1110

SCARCE WINCHESTER SEMI-DELUXE MODEL 1873 LEVEL ACTION RIFLE.

Currency:USD Category:Antiques / Firearms & Armory Start Price:3,500.00 USD Estimated At:7,000.00 - 12,000.00 USD
SCARCE WINCHESTER SEMI-DELUXE MODEL 1873 LEVEL ACTION RIFLE.
SN 192605. Cal. 44 WCF (44-40). Fine 73 with 24-1/4" oct bbl, full magazine, ivory bead combination front sight, semi buckhorn rear sight & rare sgl screw, adjustable lollipop rear sight. Mounted with uncheckered, about 3X, center crotch, flame grain American walnut with straight stock & crescent buttplate that has a trap containing an orig brass & steel 4-pc cleaning rod. Left side of the lower tang, under the wood, is unmarked. However, the top tang channel of the buttstock has the assembly number 552, which number is also found inside toe of buttplate. Accompanied by a Cody Firearms Museum letter which identifies this rifle with oct bbl, plain trigger and "fancy stock", received in the warehouse Sept 28, 1885, and shipped the same day to order no. 844. While Model 73's are not necessarily uncommon and checkered deluxe versions are scarce, those rifles in this configuration with fancy uncheckered wood are quite rare. CONDITION: Fine to very fine. Bbl retains about 90% strong orig blue with light sharp edge wear and some light thinning around the muzzle and at the carry point over the chamber area. Magazine tube contains about 95% dull orig blue and the forend cap 95-96% glossy orig blue. Receiver retains 88-90% orig blue with candy striping on both sides with edge wear with thinning at the carry point on the bottom and top front edges. Hammer retains strong case colors and the lever faded case colors in sheltered areas turned silver elsewhere. Buttplate is a silver patina. Wood is sound with usual nicks and scratches, mostly in the finish, with losses around the receiver area on the wrist and overall retains about 85% strong orig piano varnish finish. Forearm is also sound and retains about 30% orig varnish with the balance a hand worn patina. Mechanics are crisp, brilliant shiny bore with a few small spots of very light pitting. Receiver sight is loose mechanically but completely orig and retains about 92-93% orig blue. 4-49376 JR297