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LOT 34
Exceptional Deluxe Special Order Winchester Model 1873 Lever Action Rifle with Factory Letter - Serial no. 89050, 44 WCF cal., 24 inch octagon bbl., blue/casehardened finish, deluxe checkered walnut stock. This is an exceptional Winchester Deluxe Model 1873 lever action
rifle with extensive special order features. The example has the Second Model receiver with screw-fastened dust cover rail and dust cover with serrated finger guide. The rifle has a blued full-octagon barrel, dust cover, bolt and loading gate. The forearm cap, hammer, trigger, lever and crescent buttplate are color casehardened and the receiver has the very desirable, special order, casehardened finish. The forearm and pistol grip stock are deluxe fancy grain walnut with checkered panels and a high polish piano finish. The bottom of the pistol grip has an ebony inlay. In addition to the special order casehardened receiver, deluxe checkered pistol grip stock and forearm and rare combination of full octagon barrel and half-magazine the rifle is equipped with other special order features which include: (1) globe front sight, (2) folding leaf tang sight and (3) single set trigger. The rifle is accompanied by a Cody Firearms Museum factory letter
that describes it as: “Type: Rifle, Barrel: Octagon, Trigger: Set, Checkered Stock, Pistol Grip, Casehardened and Sights: Peep & Globe Sights”. The letter states this rifle was shipped from the Winchester warehouse on May 31, 1882. In addition to the special order features the rifle has
a standard buckhorn sporting rear sight and the butt plate has a sliding brass trap door. The butt trap contains a four-piece jointed steel cleaning rod with brass tip. The top of the barrel
is roll-stamped with the legend: “WINCHESTER’S-REPEATING ARMS. NEW HAVEN. CT./KING’S- IMPROVEMENT-PATENTED-MARCH 29.1866. OCTOBER 16. 1860.” in two-lines ahead of the rear sight. The serial number is stamped in small numerals on the lower tang behind the lever latch.
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