Winchester 1873 3rd Model .44-40 WCF Lever Action Rifle 1883 Antique
SOLD FOR: $1,342.00
LSB#: LSB251109RC009
Make: Winchester
Model: 1873 Rifle Third Model
Serial Number: 144406A
Year of Manufacture: 1883
Caliber: .44-40 Winchester (.44 Winchester Center Fire)
Action Type: Lever Action with Tubular Magazine
Markings: The top of the barrel is marked “WINCHESTER REPEATING ARMS CO. NEW HAVEN CT. / KING’S – IMPROVEMENT – PATENTED – MARCH 29. 1866. OCTOBER 16 1860”. The upper tang is marked “Model 1873” The lower tang is marked “144406A”.
Barrel Length: 24” Octagonal Barrel
Sights / Optics: The front sight is a beaded blade dovetailed to the barrel. The rear sight is a standard semi-buckhorn. The upper tang is drilled, tapped, and filled for a rear sight. (Not included).
Stock Configuration & Condition: The stocks are two-piece smooth walnut with capped forend, straight grip, straight comb, and crescent buttplate with a sliding door in front of a storage compartment in the butt (nothing in the compartment). The LOP measures 12 3/4” from the front of the trigger to the back of the buttplate. The stocks have had finish added at some point. There are scratches, compression dents, and cracks throughout. There are a few spots of chipped and receded wood. The plate has worn to gray and has corrosion staining throughout. Overall, the stocks are in Fair for a refinished antique.
Type of Finish: Blued, Color Case
Finish Originality: Original
Bore Condition: The bore is gray. The rifling shows wear and pitting. There is fairly even erosion. In this writer’s opinion, the bore rates 4 out of 10 as antique.
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 almost none of its metal finish. Most of the rifle shows blue wearing to gray/brown patina. There is extensive corrosion staining that has been scrubbed. The receiver is pitted and scrubbed but retains a little case color in spots. The markings are faint but legible. Overall, this rifle is in about Good condition as Antique.
Mechanics: The action functions correctly. We have not fired this rifle. There is a lever lock on the lower tang. 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 stands as one of the most iconic firearms of the American frontier, earning its reputation as “The Gun That Won the West.” This Third Model rifle, manufactured in 1883, reflects the mature phase of Model 1873 production, when Winchester had refined the design for widespread civilian, ranch, and commercial use. The 24 inch octagonal barrel, classic iron sights, and traditional rifle configuration place this example squarely in the heart of the late 19th century sporting and working rifle era.
Chambered in .44-40 Winchester Center Fire, the cartridge most closely associated with the Model 1873, this rifle represents one of the earliest successful metallic cartridges adopted on a massive civilian scale. The .44-40 was prized for its versatility, offering manageable recoil, effective performance on game and livestock predators, and compatibility with period revolvers. The bore on this example is gray with worn rifling and visible pitting, showing fairly even erosion throughout and rating approximately 4 out of 10 for an antique, a condition typical of black powder-era rifles that saw regular use.
Overall condition reflects extensive age and honest frontier wear, with almost none of the original metal finish remaining and the balance worn to a gray-brown patina. The receiver shows pitting and evidence of scrubbing, though traces of original case color remain in protected areas, and the markings are faint but still legible. The walnut stocks have had finish added at some point and show cracks, compression dents, chipped areas, and general wear consistent with long service, presenting as fair for a refinished antique. Mechanically, the action functions correctly, and the rifle retains its lower tang lever lock. As an 1883 Winchester Model 1873 in .44-40 WCF, this rifle stands as a well-used but authentic survivor from the height of America’s lever-action frontier era. We are no longer offering layaway. Please see our photos for a better understanding of condition and good luck with your bids! MF
