Third Model Winchester 1873 rifle manufactured in 1887. The rifle has the Third Model receiver with integral dust cover rail. The edges of the dust cover are serrated. The rifle has a full octagon barrel and full-length magazine. The barrel has a standard sporting style front sight with nickel-silver blade and sporting style rear sight with adjustable center insert and serrated edges. The upper receiver tang is factory drilled and tapped. The crescent steel buttplate has a sliding brass trapdoor. The rifle has a blue barrel and magazine and gold-plated forearm cap and receiver. The stock and forearm are straight grain walnut. The sides of the receiver and side plates are engraved with delicate Germanic scroll-work on a punch-dot background. A round panel on the right side plate is engraved with a running deer. The left side plate has a blank inscription panel. There is no engraving on the top or bottom of the receiver, forearm cap or buttplate. The engraving closely resembles factory engraving executed by Conrad or John Ulrich. However, the limited coverage and lack of fancy grain walnut or checkering on the stock indicates that the engraving, while contemporary to the rifle, is probably not factory work. The top barrel flat is roll-stamped with the two-line legend "WINCHESTER REPEATING ARMS. CONN. U.S.A./- KING'S IMPROVEMENT PATENTED MARCH 29. 1866. OCTOBER 16. 1860.-" ahead of the rear sight. "44 W.C.F " is stamped on the top of the barrel between the rear sight and the receiver. "44 CAL." is stamped in script letters on the bottom of the cartridge elevator. The upper tang is roll-stamped "{MODEL 1873}" in fancy letters with foliate devices at either end. The serial number "266658" on the lower tang is nearly illegible. A Cody Firearms Records Office fax confirms octagon barrel and plain trigger with the caliber listed as "38" at time of shipment and was shipped from the warehouse on June 18, 1888. A letter from R.L. Wilson states that the engraving on the rifle is similar to the Winchester factory Paris Exposition of 1889 rifle (serial number 288974).

Fine. The barrel and magazine have most of the blue finish intact; with minor edge wear. The blue is fading to a plum-brown patina. The hammer and lever retain about 30% of the casehardened finish. The buttplate has a smooth, dark, patina. The forearm cap and the sides and top of the receiver have a good-looking silver-gray patina with traces of gold plated finish in protected areas. The engraving on the sides of the receiver and side plates is crisp and deep. The bottom of the receiver and lower tang surrounding the trigger is lightly pitted and there is some active rust on the lever linkage. The stock and forearm are in good overall condition with scattered minor handling marks. The stock and forearm are covered with old varnish. This is a good example of a period engraved and gold-plated Winchester Third Model 1873 rifle.