May 28 & 29, 2020 Extraordinary, Sporting, & Collector Firearms
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 5/28/2020
Manufactured January 16th, 1878 and shipped with octagonal barrel and set trigger according to Buffalo Bill Historical Center letter. Open top Winchester Model 1873 rifles are extremely rare and a survey by Jim Gordon in his treatise of Winchester 1873 rifles reveals only 55 found at time of printing in 1997. The actual reason for the open top variation is not known; some believe it was done by Winchester to avoid a lawsuit by S.G. Bayes in response to a patent infringement complaint. Others have attributed to an ammunition issue and the trapping of exploding gases during a cartridge case failure. All observed examples of the Open Top 1873 Rifle are found numbered in the 27,200-27,999 range according to Gordon. This rifle is fitted with a 24 - 1/4" octagon barrel, two tone sporting blade front sight, elevator adjustable Rocky Mountain sporting rear sight, full magazine, and American walnut stocks with crescent butt with sliding brass trap for cleaning rod. CONDITION: Very good with metal remaining in a dove grey with mottled patina. Stocks are good with period bruises and impressions and being full sized with a minute amount of material loss at top of wrist. Bore is dark with very strong rifling. Action operates properly and locks up solidly. Comes with copy of factory letter. An extremely rare and desirable example of one of Winchesters great rarities. TDW
Paperwork
Copy of Factory Letter