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LOT 3005
Exceptional Deluxe Special Order Winchester Model 1873 Lever Action Rifle with Factory Letter - Serial no. 62132, 44-40 WCF cal., 24 inch part octagon bbl., blue/casehardened finish, walnut checkered stock. The factory letter confirms this outstanding rifle was received in the warehouse
on January 20, 1881, and shipped the same day as part of order number 23277 in rifle configuration with a “1/2 Octagon” barrel, plain shotgun buttstock with checkered buttplate, 1/2 magazine, and casehardened receiver. The receiver has the Second Model dust cover rail secured by two screws and late Second Model dust cover with serrated finger grip. The stock and forearm arm highly figured, fancy grain walnut. The barrel has a sporting style front sight with nickel silver blade and buckhorn sporting style rear sight with knurled edges. The upper receiver tang is factory drilled and tapped. The bottom of
the pistol grip has an ebony inlay. The barrel, half- magazine, dust cover, loading gate, bolt and shotgun buttplate are blued, and the forearm cap, hammer, trigger, and lever are color casehardened. The stock and forearm have a high polish piano finish. The top barrel flat is roll-stamped with the two line legend: “WINCHESTER’S- REPEATING ARMS. NEW HAVEN. CT./ KING’S-IMPROVEMENT-PATENTED-MARCH 29. 1866.
OCTOBER 16. 1860.” ahead of the rear sight. The upper receiver tang is roll-stamped: “MODEL. 1873” in fancy letters. The serial number is stamped in small letters on the lower tang between the lever latch and the tang screw. There are no caliber markings on the barrel or cartridge elevator.
CONDITION: Extremely fine, with 90% plus of the original blue and 70% plus original casehardened finish. The forearm cap, receiver, hammer and lever have strong case colors with minimal fading. The barrel has some minor finish loss at the muzzle and some light scratches along the right side but retains most of the blue finish. The barrel legend
is very crisp. The dust cover and loading gate have 95% plus of the bright blue finish. The buttplate shows moderate handling and storage wear and retains 70% of the blue finish with some finish loss and surface rust around the upper buttplate screw and age discoloration across the balance of the buttplate. The stock and forearm are excellent with 95% of the high polish piano finish. Wear is limited to a few very insignificant handling and storage marks. The checkering on the forearm and pistol grip is extremely sharp. This is an excellent example of a scarce and very desirable Special Order Deluxe Winchester Model 1873 rifle.
Estimate: 55,000 - 85,000
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