RARE SPECIAL ORDER DELUXE WINCHESTER MODEL 1873 LEVER ACTION RIFLE.

RARE SPECIAL ORDER DELUXE WINCHESTER MODEL 1873 LEVER ACTION RIFLE. SN 478331. Cal. 32 WCF (32-20). Beautiful deluxe ’73 with special order 26″ oct bbl, full magazine, German silver Rocky Mountain front sight, semi-buckhorn rear sight and vernier tang sight with 4″ staff. Receiver & forend cap are color case hardened. Mounted with very highly figured, center crotch, flame grain American walnut with H-style checkered forearm and serpentine grip buttstock with black insert and deep Swiss cheekpiece and nickeled brass Swiss buttplate. Left side of lower tang is marked with assembly number “1431”, “XXX” and “SRB”. Top tang channel of buttstock and inside toe of buttplate have matching assembly numbers. Accompanied by a Cody Firearms Museum letter identifying this rifle in caliber 32 with 26″ oct bbl, plain trigger, fancy checkered stock with pistol grip and Swiss cheekpiece and case hardened. Received in warehouse June 20, 1894 and shipped same day to Order #15215. This rifle is pictured on p. 141 of Volume I of Winchester New Model 1873, Gordon. While deluxe ’73s in caliber 32 are not uncommon, they are rarely found with color case hardened receivers and with the addition of the Swiss cheekpiece, Swiss buttplate and vernier tang sight makes this a very rare rifle. It is likely that this rifle was purchased for 200 yard off hand competition shooting. The low recoil caliber in this heavy rifle would have been ideal and that, combined with the other features, makes this a very strong likelihood. PROVENANCE: Wes Adams Estate Collection. CONDITION: Very fine, all matching. Bbl & magazine tube retain 97-98% strong orig blue with faint sharp edge wear; receiver retains 80-85% orig case colors, moderately to heavily faded, strong on sideplates, turned silver over bottom & top front edges; hammer retains strong bright case colors and the lever bright case colors on sides, fading on outer faces; dust cover is a plummy/blue patina. Wood is sound with a few light handling & storage nicks & scratches with buttstock retaining about all of its bright, orig piano varnish finish and the forearm about 70% strong orig finish, showing wear on bottom rear with moderate wear on checkiering. Mechanics are crisp, brilliant shiny bore. 4-44564 JR69 (30,000-40,000)

Auction: Firearms - Fall 2012

Please Note: All prices include the hammer price plus the buyer’s premium, which is paid by the buyer as part of the purchase price. The prices noted here after the auction are considered unofficial and do not become official until after the 46th day.

Image	Lot	Price	Description
	1052	$43,125.00	RARE SPECIAL ORDER DELUXE WINCHESTER MODEL 1873 LEVER ACTION RIFLE. SN 478331. Cal. 32 WCF (32-20). Beautiful deluxe ’73 with special order 26″ oct bbl, full magazine, German silver Rocky Mountain front sight, semi-buckhorn rear sight and vernier tang sight with 4″ staff. Receiver & forend cap are color case hardened. Mounted with very highly figured, center crotch, flame grain American walnut with H-style checkered forearm and serpentine grip buttstock with black insert and deep Swiss cheekpiece and nickeled brass Swiss buttplate. Left side of lower tang is marked with assembly number “1431”, “XXX” and “SRB”. Top tang channel of buttstock and inside toe of buttplate have matching assembly numbers. Accompanied by a Cody Firearms Museum letter identifying this rifle in caliber 32 with 26″ oct bbl, plain trigger, fancy checkered stock with pistol grip and Swiss cheekpiece and case hardened. Received in warehouse June 20, 1894 and shipped same day to Order #15215. This rifle is pictured on p. 141 of Volume I of Winchester New Model 1873, Gordon. While deluxe ’73s in caliber 32 are not uncommon, they are rarely found with color case hardened receivers and with the addition of the Swiss cheekpiece, Swiss buttplate and vernier tang sight makes this a very rare rifle. It is likely that this rifle was purchased for 200 yard off hand competition shooting. The low recoil caliber in this heavy rifle would have been ideal and that, combined with the other features, makes this a very strong likelihood. PROVENANCE: Wes Adams Estate Collection. CONDITION: Very fine, all matching. Bbl & magazine tube retain 97-98% strong orig blue with faint sharp edge wear; receiver retains 80-85% orig case colors, moderately to heavily faded, strong on sideplates, turned silver over bottom & top front edges; hammer retains strong bright case colors and the lever bright case colors on sides, fading on outer faces; dust cover is a plummy/blue patina. Wood is sound with a few light handling & storage nicks & scratches with buttstock retaining about all of its bright, orig piano varnish finish and the forearm about 70% strong orig finish, showing wear on bottom rear with moderate wear on checkiering. Mechanics are crisp, brilliant shiny bore. 4-44564 JR69 (30,000-40,000) Auction: Firearms - Fall 2012 Please Note: All prices include the hammer price plus the buyer’s premium, which is paid by the buyer as part of the purchase price. The prices noted here after the auction are considered unofficial and do not become official until after the 46th day.

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