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The rifle has a blue finish on the barrel, magazine, forearm cap,
frame, dust cover and crescent buttplate. The hammer and lever
are color casehardened. The stock and forearm are deluxe fancy gain
walnut with fine checkered panels and a high polish piano finish. The left side plate
is factory engraved with a whitetail buck in an oval panel surrounded by open scroll engraving. The right side plate and frame are decorated with open scrollwork and single line borders. Scrollwork flourishes are engraved on the dust cover, top of the receiver, upper tang, bottom of the receiver and cartridge elevator. The receiver has the step found on later production short rifles and Third Model integral dust cover rail and dust cover with serrated edges. The barrel has a dovetail mounted Sheard front sight with brass bead and rare Winchester folding leaf express rear sight. The rear sight features one fixed and three folding leaves graduated from 100-400 yards. The action has a factory set trigger. The stock is fitted with a crescent buttplate with sliding brass trapdoor. Mounts for detachable sling swivels are located on the forearm cap and stock. The left barrel flat is die-stamped “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. “44 W.C.F.” is roll stamped on the left barrel flat just ahead of the receiver. The oval “W/P” Winchester proofmarks are stamped on the top barrel flat and top of the receiver. “44 CAL” is stamped on the cartridge elevator in script letters. The upper receiver tang is die-stamped “MODEL 1873” in fancy letters with foliate devices at either end. The serial number is stamped in script numerals between the lever latch and the tang screw. The combination of a short rifle configuration with factory engraving, deluxe stock and forearm, special order features, and interesting shipping history make this rifle a one-of-a-kind piece.