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The rifle has the Second Model receiver with dust cover rail secured by two screws and dust cover with serrated finger guide. The receiver has the stepped top found on .22, .32 and .38 caliber Model 1873s. The rifle has a 24 inch full octagon barrel and full length magazine. The barrel has a standard sporting style front sight
with nickel silver blade and a sporting style buckhorn rear sight. A Lyman folding combination peep with base marked “Pat. May 6/84.” is mounted on the upper receiver tang. The buttplate has a sliding brass trapdoor. The top of the barrel is roll-stamped with the legend: “WINCHESTER’S REPEATING ARMS. NEW HAVEN.
CONN. U.S.A./-KING’S IMPROVEMENT PATENTED MARCH 29. 1866 October 16. 1860.-” ahead of the rear sight. The caliber “38 W.C.F.” is stamped on the top barrel flat between the rear sight and the receiver. “38 CAL.” is roll stamped in script on the brass cartridge elevator. There is no serial number on the bottom or sides of the lower tang. The writer has no explanation for the aforementioned unusual feature. The assembly number “1600” is stamped on the inside of the upper tang inlet of the stock and on the inside of the buttplate.
CONDITION: Excellent. The rifle retains 95% of the original blue finish overall. The loading gate and dust cover have 90% of the blue finish. The receiver has 85% plus of the original casehardened finish with vivid case colors. The case colors on the forearm cap, hammer, trigger, lever and buttplate are slightly muted but are at 95%. The markings on the barrel, cartridge elevator and tang sight are crisp. The highly figured fancy grain forearm is excellent and the stock is very good with a crack on the left side of the grip area. The finely checkered panels show
only light-moderate handling wear. Both the stock and forearm retain 95% of the high polish piano finish. Wear is limited to a few scattered and very minor handling marks. This is an excellent example of a deluxe special order Second Model Winchester 1873 rifle with very desirable casehardened receiver and fancy grain pistol grip stock with the added very rare feature of being an unserialized example!
Estimate: 30,000 - 50,000
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