GUN FALL 2016
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 10/4/2016
EXTRAORDINARY AND RARE WINCHESTER DELUXE THIRD MODEL 1873 RIFLE WITH 20" HALF ROUND HALF OCTAGON BARREL, CASED COLOR RECEIVER AND GOLD TRIM. WINCHESTER 1873 252827 44 WCF Cal. 38 WCF. 20" half rnd half oct bbl. Full magazine. Blue and case color finish with gold trim. Highly figured American walnut stocks with checkered pistol grip and forend. Butt of pistol grip has ebony insert. Bbl has been rolled with 2-line Winchester address in front of rear-sight with cal mark at breech end. Front sight is notched at rear. Sporting rear-sight. Receiver has Model 1873 with finials marked on upper tang. SN is marked on lower tang behind lever latch. Elevator is marked "38 CAL". Left side of lower tang shows assembly no. "1149" with "CF" stamped to rear. Upper tang mortise of buttstock shows assembly no. "1183" and a "P" at forward end of mortise. Buttplate is not marked. Accompanying this rifle is a Cody Firearms Museum Letter dated November 8, 1996, which states rifle 44 cal, half oct, 20" bbl, plain trigger, checkered stock, pistol grip, case hardened. Shipment was on December 13, 1887. Work order number 809. Letter also states returned and repaired on Jan 16, 1888. "Gold trims", order 3317. Caliber likely changed to .38 WCF as well. CONDITION: Fine. Bbl retains 20% blue finish, drifting to a plumb-brown patina with light mars and scratches overall. Magazine tube is also a plumb-brown patina with some blue showing in protected areas. Bbl markings are sharp. Bore is bright with strong rifling, with only a little frostiness. Receiver shows 50-60% case color finish, that is somewhat silvered out overall, with vivid color around the hammer on the upper tang and on lower tang. Receiver has some light scratches overall. Dust cover shows 50% blue finish with some light scratches. Loading gate shows a generous amount of fire-blue. Elevator is a mustard-yellow patina with clear cal mark. Firing pin shows a generous amount of blue finish. Hammer shows vivid case color on both sides and rear. Checkering is sharp. Lever shows muted case color overall that is vivid near hinge. Lever latch shows a generous amount of case color. Trigger shows nearly all of gold plated finish. Stocks are very good with considerable varnish finish and handling marks overall, especially on left side of buttstock. Buttstock shows a minuscule amount of fill at rear of each tang. Checkering is somewhat smooth with some light dents on left side of pistol grip. Buttplate retains 50% thinning gold finish with slight erosion at heel. Trap door shows almost all of gold plate finish. Forend cap shows almost all of thinning gold finish, as does the magazine hanger. An extremely rare and seldom, if ever seen, variation of a Winchester Model 1873 rifle, with finish features confirmed by the factory record. 50506-22 TEP (15,000-25,000)