Winchester Model 1873 .22 Long Rifle 24″ Lever Action Rifle Antique
SOLD FOR: $2,192.00
LSB#: LSB260602CL018
Make: Winchester
Model: 1873 Rifle
Serial Number: 237558B
Year of Manufacture: 1887 Antique
Caliber: .22 Long Rifle, the chamber has been reamed.
Action Type: Lever Action with Full Length Tubular Magazine
Barrel Length: 24”
Sights / Optics: The front sight is a blade dovetailed into the barrel. The rear sight is a semi buckhorn V notch spring leaf with elevator dovetailed into the barrel. The upper tang is drilled and tapped for a peep sight.
Stock Configuration & Condition: The stocks are two-piece smooth walnut with capped forend, straight grip, straight comb, and crescent steel rifle style buttplate. The LOP is 13″ from trigger to buttplate. The stock has been refinished. There are scratches and compression dents throughout. There are vice marks on the forend. There are no structural cracks. Overall this stock is in Good condition as antique.
Type of Finish: Blued
Finish Originality: Original
Bore Condition: The bore is semi bright. There is light erosion and pitting throughout. In this writer’s opinion this bore rates 7/10.
Most antique firearms have bores that will show erosion. This is not only due to age but to the use of black powder. When fired, black powder reacts corrosively. NRA Antique Firearm Conditions Standards are quite lenient for bores. In some cases, the NRA standards disregarded the bore’s condition for collectors’ firearms.
Overall Condition: This rifle retains about 20% of its original blued finish. The majority of the metal has worn to brown patina with corrosion staining. There are scratches and nicks throughout. There are tool marks around the sights. The screw heads are tooled but serviceable. The markings are clear. Overall this rifle is in Good condition as antique.
Mechanics: The action functions correctly. 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: None
Our Assessment: The Winchester Model 1873 is one of the most recognizable American lever-action rifles of the 19th century, and this 1887 antique example is especially interesting in its altered .22 Long Rifle chambering. It features a 24″ barrel, full-length tubular magazine, straight-grip walnut furniture, crescent steel buttplate, and traditional barrel-mounted sights. The chamber has been reamed for .22 Long Rifle, so this rifle should be regarded as a modified example rather than an original factory .22 LR configuration.
The Model 1873 became one of Winchester’s defining firearms and helped establish the company’s reputation for reliable repeating rifles across the American West. Rimfire Model 1873 rifles are particularly notable because they represent a less common branch of the platform compared with the familiar centerfire chamberings. This rifle’s later chamber modification reflects the long service lives of many 19th-century sporting arms, which were often altered to accommodate more readily available ammunition.
This rifle retains about 20% of its original blued finish, with most of the metal worn to brown patina and showing corrosion staining, scratches, nicks, and tool marks around the sights. The refinished walnut stocks remain in Good antique condition with scratches, compression dents, and vice marks on the forend but no structural cracks. The semi-bright bore shows light erosion and pitting throughout and rates 7/10, while the action functions correctly. Overall, this is a Good-condition antique Winchester Model 1873 with strong historical character, though its reamed .22 Long Rifle chamber materially affects originality. Please see our photos for a better understanding of the condition and good luck with your bids! MF