Original Item: One of a Kind. This is it! This is a very rare FIRST MODEL Winchester 1873, and is one of the earliest 1873 rifles that we have ever had! These were only produced for about 6 years ending in late 1879, with serial numbers ranging from 1 to approximately 31,000. This rifle is in the very popular .44/40 caliber, marked 44 CAL. on the brass carrier block, while the barrel marking is worn away. This is the same cartridge used by the legendary Colt "Frontier Six Shooter" Model 1873 Revolver, which allowed the owner to use the same ammunition for both rifle and handgun. This really is "The Gun that Won the West!"

This example has a standard 24" round barrel with a full-length magazine tube. Features the classic blade front sight and iconic "Full Buckhorn" rear adjustable sight. The serial number is still relatively crisp and reads 7945, denoting the year of manufacture as 1875, making this an early example of the first design, made during the first third of production. Another key aspect of the FIRST MODEL was the use of the "thumbprint" style dust cover, included on this example, which was replaced in the subsequent models. This type fits into a dovetail over the ejection port, unlike the later variety, which slides on a dovetail on the rear receiver. The "print" on the top still bears the correct serrated texture.

The engraving on the top of the barrel is still partly present, with the second line almost completely worn away.

Stocks are in good condition, with the lovely dark brown color that only aged oiled walnut has. Both show a good amount of wear from use and subsequent cleaning, which has removed some wood and changed the shape somewhat. This is definitely a rifle that saw long use on the frontier, giving it an unmistakable patina of age. While worn, there are no cracks we can see, and the crescent butt plate is in good shape, with a working storage compartment.

The barrel and action show a worn gray patina overall from years of service and cleaning. this means that some of the "grain" on the receiver can be seen from the original steel casting. There is definitely past peppering, but no major pit rusting that we can see. The action works well, though as one would expect it does have some slop in the mechanics, and can get hung up when the brass carrier block does not line up with the breech bolt correctly. This may require manually aligning the carrier bolt to continue cycling.

We checked the bore, and it is in good condition, still showing clear rifling throughout the entire length. There is however past oxidation and fouling that has been removed, so it is mostly dark. Most First Model 1873's that we see are close to shot out, so this is definitely well above average. We would rate it a 6 out of 10.

A very good "frontier worn" condition early example of an iconic gun, cleaned and ready to display! One of the earliest Model 1873s that we have ever had!

Specifications-

Year of Manufacture: 1875
Caliber: .44-40 Winchester
Cartridge Type: Centerfire Cartridge
Barrel Length: 24 Inches
Overall Length: 43 Inches
Action type: Lever Action Repeater
Feed System: 15-round tube magazine

The Model 1873 was one of the most successful Winchester rifles of its day, gaining the reputation as "The Gun that Won the West". Still an icon almost a century and a half later, it was manufactured between 1873 and 1919. Originally chambered for the .44-40 cartridge, it was later produced in .38-40 and .32-20, all of which were also popular handgun cartridges of the day, allowing users to conveniently carry just one type of ammunition. The Model 1873 was produced in three variations: a 24" barrel rifle, 20" barrel carbine, and a musket. The easy to transport and handle carbine was the most popular, while the musket accounted for less than 5-10 percent of total production.

Due to feeding problems, the original Model 1873 was never offered in the military standard .45 Colt cartridge, although a number of modern reproductions are chambered for the round. The popularity of the original Model 1873 led Colt to manufacture .44-40 a version of the Single Action Army revolver called the "Frontier Model".

To both celebrate and enhance the Model 1873's prestige, Winchester established a coveted One of One Thousand grade in 1875. Barrels producing unusually small groupings during test-firing were fitted to rifles with set triggers and a special finish. Marked One of One Thousand, they sold for a then princely $100. A popular 1950 Western starring Jimmy Stewart, Winchester '73, was based on the coveted gun. Promotions included a search for One of One Thousand rifles by Universal Studios, with advertisements in sporting magazines and posters in sporting goods stores.

A second grade of Model 1873 barrels producing above average accuracy were fitted to rifles marked One of One Hundred, and sold for $20 over list. Approximately 136 One of One Thousand Model 1873s were sold, and only eight One of One Hundreds. In all, over 720,000 Model 1873s were produced.

The .38-40 Winchester round is actually a .40 caliber cartridge shooting .401 caliber bullets. The cartridge was introduced by Winchester in 1874 and is derived from their .44-40 Winchester. This cartridge was introduced for rifles, but in its reintroduction for Cowboy Action Shooting it has seen some popularity as a pistol cartridge. It is not particularly well suited to hunting larger game, but it was popular when it was introduced, along with the previous .44-40 Winchester, for deer hunting. It can be used successfully on smaller game animals, and for self-defense.

NOTE: This gun is NOT considered obsolete calibre, so we are not able to ship to the United Kingdom. Please note that for international shipping, these MUST be shipped using UPS WW Services. International customers should always consult their country's antique gun laws prior to ordering.