Lot 32: Winchester 1873 Rifle 32 WCF

The factory letter confirms the caliber and plain trigger and states that it was shipped from the Winchester warehouse on April 3, 1883. A Third Model receiver with integral dust cover rail and dust cover with serrated edges. Standard sporting style front sight with nickel silver blade and sporting style buckhorn rear sight and the upper receiver tang is factory drilled and tapped for a rear sight. The hammer, lever and crescent buttplate are casehardened. The top of the barrel is stamped "WINCHESTER'S-REPEATING ARMS. NEW HAVEN. CT./KING'S-IMPROVEMENT-PATENTED-MARCH 29.1866. OCTOBER 16. 1860." ahead of the rear sight with "32-CAL" ahead of the receiver. "32 CAL" is stamped in script on the bottom of the cartridge elevator. "-MODEL. 1873.-" is stamped on the upper tang in fancy letters with foliate devices at either end. The serial number is stamped in script numerals between the lever latch and the tang screw.

Fine. The rifle is all original and retains 50% plus of the original blue finish. Most of the blue is present on the barrel and magazine; the balance is a deep brown patina. At least 50% of the blue finish is present on the receiver and side plates; the contact points have a smooth brown patina. More than 50% of the muted case colors are present on the sides of the hammer and lever. The loading gate has most of the niter blue finish intact. The crescent buttplate has a mottled silver patina with some pitting on the heel. The stock and forearm are good overall with 30% of the original varnish intact and scattered minor handling marks. The markings on the barrel and receiver are crisp. This is a fine, original and untouched example of an 1883 production Winchester Model 1873 lever action rifle.