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LOT 3022
Exceptional Antique Winchester Model 1873
Lever Action Saddle Ring Carbine - Serial no.
190547B, 38 WCF cal., 20 inch round bbl., blue
finish, walnut stock. Manufactured in 1885, this is
an exceptional example of the iconic Winchester
Model 1873 carbine. With the exception of
possibly the Winchester Model 1866, there are
perhaps few longarms so deeply rooted in the
turbulence and triumph of the American frontier.
The Model 1873 became known as “the gun that
won the West”, and partnered with Colt’s famous
“Peacemaker” as a sidearm, are arguably the most
legendary of all frontier firearms. The “Peacemaker” and the ‘73, in their many
shared calibers, gave those with a bold enough spirit to brave the West the ability
to source and carry just one type of ammunition to feed both a longarm and a sidearm, a
welcome option in a region that remained far from settled and civilized. These early Model 1873 carbines were found,
more often than not, slung across a saddle for decades in the harsh elements of the American West, leaving a scarce few
available to collectors in high condition like this one. This example has the third model receiver, with the integral dust
cover guide on top and the dust cover with grip serrations at the rear. The top of the barrel is marked with the standard
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 marked on the lower
tang. It is fitted with the standard block blade front sight, a folding ladder rear sight, and a saddle ring on the left of the
receiver. It is mounted with a smooth forearm and straight grip stock with a trapdoor carbine buttplate containing an
included three-piece cleaning rod.
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