rates in about Good to Very Good condition.
Mechanics: The action functions correctly. We have not fired this rifle. The hammer has a half-cock safety position, there is an operable lever safety, and a dust cover on the receiver that slides on an integral rail typical of the Third Models. As with all used firearms, a thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance standards.
Box, Paperwork & Accessories: The saddle ring is attached. This rifle comes with a leather saddle scabbard. The scabbard has a maker’s mark “SHELTON-PAYNE-ARMS-CO. / MAKERS / EL PASO TEXAS” stamped near the top of the scabbard on both sides. The Shelton-Payne Arms Company specialized in firearms, ammunition, sporting goods and leather goods such has holsters and scabbards in the early 1900’s. They supplied arms to both sides during the Mexican Revolution and Gen. George Patton ordered his famous engraved Colt SAA revolver from Shelton-Payne when he was stationed at Fort Bliss in 1916. The scabbard is made from russet colored saddle leather with border stitching along the stitched side. There are two short straps riveted to each side of the holster for attaching it to the saddle with longer strap, which are also included. The scabbard is dark with oil staining at the muzzle and at the top of the scabbard. There are several dings and scrapes through the finish on the back side of the scabbard with a few spots of oil staining and an area with several deep drag lines on the outside of the scabbard. The long straps are dark with oil and water staining, and one of the straps, attached to the others with a round ring, is cracked half-way through at the ring with another crack at its buckle end. The stitching in the scabbard is all intact. The scabbard is in about Very Good condition.
Our Assessment: Per Wikipedia: “One of the most successful, and certainly one of the most famous Winchester rifles was the Winchester Model 1873, known as “The Gun that Won the West” for its predominant role in the hands of Western settlers. The Model 1873 had a steel frame that was much stronger than the brass framed Model 1866, allowing Winchester to develop a family of powerful new cartridges, with Colt usually producing Single Action Army revolvers in the same calibers shortly after they were developed. Per Wikipedia: “The .32-20 Winchester, also known as the .32 WCF, was the first small-game lever-action cartridge that Winchester produced. It was initially introduced as a black-powder cartridge in 1882 for small game, varmint hunting, and deer. Colt produced a single-action revolver chambered for this cartridge a few years later. It has a good reputation for accuracy in rifles as well as the few handguns that have been chambered for it. Because of its low power, it destroys very little meat, making it a good hunting round for appropriately sized game.”. Some years back, Paco Kelly wrote an outstanding article for reloading the .32-20 for everything from varmints up to deer, so please see: http://www.leverguns.com/articles/paco/3220wcf.htm. This saddle ring carbine was made in 1905 and comes with a vintage leather saddle scabbard from Shelton-Payne in El Paso, Texas. The carbine is in about Good to Very Good condition with about 25% of its original finish remaining. The bore is mostly bright, turning gray at the muzzle, with moderate wear in the rifling. There are a few spots of light erosion and a few deeper tool marks near the muzzle. The wood to metal fit on this rifle is excellent. This is a very nice looking saddle ring carbine with a vintage scabbard from Shelton-Payne of El Paso, Texas, which is collectible in its own right. Shelton-Payne was the company Gen. George Patton used to order his engraved Colt SAA revolver rifle from when he was stationed at Fort Bliss as a young Lieutenant in 1916. This rifle is sure to end up in a Winchester collection next to its 1866, 1886, 1892 and 1894 cousins, and would look great in a collection that included a Colt SAA revolver in a Shelton-Payne holster rig.
