Winchester 3rd Model 1873 Deluxe .38-40 W.C.F. Lever Rifle 1895 Antique
SOLD FOR: $2,475.00
LSB#: LSB260412PC005
Make: Winchester
Model: 1873 Deluxe
Serial Number: 500811
Year of Manufacture: 1895 / Antique
Caliber: .38-40 W.C.F.
Action Type: Lever Action Rifle with Full-Length 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.” in front of the rear sight and “38 CAL” at the rear. The lower tang is marked “500811”. The upper tang is marked “MODEL. 1873”. The caliber marking on the bottom of the lifter has faded.
Barrel Length: 24 ¼”, Round
Sights / Optics: The front sight is a beaded blade dovetailed to the barrel. The rear sight is a u-notch elevator sight dovetailed to the barrel. The riser has been removed. The tang is installed with an adjustable peep sight.
Stock Configuration & Condition: The stocks are two-piece checkered high grade walnut with capped forend, pistol grip, straight comb, and steel crescent buttplate with a sliding brass door covering a storage compartment in the butt (empty). The stocks have scattered nicks, dings, scuffs and scratches. There is an ebony inlay in the bottom of the grip. There is a sling eyelet installed in the bottom of the forend cap and another eyelet in the belly of the buttstock. There are cracks on both sides of the wrist where that stock had broken in two pieces. The break has been poorly repaired and will need to be properly repaired and reinforced. There are losses at the front of the forend. The stocks have been sanded and refinished. The checkering is worn, shallow, to smoothed entirely. There are losses in the wrist at the receiver and around the tangs. The LOP measures 12 3/4″ from the front of the trigger to the back of the buttplate. Overall, the stocks are in Poor condition as refinished Antique.
Type of Finish: Blue, Case Color
Finish Originality: Refinished. Areas have been treated with cold blue.
Bore Condition: The bore is dull with worn but defined rifling. There is modest to heavy erosion down the length. There is a squib ring toward the muzzle. In this writer’s opinion the bore rates 3/10.
Overall Condition: This rifle retains about 0-5% of its current metal finish. There are scattered nicks, dings, scuffs and scratches. The action shows operational wear. There are tool marks around most screw heads. The screw heads range from sharp to tool marked with serviceable slots. There are areas where the finish is flaked away in chunks on the barrel. There is erosion throughout.There is finish loss on the leading edges. Most of the remaining finish has taken to a dark patina with surface rust. The markings range from clear to worn, but legible. Overall, this rifle rates in Poor condition as Antique.
Mechanics: The action functions properly. Half cock safety. The lever safety is present as is the lever-lock. We did not fire this rifle. As with all used firearms, a thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance requirements.
Box, Paperwork & Accessories: This rifle includes its attached vintage leather sling in Fair Condition. There are surface cracks throughout but no rips or tears. The leather is mostly supple and pliable with a little stiffness.
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 with a number of WCF cartridges to follow including the .38-40. Colt produced single action revolvers chambered for the Winchester cartridges as well, allowing users to have a rifle and handgun which shared the same ammunition. The 1873 has a mythic status among both firearms enthusiasts and fans of the Old West in general, even inspiring the 1950 movie “Winchester ’73” starring Jimmy Stewart.
This Model 1873 Rifle was made in 1895 and looks like it served generations well and has honest wear consistent with more than a century of use. The rifle has wear consistent with its age and field use, but the mechanics are good and the bore is shootable. This would be a nice rifle to add to a Winchester collection missing the classic Model 1873. It would also be an excellent candidate for restoration. Please see our photos and good luck on your bid! – L.S.