April 9th & 10th Premier Firearms Sale (MFIRE)
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 4/9/2016
24” barrel in .44-40 WCF. It is astonishing that we can still find today, nearly 120 years after it was manufactured, a Model 1873 Winchester that has survived in nearly unused condition. In addition to the superb condition, this rifle is in the most popular of all calibers for this model, .44. This rifle features full round barrel, full magazine, Winchester sporting front and rear sight, blue finish, highly finished walnut stocks, rifle butt plate, with case colored hammer and lever. The remaining finish on the frame is truly spectacular. Retains 93-95% of the most lustrous, rich, velvety blue imaginable. Screw heads are perfect. There is some minor age freckling barely worth mentioning and some extremely minor high edge wear. The fire blue loading gate is brilliant. Case colors on the hammer and lever are virtually all present, some brilliant. Even the butt plate has traces of case colors. Walnut stocks are near mint with a couple of minor abrasions, beautifully fitted and untouched. For-end cap retains approximately 80% of the original blue. Barrel legends are sharp as new. Magazine tube is a perfect blend of aged patina coming through the blue finish. Barrel retains approximately 85% or better of the original blue finish, with an area of thinning on right side from storage only, and some minor age freckling on left-hand side. Strong and mirror-shiny bore. Action is perfect. Simply an incredible .44 caliber Model 1873 classic rifle. Factory research: shipped March 15, 1887; rifle, round barrel, .44 caliber.