Make: Winchester

Model: 1873, 1st Model Transitional

Serial Number: 29831

Year of Manufacture: 1879

Caliber: .44-40 Winchester

Action Type: Lever Action with Tubular Magazine

Barrel Length: 24", Octagonal

Sights / Optics: The front sight is a german silver blade in a slotted base dovetailed to the front of the barrel. The rear sight is a "V"-notch elevator sight dovetailed to the rear of the barrel. The top tang is drilled, tapped and filled for a tang sight, none present.

Stock Configuration & Condition: The stocks are two-piece walnut with nosecap, straight grip, straight comb, and crescent steel buttplate with sliding door over a storage compartment, nothing in the compartment. The forend has small losses at the top-front corners. There are some short cracks around the edges of the tangs and buttplate. The stocks show sanding, most notable at the bottom-rear of the forend. There are some scattered nicks, scuffs, scratches and open grain-lines. The LOP measures 12 3/4" from the front of the trigger to the back of the buttplate. The plate has scattered erosion under its new finish with wear at the heel and toe. Overall, the stocks are in Good-plus condition as refinished Antique.

Type of Finish: Blued

Finish Originality: Refinished

Bore Condition: The bore is gray with well defined rifling. There is erosion and pitting scattered through the bore. In this writer's opinion, the bore rates 6/10.

Overall Condition: This rifle retains about 35% of its current metal finish. The finish is thinning at all edges. Remaining finish is mottled and muted. There are scattered nicks, scuffs and small scratches. There are some spots of erosion under the finish. The screw heads range from sharp to tool marked with strong slots, there are tool marks at some screw heads. The markings range from clear to worn, but legible. Overall, this rifle is in Good-plus condition as refinished Antique.

Mechanics: The action functions correctly. We have not fired this rifle. As with all used firearms, a thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance standards.

Box, Paperwork & Accessories: None.

Our Assessment: One of the most successful, and certainly one of the most famous Winchester rifles was the Winchester Model 1873, known as "The Gun that Won the West" for its predominant role in the hands of Western settlers. The Model 1873 had a steel frame that was much stronger than the brass framed Model 1866, allowing Winchester to develop a family of powerful new cartridges. The .44-40 Win. cartridge, also known as the .44 WCF, was introduced by Winchester in 1873 as Winchester's first metallic centerfire cartridge. Colt produced a single action revolver chambered for this cartridge in 1877. Through law enforcement use and hunting, and made popular through its dual use in rifle and pistol, the .44-40 soon became the most popular cartridge in the United States.

This Model 1873 was made in 1879 at the very end of the 1st Model serial range. It has a 24" octagonal barrel chambered for .44-40 and is a transitional model. While it has the dust cover typical of the 1st Model, sliding inside of rails at the front of the receiver, it has an exposed trigger pin typical of the 2nd Model. The rifle shows its age and sports a new finish, but is a neat example and scarce variation of the Model. Please see our photos and good luck!