April 11-13, 2023 Firearms and Militaria
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 4/11/2023
Third model musket manufactured in 1903. Standard full length blued 30" round barrel chambered in .44-40 with 2-line address, blade front sight, and musket style ladder rear sight graduated to 800 yards. Standard polish blued receiver with integral dust cover guide, smooth dust cover, and case hardened lever and hammer. Fit with a plain grain walnut straight grip butt stock with sling swivel and carbine style crescent butt plate with tool trap. The musket length walnut forend is retained by 3 blued bands, the center with sling swivel. CONDITION: Excellent. Factory bluing shows very little wear remaining lustrous throughout with some light scratches and a few minor spots of cleaned oxidation. Strong case colors present on the hammer, with the lever more muted. Elevator exhibits a pleasing unpolished golden patina. Stocks retain their original surface with some scattered dings, likely more from storage than period use. Bright bore retaining crisp rifling throughout. Especially fine mechanics. George Madis estimates that muskets made up only 5% of Winchester 1873 production, with a significant portion seeing heavy use overseas, making high condition examples such as this a rarity.