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LOT 3006
Very Fine Antique Special Order Winchester Deluxe
Second Model 1873 Lever Action Rifle with Highly Desirable
Casehardened Frame and Factory Letter - Serial no. 44243, 44 WCF
cal., 24 inch part octagon bbl., blue/casehardened finish, deluxe walnut
checkered pistol grip stock. Manufactured in 1878, this is a very fine example
of a special ordered, deluxe Winchester Model 1873 rifle with the highly
desirable casehardened receiver. The included factory letter lists the rifle with a
half octagon barrel, half magazine, plain trigger, casehardened finish, and a checkered pistol grip
stock when shipped on 9 February 1880. Noted Winchester historian and author George Madis states
that approximately one of every 900 Model ‘73 rifles had a part octagon barrel, one of every 270 had a special
length magazine, one of every 380 had a pistol grip, one of every 600 had a special buttplate, and one of every
700 had checkered wood. Though these statistics are approximations, they show how rare this specific rifle is
in its special ordered, deluxe configuration. No solid statistics are available on the number of Model 1873s with
casehardened finishes are available, though it is relatively quite scarce compared to the total production. These
early production Winchester Model 1873s, even in special ordered deluxe configurations like this one, often saw
many years of use on the American frontier, helping to forge its legacy as “the gun that won the West”, but leaving
very few high condition examples like this remaining for today’s collectors. This particular rifle has the second
model receiver with the dust cover guide retained with two screws and the dust cover with grip serrations at the
rear. The top of the barrel has the standard two-line address and King’s patent markings. The rifle correctly lacks
caliber markings, as the only caliber offered until 1879 was .44-40 W.C.F., and it otherwise has standard markings,
including the serial number on the lower tang. It is fitted with a Beach combination front sight, an elevation
adjustable notch rear sight, and a Vernier type peep sight on the upper tang. The receiver, hammer, lever, and
forearm cap all have the desirable casehardened finish. It is mounted with a very nicely figured, H-pattern
checkered forearm and straight grip stock with an ebony insert in the base of the pistol grip and a smooth steel
shotgun buttplate.
CONDITION: Very fine, retaining 90% plus of the original blue finish on the barrel and magazine tube with some
very minor finish wear at the muzzle. The buttplate retains 60% of the original blue with mild wear and light
pitting on the heel and toe. The forearm cap, lever, and hammer have 75% plus vivid original case colors. The
casehardened receiver proudly exhibits 90% vivid, original colors, with some grey patina on the rear sides of the
frame. The deluxe walnut stock and forearm are excellent with limited wear, a few scattered minor handling marks,
crisp checkering, and almost all the original varnish. Mechanically excellent. This is a very attractive and highly
desirable early production example of a special ordered, deluxe Winchester Model 1873 rifle!
Estimate: 18,000 - 27,500