Winchester Third Model 1873 rifle with Cody Firearms Museum letter that describes it as a "Rifle, 32 Caliber" with "Octagon barrel" and states that it was shipped to the "Richards & Conover Hardware Co.", in Kansas City, Missouri, on January 10, 1910. This is unique in that Winchester letters rearly, if ever, document where the rifle was shipped. The rifle has a full octagon barrel, full length magazine and crescent steel buttplate. The barrel has a dovetail mounted, sporting style front sight with nickel-silver blade and screw on the right side of the base and a sporting style rear sight with "32-B Elevator" and sliding insert. The Third Model receiver has an integral dust cover rail and a dust cover with serrated edges. The upper receiver tang is factory drilled and tapped for a tang-mounted sight. The barrel, magazine, forearm cap, receiver and dust cover have the Winchester high polish blue finish. The loading gate is a fiery niter blue. The hammer, loading lever and buttplate have a color casehardened finish. The straight grain walnut stock and forearm have a varnish finish. The top of the barrel is roll-stamped with the legend "WINCHESTER'S REPEATING ARMS. NEW HAVEN, CONN. U.S.A./KING'S IMPROVEMENT PATENTED MARCH 29. 1866.OCTOBER 16.1860." in two lines ahead of the rear sight. The caliber designation "32 W.C.F." is roll-stamped on the left side of the barrel between the rear sight and the receiver. The oval Winchester "WP" proof mark is stamped on the top of the barrel and frame. "32 CAL" is stamped in script on the bottom of the brass cartridge elevator. "MODEL 1873/-WINCHESTER-/TRADE MARK" is roll-stamped on the upper tang. The serial number "638119B" is stamped in script on the lower tang behind the lever latch.

Excellent. The rifle retains 98% of the bright original finish and shows minimal handling wear. The barrel, magazine, forearm cap and receiver have only very minor edge wear. There are some light scuff marks on the dust cover rail and the blue finish on the dust cover has thinned and developed a blue-brown patina. The loading gate has 98% or more of the niter blue finish. Most of the fire blue finish is present on the bolt. The hammer, lever and buttplate have nearly 98% of the original case-hardened finish with strong case colors. The brass cartridge elevator has a mellow untouched patina. All of the markings on the barrel and receiver are extremely sharp. The stock and forearm are both excellent with most of the original varnish finish, with only slight storage marks. This is an excellent example of a Winchester Model 1873 lever action rifle.