GUN SPRING 2017
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 4/11/2017
EXTREMELY RARE FIRST MODEL FIRST PRODUCTION WINCHESTER MODEL 1873 SADDLE RING CARBINE.WINCHESTER1873 SRC15344WCFCal 44 WCF (44-40). Standard grade carbine with 20" bbl, full magazine, integral front band/front sight that has been altered. Rear sight is 1866 style, 2-position flip sight that has had its 500 yd aperture broken off. Receiver is 1st type with mortised raised thumbprint first type dust cover. Mounted with uncheckered straight grain American walnut with straight stock & carbine buttplate with trap. The bbl & carrier are not caliber marked which is standard for these early '73s. The top tang is also unmarked which is standard. The bottom tang, between the lever latch & tang screw is engraved "Model 1873 / 153". Early 1873s were so marked until about serial number 350. Early 1873s were fitted with left over 1866 bbls which had rifling that would not stabilize the new more powerful 44-40 bullets. Apparently Winchester received a lot of complaints and redesigned the bbl rifling for better bullet stability. Many of the early '73s were returned to be re-barreled. It appears that this bbl may be one of those early replacements. Th rifling is 5 lands & grooves and is very deep. CONDITION: Good. Bbl & magazine tube retain a cleaned silver/brown patina. Receiver & side plates retain 25-30% orig blue, mostly on the side plates with blue turning brown around the staple on the left side. Lever, hammer & buttplate are a silver/brown patina. Wood is sound with nicks & dings and retains most of an old restored oil finish. Mechanics are fine, strong sharp bore with fine pitting. 51379-13 JRL (3,000-5,000)