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Winchester Model 1873 Lever Action .32 WCF Rifle

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles Start Price:25.00 USD Estimated At:2,150.00 - 2,800.00 USD
Winchester Model 1873 Lever Action .32 WCF Rifle
One of the earliest Winchester Model 1873 rifles produced with standard 24” round barrel, full magazine, crescent butt plate and chambered for the popular .32 Winchester Center Fire cartridge. It is serial numbered 110259 indicating a manufacture date of 1882. The .32 Winchester Center Fire cartridge (better known today as the .32-20) was first introduced in the serial number range of approx. 95000 in 1882. The pertinent aspects of this fine rifle have been verified by the Cody, Wyoming Firearms Museum at the Buffalo Bill Historical Center which contains the original Winchester shipping records. Members of the museum may contact the records department for specific Winchester rifle data. Such was done with this rifle. The “Call-In” sheet that accompanies Model 1873 with serial number 110259 was sent by the records department and states that this rifle was originally shipped in .32 caliber, round barrel and plain trigger. It further verifies that it originally left the Winchester factory and was received in the warehouse on February 24, 1883 and shipped from the warehouse on May 15, 1883 to order number 4274. According to the standard reference work THE WINCHESTER HANDBOOK by George Madis, along with the .38-40 introduced about this time, sales for rifles in these two chamberings were slow with early examples in these calibers very scarce. Note that this rifle remained in the Winchester warehouse for nearly three months before being shipped! The Model 1873 is the famed “Gun That Won the West,” and undoubtedly one of Winchesters earliest and most popular repeating rifles. This fine example is typical of those found in every barn, saddle scabbard and behind every ranch house kitchen door during the Frontier Years. Made uninterruptedly from 1873 through 1923, the 1873 is perhaps the most iconic of Winchester’s early products and found favor with hunters, ranchers, farmers, cowboys, lawmen and outlaws. It was, and still is, known for having the smoothest action of any Winchester model. Its mechanism has few internal parts and, by removing the side plates, is extremely simple to clean and repair if needed. This was a huge selling point in sparsely populated areas where a gunsmith might be many days’ ride away. A frontiersman or hunter with a few spare parts and a screwdriver would never have to worry about his rifle becoming out of service. This rifle is a particularly attractive example with deep aged blue appearance on the barrel, magazine tube and receiver. The loading gate retains very fine blue and the screw heads are also in fine condition. It shows no evidence of being over-cleaned. Further, it retains the original dust cover, and the mellow brass lifter on the bottom of the receiver is correctly engraved “32 CAL” and has never been polished. Frequently dust covers are missing, but this rifle has managed to retain the original. The Walnut butt stock and forearm also show no signs of being sanded or replaced. There is a thin, rectangular matching color/grain walnut inlay in the left side of the butt stock approximately ½ inch wide by 4 inches long that probably replaced a brass presentation or identification plate from a previous owner. The work is so expertly done and no doubt contemporary to the early usage of this rifle, that it blends in almost unnoticed and does not detract from the rifle in any way. The wood to metal fit is tight and the steel butt plate has no provision for a trapdoor for cleaning rods which is correct for the .32-20 chambered Model 1873- only the .38-40 and .44-40 caliber rifles had the sliding trap in the butt plate. Correct Winchester markings and patent dates on the barrel and upper tang are sharp and clear and the mechanism is tight and crisp. The bore is in surprisingly fine condition with good rifling all the way through and little of the roughness that one would certainly expect of such an early black powder era Winchester. The barrel retains a very rare flat top buckhorn rear sight with adjustable sliding brass sleeve with sighting notch. The elevator bar is intact as well as is the original standard Winchester blade front sight. This is a very handsome and original 137 year old Model 1873 rifle that only recently came out of here in Montana. It would be very difficult to find an earlier production Model 1873 in this scarce caliber. This firearm qualifies as an Antique, and does not require FFL Transfer or NICS Background Check.