This is an excellent example of a Winchester Model 1873 rifle that was manufactured in 1879. The rifle has a blued barrel, magazine, forearm cap and receiver. The hammer, loading lever and crescent buttplate are casehardened. The straight grain black walnut stock and forearm have a low-luster varnish finish. The round barrel is fitted with a dovetail mounted, standard model front sight with nickel-silver blade and a sporting style rear sight with screw-adjustable sighting notch. The receiver has the Second Model, screw-attached, center guide and late Second Model dust cover with serrated edges. The receiver tang screws are close to the rear edge of the side plate and the trigger is retained by an exposed pin. The upper receiver tang is factory drilled and tapped for a tang-mounted rear sight. The hammer is the second pattern with coarse checkering and distinct borders. The buttplate has a sliding brass trap door. The top of the barrel is roll-stamped with the two-line legend "WINCHESTER'S-REPEATING-ARMS NEW HAVEN. CT./KING'S-IMPROVEMENT PATENTED-MARCH 29, 1860. OCTOBER 16. 1860." ahead of the rear sight. The upper receiver tang is roll-stamped: "MODEL 1873" in fancy letters. The serial number, "56183" is stamped in script letters on the lower tang behind the loading lever latch.