1028

Winchester Model 1873 Lever Action Rifle with Factory Letter

Currency:USD Category:Firearms & Military Start Price:2,500.00 USD Estimated At:7,000.00 - 9,500.00 USD
Winchester Model 1873 Lever Action Rifle with Factory Letter
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Estimate: $7000 - 9500
Manufacturer: Winchester Model: 1873
This is a very fine example of a Winchester Model 1873 lever action 44-40 rifle with the integral dust cover rail that was manufactured in 1886. The dust cover correctly has the rear serrated edges. The rifle is equipped with a blade front sight and an adjustable buckhorn rear sight. The top of the barrel is stamped "WINCHESTER'S REPEATING ARMS. NEW HAVEN CONN. U.S.A./KING'S IMPROVEMENT PATENT MARCH 29 1866. OCTOBER 16. 1860" ahead of the rear sight and "44 CAL." at the breech. The brass cartridge elevator is marked "44 CAL." The upper receiver tang is marked "MODEL 1873" flanked by the decorative foliate design. The lower receiver tang has the serial number stamped between the lever latch and the tang screw. Full length magazine tube and buttplate with a sliding trapdoor holding the included four piece cleaning rod. The rifle has the factory blue finish with casehardened hammer, lever and buttplate. Mounted on a smooth forearm and straight grip stock with a steel forend cap and crescent buttplate. The included factory letter confirms the rifle configuration, round barrel and plain trigger with the rifle received in the warehouse on June 15, 1886 (no shipping date listed).
BBL: 24 inch round
Stock: walnut
Gauge: 44-40
Finish: blue
Grips:
Serial Number: 208428B
Condition:
Very fine. The barrel and magazine retain 75% plus original blue with the balance a smooth plum patina with some streaks of original blue finish. The receiver retains 80% original blue finish with loss due to flaking and showing a smooth brown patina on the exposed areas. The hammer and lever retain almost all of the original vivid case colors, brightest on the buttplate and the lever has a smooth gray patina. The wood is also very fine retaining most of the original varnish with some scattered minor pressure dents and light scratches. The markings are clear. The action is excellent.