GUN FALL 2016
The live portion of this session begins on Tuesday, October 4, 2016.
RARE AND DESIRABLE ANTIQUE WINCHESTER THIRD MODEL 1873 ROUND BARREL SHORT RIFLE. WINCHESTER 1873 509014B 44 WCF Cal. 44 WCF. 18" rnd bbl. Full magazine. Blue finish. Receiver is of stepped variety. Straight grained American walnut stocks. Bbl shows remnants of 2-line Winchester address in front of rear-sight with cal mark at breech-end. Upper tang of receiver is marked Model 1873 with finials. SN is stamped on lower tang behind lever latch. Elevator is marked "44 CAL". Straight grain American walnut buttstock has a crescent buttplate. Forearm is 8-3/8" long, which is correct. Center of magazine hanger mortise is 3-3/4". Center of front-sight mortise is 15/16" from muzzle. Accompanied by a Cody Firearms Museum Letter dated September 26, 2011, confirming cal, bbl length and configuration, and showing shipment on February 11, 1897. Order number 2888. 18" short rifles are very uncommon as opposed to the traditional 20" variation. CONDITION: Good, for this type of rifle. Bbl and magazine tube are silver-gray overall with pitting and a partially visible bbl address. Cal mark is clear. Bore is frosty with visible rifling. Rear sight elevator is a replacement. Receiver is also a silver-gray finish with heavy pitting, especially on right side. Upper tang mark is readable. Lower tang serial mark is clear. Elevator is a deep mustard brown patina, with a visible cal mark and some slight dents. Hammer and lever are both a deep silver-gray patina, with some pitting. Stocks are good, under-sized, with heavy handling marks overall, and a small crack behind upper tang on left side. Forearm has chips missing on both sides at forward end. Buttplate is a dark brown patina with pitting on tang. Forend cap is a silver-gray patina with heavy pitting. This is an excellent example of a "Border Model" Winchester short rifle" that without doubt saw extremely heavy service, probably during the Mexican Revolution of 1910. 50506-21 TEP (5,000-8,000)