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Special Order Winchester Third Model 1873 Rifle with 28-Inch Barrel and Factory Letter

Currency:USD Category:Antiques / Firearms & Armory Start Price:2,750.00 USD Estimated At:5,500.00 - 7,500.00 USD
Special Order Winchester Third Model 1873 Rifle with 28-Inch Barrel and Factory Letter
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Special Order Winchester Third Model 1873 Rifle with 28-Inch Barrel and Factory Letter

Winchester Third Model 1873 rifle with Winchester Arms Museum factory letter that states it was shipped from Winchester on September 1, 1886. The letter describes the rifle features as, 32 caliber with 28 inch octagon barrel and set trigger. The rifle has the Third Model receiver with integral dust cover rail and dust cover with serrated edges. The top of the receiver has the step found mostly on 22, 32 and 38 caliber arms. The rifle has a blue barrel, full-length magazine, receiver, dust cover and loading gate. The forearm cap, hammer, lever and crescent buttplate are color casehardened. The stock and forearm are the extra finish American walnut sometimes fitted to rifles with special order features but not ordered with extra finish walnut. The 28 inch octagon barrel has a standard dovetail mounted sporting front sight and a buckhorn sporting rear sight with serrated edges. The top of the barrel is roll-stamped with the two-line legend "WINCHESTER'S-REPEATING ARMS. NEW HAVEN. CT./KING'S-IMPROVEMENT-PATENTED-MARCH 29. 1866. OCTOBER 16. 1860." ahead of the rear sight. "32 CAL" is roll-stamped on the top barrel flat in front of the receiver. The upper tang is roll-stamped "{ MODEL 1873.}" in fancy letters with foliate devices at either end. The cartridge carrier is stamped "32 CAL" in script letters. The serial number, "209957B" is stamped in script behind the lever latch.

Manufucture: Winchester
Model: 1873
BBL: 28 inch octagon
Stock: walnut
Guage: 32 WCF
Finish: blue/casehardened
Grips:
Serial Number: 209957B

Excellent. 90% of the original blue finish is present on the barrel and magazine. The barrel markings are crisp. The receiver has 90% of the blue finish with minor handling and high point wear. The forearm cap, hammer and lever have 90% or more of the muted case colors intact. The buttplate shows typical wear and has about 85% of the case colors with a silver gray patina. The stock and forearm are both in very fine condition with nearly 90% of the factory oil finish; there is some finish loss on the forearm and a few minor scratches and handling marks on the stock. The front sight is missing the nickel silver blade. This is an excellent example of a special order Winchester Third Model 1873 rifle with scarce 28 inch barrel.