Manufactured in 1882, this Third Model production features the dust cover guide rail integral to the top of the receiver and dust cover has the serrated finger grip on the rear. Blade front and adjustable buckhorn rear sights with the top barrel flat marked with the two line address/King's improvement patent dates ahead of the rear sight. The upper tang is marked "MODEL. 1873" flanked by the decorative foliate design and the serial number is at the rear of the lower tang. The rifle is absent of any caliber markings. Blue finish with casehardened hammer, lever and buttplate, full magazine tube and mounted with a smooth walnut forearm with steel forend cap and straight grip stock with a crescent buttplate with compartment (cleaning rod not included). The accompanying factory letter verifies the rifle configuration, octagon barrel, plain trigger, that it was received in and shipped out of the warehouse to order number 1363 on December 11, 1882.

Very fine. The rifle retains 70% plus original blue finish with a smooth brown patina on the magazine, edge wear and thinning and a few minor scratches. The hammer has a smooth dark patina with some dark original case colors visible. The buttplate shows much of the faded original case colors, and the lever has a smooth mottled gray patina with traces of original case colors in protected areas. The reoiled wood is fine with only light handling marks. The markings are crisp. The action is excellent.