September 20th 2015 Premier Firearms Sale
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 9/19/2015
.44-40 WCF with a 20" barrel. Manufactured 1881. Arguably one of the most widely recognized firearm ever manufactured is the Winchester Model 1873 Saddle Ring Carbine. This is a standard issue second model which features the thumbprint dust cover that rides on the rail with single rail screw. This example has seen a lot of history. All metal surface are a dark brown chocolate patina with a few minor areas of roughness on left side of tube and frame. It has the early style front barrel band integral sight, early folding single leaf rear sight, original saddle ring and stud, walnut stocks with carbine buttplate and trapdoor. The buttplate is brass and is a replacement utilizing a Model 1866 and does not fit the wood very well, but is an untouched mustard color and appears to have been on this rifle forever. The butt stock near the plate has some chipping and damage in a 2" area with the usual minor abrasions elsewhere. There is an ancient two-pin repair at left wrist that holds a 2" piece of wood at tang. It is rather ill-fitting and does not match the forend, so it was replaced long ago. Most of the screws have some level of burring. The brass lifter has never been cleaned. Visible rifling but there are black powder abrasions and a slight ring inside barrel, 2-1/2" from muzzle which is slightly visible on the exterior of the barrel. The Second Model Saddle Ring .44 Carbine is amongst the rarest of the different models due to the very short production period in which they were manufactured. This example obviously saw lots of use. It has that Wild West look about it, so popular that these guns have become as much of an iconic decoration in the gun room as they are a firearm. Their historical significance is recognized worldwide.