SCARCE FIRST MODEL SECOND TYPE WINCHESTER MODEL 1873 LEVER ACTION RIFLE WITH FACTORY LETTER.

SN 29166. Cal. 44 WCF (44-40). Special order case color hardened rifle with 24-1/4 oct bbl, full magazine, half nickel front sight and early style short semi-buckhorn, rear sight with checkered edges. Receiver is 1st type with mortised dust cover rails and 2nd type dust cover with impressed thumb print. Mounted with uncheckered straight grain American walnut with straight stock & crescent buttplate with trap. Left side of lower tang, under the wood is marked with the assembly number “337” with matching assembly number in top tang channel of buttstock and inside toe of buttplate. Accompanied by a Cody Firearms Museum letter which identifies this firearm as a rifle with oct bbl, case hardened receiver, received in warehouse June 7, 1878 and shipped Sept. 12, 1878 to order # 13041. The Winchester ’73 is arguably the gun that won the west along with the Colt Single Action Army revolver in the same caliber. This rifle, having been produced in 1878 was delivered at a time when the west was still wild with marauding hostile Indians, outlaws and other dangers on the American frontier. These rifles usually saw very hard service under adverse conditions in harsh weather, usually with little or no maintenance. They were the working mans tools and are rarely found today with high orig finish, especially case colors. Case colors are readily faded with exposure to the ultraviolet rays of sunshine and fade quickly to gray patina. Finding one of these early Winchesters with a high percentage of case colors is extremely rare. CONDITION: Fine, all matching. Bbl retains about 75-80% orig blue mixed with light surface etching and medium brown patina. Magazine tube retains blue in sheltered areas with the balance a plummy blue/brown patina with a couple of small scrapes. Receiver & side plates retain about 50% orig case colors, strong & bright in sheltered areas, mostly on left side. Right side is moderately to heavily faded and turning gray. Lever & hammer retain strong case colors on the sides turned silver on outer faces of lever and top edge of hammer. Forend cap retains about 25% strong case colors. Buttplate is a dark gray patina. Stock has a couple of hairlines in the wrist with light nicks & scratches over all the wood, which retains an added light finish. Mechanics are crisp, strong bright bore with good shine and some scattered pitting. 52464-1 JRL (10,000-15,000) – Lot 1039

Auction: Firearms - October 2017

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
	1039	$0.00	SCARCE FIRST MODEL SECOND TYPE WINCHESTER MODEL 1873 LEVER ACTION RIFLE WITH FACTORY LETTER. SN 29166. Cal. 44 WCF (44-40). Special order case color hardened rifle with 24-1/4 oct bbl, full magazine, half nickel front sight and early style short semi-buckhorn, rear sight with checkered edges. Receiver is 1st type with mortised dust cover rails and 2nd type dust cover with impressed thumb print. Mounted with uncheckered straight grain American walnut with straight stock & crescent buttplate with trap. Left side of lower tang, under the wood is marked with the assembly number “337” with matching assembly number in top tang channel of buttstock and inside toe of buttplate. Accompanied by a Cody Firearms Museum letter which identifies this firearm as a rifle with oct bbl, case hardened receiver, received in warehouse June 7, 1878 and shipped Sept. 12, 1878 to order # 13041. The Winchester ’73 is arguably the gun that won the west along with the Colt Single Action Army revolver in the same caliber. This rifle, having been produced in 1878 was delivered at a time when the west was still wild with marauding hostile Indians, outlaws and other dangers on the American frontier. These rifles usually saw very hard service under adverse conditions in harsh weather, usually with little or no maintenance. They were the working mans tools and are rarely found today with high orig finish, especially case colors. Case colors are readily faded with exposure to the ultraviolet rays of sunshine and fade quickly to gray patina. Finding one of these early Winchesters with a high percentage of case colors is extremely rare. CONDITION: Fine, all matching. Bbl retains about 75-80% orig blue mixed with light surface etching and medium brown patina. Magazine tube retains blue in sheltered areas with the balance a plummy blue/brown patina with a couple of small scrapes. Receiver & side plates retain about 50% orig case colors, strong & bright in sheltered areas, mostly on left side. Right side is moderately to heavily faded and turning gray. Lever & hammer retain strong case colors on the sides turned silver on outer faces of lever and top edge of hammer. Forend cap retains about 25% strong case colors. Buttplate is a dark gray patina. Stock has a couple of hairlines in the wrist with light nicks & scratches over all the wood, which retains an added light finish. Mechanics are crisp, strong bright bore with good shine and some scattered pitting. 52464-1 JRL (10,000-15,000) – Lot 1039 Auction: Firearms - October 2017 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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SCARCE FIRST MODEL SECOND TYPE WINCHESTER MODEL 1873 LEVER ACTION RIFLE WITH FACTORY LETTER.