GUN FALL 2015
The live portion of this session begins on Monday, October 5, 2015.
SCARCE WINCHESTER MODEL 1873 SPECIAL ORDER LEVER ACTION RIFLE. WINCHESTER 1873 225384 38 WCF (38-40) Cal. 38 WCF (38-40). Standard grade rifle with scarce special order 26" oct bbl, full magazine, half nickel front sight and semi-buckhorn rear sight. Receiver is small bore type with stepped receiver ring on top which is found only on those '73 rifles in cal. 38, 32 and 22. Receiver is 3rd type with integral dust cover rail and third type dust cover. Mounted with nicely figured, uncheckered American walnut which includes straight stock and crescent buttplate with trap containing an orig 4-pc all steel cleaning rod. This rifle was produced in about 1887, a time of the great westward expansion of Manifest Destiny when repeating arms were in great demand, especially the Model 1873 (the gun that won the west). Firearms of that era were a daily use tool on the American frontier and usually saw hard service in a saddle scabbard or wagon box, often without regular maintenance and are rarely found today with high orig finish. CONDITION: Very fine. Bbl and magazine tube retain 96-98% strong orig blue with a couple of small clean spots on the bbl and the bottom radius of the magazine tube turning a little plummy. Receiver and side plates retain 80-85% orig blue, strong and bright on left side, top and bottom with the right side plate and right front flat fading to a blue/brown patina. Otherwise receiver shows only sharp edge wear. Lever retains very bright case colors on left side and rear edge with right side moderately faded. Hammer retains strong case colors on the sides, faded to silver on outer faces. Buttplate retains about 50% faded case colors turned brown on the tang. Wood is sound with some light nicks & scratches, a few small chemical spots on the left side of buttstock and overall retains most of its orig oil finish. Mechanics are crisp. Bright shiny bore. Cleaning rod is fine. 49432-15 JR (4,000-6,000)