This is a highly desirable example of a documented Winchester Model 1873 .22 short rimfire rifle with special order front and rear sights, pistol grip stock, and shotgun buttplate. The rifle is accompanied by a letter from the Cody Firearms Museum and a copy of the Winchester Ledger Sheet. The Cody letter describes the features as: "Type: Rifle, Caliber: 22 S, Barrel Type: octagon, Trigger: Plain, Plain Pistol grip stock, Sights: Lyman hunting front and Flat-top rear" and "Shotgun butt, Rubber butt plate". The letter states that this rifle was shipped from the Winchester warehouse on December 15, 1900. The Third Model receiver has the step at the junction with the barrel found on .22, .32 and .38 caliber Model 1873 rifles and integral dust cover rail. The dust cover has serrated edges. The upper receiver tang is factory drilled and tapped and roll-stamped: "{ MODEL. 1873}" in fancy letters with foliate devices at either end. "22 CAL./ SHORT" is roll-stamped across the bottom of the brass cartridge elevator in two lines. The serial number "555264" is stamped across the bottom of the lower tang behind the lever latch. The 24-inch octagon barrel has a Lyman 'Hunting" front sight with colored bead with Lyman patent markings on the base and special order, sporting style rear sight with flat top and serrated edges. This front sight is nearly never seen on small caliber Model 1873s. The top of the barrel is roll-stamped: "WINCHESTER'S REPEATING ARMS. NEW HAVEN CONN. U.S.A./KING'S IMPROVEMENT PATENTED MARCH 29. 1866. OCTOBER 16. 1860" in two lines ahead of the rear sight. "22 SHORT" is roll-stamped on the top barrel flat between the rear sight and the receiver. The stock and forearm are straight grain American walnut with a varnish finish. The special order stock has a pistol grip and shotgun butt. The pistol grip has a black, hard rubber pistol grip cap embossed: "WINCHESTER REPEATING ARMS COMPANY," and the shotgun butt has a black, checkered, hard rubber buttplate with the "WINCHESTER REPEATING ARMS" logo in the center. These buttplates and grip caps are almost never found on .22 caliber Model 1873s and were only used on very late production rifles. Shotgun buttplates are rare largely because they were practically unnecessary given the virtually inperceptible recoil of the .22 caliber rifles. The barrel, magazine, forearm cap, receiver and dust cover are blued. The hammer, lever and trigger are color casehardened.

Very fine. This rifle retains 75% plus of the original blue and casehardened finish. There is a small amount of surface rust along the bottom of the magazine tube and there is extensive scattered light pitting on the top and upper right barrel flat. The receiver has some handling wear on the sides, sideplates and dust cover that has faded to a plum-brown patina. Both sides of the receiver have a few minor scratches and handling marks. The hammer, trigger and lever retain 60% of the muted case colors. The stock and forearm are both in very good condition and retain most of the original varnish finish; wear is limited to a few minor storage and handling marks. The rare hard rubber plate and cap are near mint. This is a very scarce example of a thoroughly documented, special order, semi-deluxe Winchester Model 1873 .22 rimfire rifle and is possibly the only example with these features and configuration.