SHARP Winchester 1873 3rd Model Musket, .44-40 WCF

SOLD FOR: $3,350.00
LSB#: 
190118KE14

Make: Winchester

Model: 1873 Musket

Serial Number: 571091B

Year of Manufacture: 1903

Caliber: 44-40 Winchester (44 Winchester Center Fire)

Action Type: Lever Action with Tubular Magazine

Markings: The top of the barrel is marked “WINCHESTER’S REPEATING ARMS. NEW HAVEN, CT. / KING’S IMPROVEMENT PATENTED MARCH 29.1866. OCTOBER 16.1860.” and at the receiver with “44 W.C.F.”. The lower tang is marked “571091B”. The upper tang is marked “MODEL 1873”. The bottom of the carrier is marked “44 CAL.”.

Barrel Length: 30″ Round

Sights / Optics: The front sight is a tapered blade integral to a rectangular base fixed to the front of the barrel. The rear sight is a folding ladder-type with “V” notch when folded down and a “V”-notched slider on a ladder marked from “2” to “8” when folded up. There is a small “V” notch in the top of the ladder. The top tang is drilled, tapped and filled for a tang sight (none included).

Stock Configuration & Condition: The stocks are a two-piece walnut set with nosecap, two barrel bands, straight grip, straight comb, carbine-style steel buttplate with sliding door, a sling swivel in the belly and another mounted to the forward barrel band. The stock has a storage compartment behind the sliding door in the buttplate. The stocks have some scattered light bruises, compressions, drag lines and scuffs with a few light-moderate gouges in the right of the buttstock just forward of the sling swivel. There are no chips or cracks. The LOP measures 12 3/4″ from the front of the trigger to the back of the buttplate. The plate retains strong case coloring with finish wear at the heel and toe, a few scattered light scratches in the middle, a few spots of light surface erosion at the toe and some light surface oxidation on the top tang, in about Very Good-plus condition. Overall, the stocks rate in about Very Good-Fine condition.

Type of Finish: Blued with Case-Colored Hammer, Trigger, Lever & Buttplate

Finish Originality: Original

Bore Condition: The bore is bright and the rifling is sharp. There is no erosion in the bore.

Overall Condition: This rifle retains about 94% of its metal finish. The finish is lightly thinning at some edges. The barrel bands and nosecap show some scattered light finish wear and light marks with a spot of light surface erosion on the left of the nosecap. The barrel shows only a few scattered light marks. The receiver has spots of light surface erosion on the left flat at the bottom-front, the radiused edge at the front of the left flat, the left and right edges at the bottom to either side of the lifter, the top edge of the left sideplate and the top and bottom edges of the right flat. The receiver has some scattered light marks, the most notable being a few impact marks on the right flat behind the sideplate. The hammer, trigger and lever have strong case coloring with very light, infrequent wear. The screw heads are mostly sharp with a few showing light tool marks with strong slots. The markings are clear. Overall, this rifle is in about Fine condition.

Mechanics: The action functions correctly. The hammer has a half-cock safety position, lever safety, lever lock on the lower tang, and a dust cover on the receiver that slides on an integral rail typical of the Third Models. We have not fired this rifle. As with all used firearms, a thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance standards.

Box, Paperwork & Accessories: This rifle has a five-piece cleaning rod stored in the compartment in the butt. The sections show scattered light use wear with infrequent small spots of light surface oxidation, in about Very Good condition.

Our Assessment: One of the most successful, and certainly one of the most famous Winchester rifles was the Winchester Model 1873, known as “The Gun that Won the West” for its predominant role in the hands of Western settlers. The Model 1873 had a steel frame that was much stronger than the brass framed Model 1866, allowing Winchester to develop a family of powerful new cartridges, with Colt usually producing Single Action Army revolvers in the same calibers shortly after they were developed. The .44-40 Win. cartridge, also known as the .44 WCF, was introduced by Winchester in 1873 as Winchester’s first metallic centerfire cartridge. Colt produced a single action revolver chambered for this cartridge in 1877. Through law enforcement use and hunting, and made popular through its dual use in rifle and pistol, the .44-40 soon became the most popular cartridge in the United States. It led to the M1873 Winchester being called “The Gun That Won The West”, and has the reputation of killing more deer in the United States than any other save the .30-30 Winchester. This Model 1873 Musket was made in 1903 and has a 30” round barrel chambered for 44-40 and a carbine-style buttplate with sliding-door compartment holding a 5-piece cleaning rod. The rifle is in about Fine overall condition with about 94% of its finish, a bright bore with sharp rifling and no erosion, and strong mechanics. This rifle is 116 years of age, and looks like it could have been made less than 20 years ago! The 1873 muskets are not particularly common and one in this condition is a very rare find, indeed. It deserves a spot in a collection of lever action rifles next to its 1866, 1876, 1892 and 1894 cousins. Please see our photos and good luck!

CA Legal or CA Private Party Transferable: This C&R eligible rifle can be sold in California.

SHARP Winchester 1873 3rd Model Musket, .44-40 WCF
SHARP Winchester 1873 3rd Model Musket, .44-40 WCF