Nice original Winchester Model 1873 (photo)

[KirkD]

Was over at a friend's house today and he showed me an original Winchester Model 1873 received in warehouse in 1895. The rifle is in almost mint condition and is in caliber 32 W.C.F. (32-20). This is the nicest '73 I've ever handled and is in completely original condition. Thought you boys would enjoy a peek, so I took some photos. Any lightness you see on the receiver are reflections. The receiver is in at least 95% condition. Here it is....

[Griff]

Wowzers!

[Ben_Rumson]

[Borregos]

WOW. That is NICE!!!!

[yooper2]

Wow! Great rifle and even better photography


Eric

[gak]

Another wow!

[earlmck]

Ooooh. That looks like it would fit right in with your collection, Kirk. Nice!

[rjohns94]

That's a beauty

[Nath]

Booootifull

Fancy stock!

N.

[.45colt]

Ohboy, just a matter of time before that one comes to Kirk's house. .

[KirkD]

Ohboy, just a matter of time before that one comes to Kirk's house. .

Not that rifle! If he ever parted with it he told me he be asking in the five figures for it. A little pricey for a Woodchuck gun.

[pokey]

nice

and once again, you certainly have a good eye for composition.

[gamekeeper]

Beautiful..

[Rube Burrows]

Beautiful.

[the telegraphist]

Magnificent. They are still out there. I just gotta find one!!

[Ysabel Kid]

I don't think I can stop drooling!

[1894c]

Wowzers! :mrgreen:

took the "wowzers" right out of my mouth...that is one really nice levergun...thank you KirkD for sharing... :)

[rbertalotto]

Is there any concern when you see a rifle in that that great condition , that is over 100 years old, that at some point in its past it was refinished?

I have the opportunity to buy a Winchester 1892 Take Down in 25-20 that looks too good to be true.

[KirkD]

Is there any concern when you see a rifle in that that great condition , that is over 100 years old, that at some point in its past it was refinished?

I have the opportunity to buy a Winchester 1892 Take Down in 25-20 that looks too good to be true.

Yes, any potential buyer of a near-mint old Winchester needs to be very concerned about a restore job, some of which are extremely good. I have carefully examined this one and I would say it is 100% original. For example, one can see the original forging striations on the sides of the receiver toward the front. Any restoration permanently removes the striations. there are other things to look for as well ..... darkening of the wood finish with age, crisp barrel address with a patina inside the letters, natural fading of bone and charcoal case hardening, a thin film of oily dust deep inside the action that has accumulated over 100 years, etc. There are more delicate things one can look for as well, such as original machining lines on the barrel that should run lengthwise (but you have to know how to look for these), etc.

[Old Savage]

Very nice - one not nearly as nice down here went for $2500 Sixgun narrowly missed getting it. I believe he talked to the people at the Cody and they told him it was worth between 3,000 and 4,000. One would wonder to think what this would go for.

[KirkD]

He just turned down an offer of $10,000. One is slightly less condition went for $13,000 in the last James Julia auction (or was it RIA?).

[JohnB]

Looks a lot like mine, but in better shape....

$13,000??!! Really?

[KirkD]

Yes. It was the last James Julia auction of the Wes Adams collection. The one that sold for $13,000 plus had less case coloring that this one. This one still has strong case colors on the buttplate, not to mention elsewhere. This one looks a lot more minty in real life than in the photo.