This is an example of a Special Order Winchester Model 1873 Lever Action Rifle that was manufactured in 1879. The rifle has the Second Model receiver with impressed oval "thumb print" dust cover and screw fastened dust cover rail. It is accompanied by a Cody Firearms Museum letter which describes it as: "Type: Rifle, Barrel Type: Octagon, Barrel Length: 30 inches", and "Trigger: Set". The letter states that this rifle was shipped from Winchester on March 28, 1879. The rifle has a blued barrel, magazine, forearm cap and receiver. The loading gate has a nitre blue finish. The hammer, trigger, lever and crescent buttplate are color casehardened. The stock and forearm are straight grain American walnut. The rare 30-inch octagon barrel has a dovetail mounted front sight with steel blade and a blank in the rear sight dovetail. A Lyman folding combination sight is mounted on the tang. The receiver has a factory single set trigger. The crescent buttplate has a sliding brass trapdoor. The top barrel flat is roll-stamped with the two-line legend: "WINCHESTER-REPEATING ARMS. NEW HAVEN. CT./KING'S-IMPROVEMENT-PATENTED-MARCH 29. 1866. OCTOBER 16. 1860". The serial number "33402" is stamped in script numerals between the lever latch and the rear tang screw. The barrel and cartridge elevator, correctly, are not stamped with caliber markings. Winchester Model 1873 rifles with barrels longer than the standard 24-inch length are very scarce.