Manufactured in 1875. This First Model 1873 Winchester Rifle features the distinctive dust cover held in place by grooved guides on either side of the top of the receiver, checkered oval finger grip on top of the dust cover and the lever latch with the visible screw threads. The top barrel flat is marked with the two line address/King's Improvement patent dates ahead of the rear sight, the upper tang is marked "MODEL. 1873" and the serial number is marked on the lower tang. The rifle is correctly absent of caliber markings. Dovetailed German silver blade front and adjustable semi-buckhorn sporting rear sights, full length magazine tube, set trigger blue finish with casehardened hammer and lever, and mounted with a smooth walnut forearm with a steel forend cap and straight grip stock with a crescent buttplate, with buttstock compartment (cleaning rod not included). The accompanying factory letter verifies the rifle configuration, 28 inch octagon barrel, set trigger, that it was received in the warehouse on May 7, 1875 and shipped to order number 2744 on May 25, 1875.