Page 54 - 4095-BOOK3
P. 54
LOT 3049
Very Scarce, Documented, Antique Special
Order Nickel Plated Winchester Model 1873 Lever Action Rifle
with Extra Length 32 Inch Barrel in .38-40 W.C.F. with Factory Letter -
Serial no. 245355B, 38-40 WCF cal., 32 inch octagon bbl., blue/nickel finish, walnut
stock. Manufactured in 1887, this is a very fine, special ordered, extra length, nickel plated
example of Winchester’s famous Model 1873, commonly known as “the gun that won the West”.
These guns were immensely popular on the frontier, in part due to sharing many calibers with the
iconic Colt Single Action Army revolver, allowing one to source only one type of ammunition to keep both their
long gun and their sidearm fed. When one thinks of the of firearms of the western frontier, it is very difficult to picture anything
before a Winchester Model 1873 and a Colt “Peacemaker”. These rugged lever guns were seen in all manner of configurations in the American West, from a plain, easy to
handle carbine, to high grade deluxe rifles, to special ordered extra length rifles like this example. These guns were ordered to fit the preferences and the needs of the specific
owners at the time, whose wants and needs ranged as wide as the different walks of life they came from, and Winchester Repeating Arms Co. was more than willing to do whatever
it too fulfill their desires. The included factory letter lists the rifle in .38 caliber with a 32 inch octagon barrel, a set trigger, nickel finish, and mid-range Vernier and Beach sight when
received at the warehouse on 12 August 1887 and shipped on 3 April 1888 in order number 5927. Noted Winchester historian and author George Madis estimates that one of every
600 Model 1873 rifles was ordered with a longer than standard barrel and one of every 600 had a full or partially plated finish. One of the only other Model 1873s we have sold here
at Rock Island Auction Company that had both nickel finish and a 32 inch barrel was a “One of One Thousand”, serial number 18390, which sold in August 2022. This rifle, in its special
ordered configuration, certainly has the appearance of having been ordered by a discerning customer interested in functionality over frills. The extended barrel and magazine offering
reduced recoil, a longer sight radius for more precise shooting, larger ammunition capacity, and possibly improved accuracy. The nickel plating offering more durability and better corrosion
resistance, set trigger offering an adjustable pull weight, and the special sights providing more precise aiming. The rifle has the Third Model receiver with the integral dust cover guide and dust
cover with grip serrations at the rear. The top of the barrel is marked with the two-line address and King’s patent marking, as well as the caliber marking at the breech, which is repeated on the bottom of the cartridge
elevator. The model marking is on the upper tang and the serial number is on the lower tang. Interestingly, despite its selection of special order features documented by the factory letter, the rifle doesn’t have assembly
numbers on the left of the lower tang, the stock inlet, or inside the buttplate. It is fitted with a special ordered, gold washed, Beach combination front sight, an elevation adjustable No. 22 “Sporting” notch rear sight, and a No. 38
mid-range Vernier peep sight mounted on the upper tang. It is mounted with a nicely figured, above standard-grade, smooth forearm and straight grip stock with a trapdoor crescent buttplate containing a five-piece cleaning
rod. The special ordered nickel trim finish encompasses the receiver, forearm cap, and buttplate.
CONDITION: Very fine, retains 60% plus of the original blue finish, 85% plus of the original nickel plating, 50% of the original case colors on the hammer and lever, and 75% of the original nitre blue on the loading gate. The
balance has primarily thinned to a smooth grey patina, mostly on high spots, and there are a some scattered patches of light flaking on the nickeled components. The wood is fine with some scattered light dings and scratches,
as well as a minor dent in the front right of the forearm. Mechanically excellent, including the set trigger. This antique Winchester Model 1873 rifle is in a very desirable special ordered configuration, that has every appearance of
having been ordered with functionality and use in mind, and remains in incredibly high condition!
Estimate: 14,000 - 22,500
52