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Winchester 1873 .32-20 SN: 246200

Currency:USD Category:Firearms & Military Start Price:900.00 USD Estimated At:1,800.00 - 2,400.00 USD
Winchester 1873 .32-20 SN: 246200
Native American Northern Plains decorated Winchester Model 1873 Lever Action. 3rd Model Manufactured 1887. This rifle has seen hard use indicative of Native American use, Features 24" octagon barrel, full length magazine tube, straight wrist, steel crescent buttplate. Bore is rough, dark with worn rifling, showing scattered tiny pits throughout. Metal surfaces show majority coverage of mottled dark brown coloration, mostly smooth with some roughness from patina. Lines of silver coloration from bare metal show on edges of receiver plates, corners & sharp edges. Minor dents to edges of barrel flats. Areas of scattered light pitting throughout. Buttplate matches other metal parts. The butt stock has been repaired at the wrist with a 2 1/2" strip of hide sewn with sinew with a 2" sliver of wood missing form the right wrist above the lower tang, the leather has been on there a very long time. Many small gouges, dents and scratches throughout. The brass lifter has many small dents. The rifle is missing the dust cover, lever latch, a lower tang screw and upper tang screw. Model marking on top tang is covered. Two line barrel address and serial number on bottom tang are shallow but readable. Brass lifter and lower barrel flat are marked ".32 Cal.". The butt stock is decorated with rounded brass tacks, again been on there a very long time, The American flag is painted on the right butt stock along with red & white star motif patterns on both sides along with the forearm. The flag has some scratches/loss but mostly all there. Included is a copy of a Notarized letter detailing the provenance of the rifle starting with its acquisition in Hardin, Montana in 1945 by a returning WW2 veteran returning home, up until 1998 when the owner at the time, Dr. Michael Joyce sold it to Ray Courtier. The story passed down with the rifle is the original owner of the rifle was John Last Bull" Young of the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation in south eastern Montana. He obtained special permission from the Government to hold Sun Dances (Previously forbidden on the reservation to pray for victory by the U.S. in WW2. If nothing else this is the ultimate piece of American Folk art. It comes with a more comtempoaray fringed suede rifle scabbard, bead decorated with geometric designs which we believe are Sioux designs.Condition is NRA Fair as Antique Firearm.