1873 Winchester

mescalero1 · Post by **mescalero1** » Sun Dec 23, 2007 2:48 pm

I have a problem.
Have a Winchester 1873 rimfire.
It has seen better days,could be considered a parts gun.
Would I be commiting some sort of un-pardonable offense if I did a restoration?
Should I replace the miising parts and wall hanger it?

Kansas Ed · Post by **Kansas Ed** » Sun Dec 23, 2007 3:15 pm

"It has seen better days,could be considered a parts gun. " can mean a lot of different things to a lot of different people. Posting a picture or two would go a long way to getting a more honest answer from folks here. I've seen people turn up their noses at some guns which didn't show too pretty on the surface, but were nice underneath the grime and motor oil buildup of 75 years.

Ed

mescalero1 · Post by **mescalero1** » Sun Dec 23, 2007 3:22 pm

I will if I can figure out how to, I could do it on the old computer; but this new one has a program called Correl Picture manager & it does not like me.
Anyone have experience with this program?

mescalero1 · Post by **mescalero1** » Sun Dec 23, 2007 3:23 pm

To address your comment, I do not think it will clean up any at all

Post by **Hobie** » Sun Dec 23, 2007 8:25 pm

If you've made pics you can post them here. Get a photobucket.com account, upload to there and then copy the appropriate link to the post.

James Riley · Post by **James Riley** » Sun Dec 23, 2007 8:34 pm

If it is all original and un-retouched then, in my opinion, the only question is what is missing? If it's a screw, that's one thing. If it's a stock, barrel, reciever or something major, that's another thing all together.

Dirty old relics that won't shoot, with broken parts, but which still have good wall-hanger lines and profiles can still bring a pretty penny on the market. You could probably sell/trade it for a NIB Uberti 1873.

mescalero1 · Post by **mescalero1** » Sun Dec 23, 2007 9:32 pm

I think it is untouched,
it is missing toggle links, bolt , side plates,& magazine tube

James Riley · Post by **James Riley** » Sun Dec 23, 2007 9:49 pm

mescalero1 wrote:I think it is untouched,
it is missing toggle links, bolt , side plates,& magazine tube

In my opinion, because of the missing magazine tube and side plates, and maybe because of the missing bolt, I'd feel free to restore it, replace the parts for a wall hanger, or part it out; any one of those. I see no sin at all in that.

If you tried to replace the missing parts for a wall hanger, I'd go cheap with parts from another parts gun that came close to matching it in age and appearance. No sense in buying new parts that would stick out like a sore thumb, an no sense in putting expensive parts in a wall hanger. If rebuilding to shoot, you might as well go with good parts and refinish it and make a good shooter out of it.

That's just my subjective opinion.

mescalero1 · Post by **mescalero1** » Sun Dec 23, 2007 9:59 pm

Thank you, I think that was the answer I was looking for,
did not want to at some point in the future have somebody scream at me " what the @#$% did you do that for"

James Riley · Post by **James Riley** » Sun Dec 23, 2007 10:35 pm

mescalero1 wrote:Thank you, I think that was the answer I was looking for,
did not want to at some point in the future have somebody scream at me " what the @#$% did you do that for"

You'd have to register, but opinions more expert than mine could be had here:

http://www.antiqueguns.com/phorum/list.php?6

claybob86 · Post by **claybob86** » Sun Dec 23, 2007 11:38 pm

mescalero1 wrote:Thank you, I think that was the answer I was looking for,
did not want to at some point in the future have somebody scream at me " what the @#$% did you do that for"

Guess the answer to THAT would be "because it's MY rifle, that's what for".

Mike Hunter · Post by **Mike Hunter** » Mon Dec 24, 2007 10:43 am

A picture would be great to help answer your question

It's already missing the links, mag tube & side plates, sounds like its already started its journey to being a parts gun. Figure about $300 to replace just those parts.

If its a pistol grip 44 cal with 40% bluing on the remaining parts, probally worth a restoration. If its a 32 cal that went thru a fire before being burried for 30 years its a wall hangar or sell it for scrap steel.

Mike

Mich Hunter · Post by **Mich Hunter** » Mon Dec 24, 2007 1:28 pm

Its the same thing I went through with my 76 Win. The rifle was given to me by a friend of the family. It was in rough shape and missing alot. His sister wanted to make a lamp out of it. Now, I could have just hung it on the wall, but it deserved better than that. There is nothing like bringing a peice of history back to like. When it was made over a hundred years ago, it was a tool, not a museum peice. Get that thing back up and running. Shoot it and enjoy it. Its your rifle and don't listen to others. Fix it, put some shells in your pocket and go out for a walk in the woods.

mescalero1 · Post by **mescalero1** » Mon Dec 24, 2007 7:14 pm

I like this guy, it was given to me also, and I would love nothing better than to fix it and shoot it.
As I am going to retire to N.M. in 2008.
When I was young we used to go rabbit hunting on thanksgiving morning, cottentail & biscuts & gravy!!!!

mescalero1 · Post by **mescalero1** » Mon Dec 24, 2007 7:17 pm

It is a .22 rimfire

JerryB · Post by **JerryB** » Mon Dec 24, 2007 8:02 pm

If it was mine I would borrow the cash and send it to Mike Hunter to make it a shooter and keep as much of the original look as possible. That is like the old age lines in my face,alot of stories and miles.

mescalero1 · Post by **mescalero1** » Mon Dec 24, 2007 8:10 pm

Reminds me of a story:
We were talking about a new young guy at work. I said he was a good looking young guy, he'll go far, someone agreed, I responded I prefered a few lines in the face, showed character.
My boss looked at me and said my face had all the character he could stand!!!!!!!

Mike Hunter · Post by **Mike Hunter** » Mon Dec 24, 2007 11:27 pm

22 RF

Ok that might be a keeper

Mike

mescalero1 · Post by **mescalero1** » Mon Dec 24, 2007 11:59 pm

Really, why is that? It has the orginal buttstock, ( I believe ) no cracks; would re-finish well.

Mike Hunter · Post by **Mike Hunter** » Tue Dec 25, 2007 12:09 pm

73s in 22 RF are quite uncommon and very collectable

mescalero1 · Post by **mescalero1** » Tue Dec 25, 2007 12:19 pm

The barrel is .22 & the brass lifter says .22 cal

J Miller · Post by **J Miller** » Tue Dec 25, 2007 1:35 pm

JerryB wrote:If it was mine I would borrow the cash and send it to Mike Hunter to make it a shooter and keep as much of the original look as possible. That is like the old age lines in my face,alot of stories and miles.

mescalerol1,
I've been shooting Winchesters since the mid 1960s. In all those years I've seen exactly one (1) 1873 Winchester in .22 RF. I agree with JerryB and Mike Hunter. That one is worth the trouble and effort. There are so few of those that restoring this one to shooting condition is a win win situation.

Joe

mescalero1 · Post by **mescalero1** » Tue Dec 25, 2007 2:16 pm

Joe,
It is doable, the lever works, the parts move, the lifter goes up and down.
The barrel is shot, would have to be re-lined, I ran the serial # through the Winchester check thing on this site, says it was made in 1886.
I just did not want to commit a horrible indescretion by restoring it.
If you have only seen one, it must be a rare breed

J Miller · Post by **J Miller** » Tue Dec 25, 2007 2:48 pm

mescalero1,

I just did not want to commit a horrible indescretion by restoring it.

If that gun was complete and in really good condition and someone parted it out or altered it, THAT would be a horrible indiscretion. Taking a rifle in the condition you described and restoring it to shooting condition is no indiscretion at all. It's a legitimate repair.

Joe

mescalero1 · Post by **mescalero1** » Tue Dec 25, 2007 2:58 pm

Joe,
Thank you for the advice and encouragement