This is a desirable Custer era Model 1873 carbine with the serial number below 43,000 (36672) and a stock star marking attributed to the Native Americans. It has a rear sight graduated to 1,200 yards with 500 yard graduations on the right side of the base. The breechblock is marked "MODEL/1873/eagle head with crossed arrows/US" and the lock is marked with an eagle/shield motif and U.S./SPRINGFIELD/1873". The barrel is without proofmarks. The stock has a saddle bar with ring on the left side, an illegible cartouche and a circled "P" behind the trigger guard. The buttplate is without a compartment and is marked "US". The right side of the buttstock has a carved star. There are a number of theories surrounding the star stock marking one of which believes the star to be a Sioux Indian symbol, perhaps indicating the gun was captured by Indians at the Battle of the Little Bighorn. Another is that the star symbol was put on guns before the sale to Indians, possibly following the return of early serial number guns to Springfield which started in 1879. Another theory states that the carbines were issued to 7th Cavalry Arikara Indian Scouts who carved or had the star symbol carved into the stocks at the time of the Little Bighorn Campaign and returned them to the army when enlistments ended.

Good. The carbine has a smooth mottled brown-gray patina with some light pitting near the muzzle. The reoiled stock is also good with some very scattered surface chipping. Mechanically fine.