Winchester Third Model 1873 Sporting Rifle manufactured in 1888. This rifle has the Third Model receiver with integral dust cover rail and dust cover with serrated rear edges. This rifle has a special order 24-inch full octagon barrel with half magazine, deluxe, highly figured, fancy grade forearm and pistol grip stock with Winchester "Style H" checkering and very desirable color casehardened receiver. The barrel has a standard sporting style front sight with nickel-silver blade and a buckhorn sporting style rear sight with screw-adjustable centerpiece and serrated edges. The upper receiver tang is factory drilled and tapped. The crescent steel buttplate has a sliding brass trapdoor, and the butt trap contains a four-piece, jointed, steel cleaning rod with brass tip. The bottom of the pistol grip has an ebony or horn inlay. 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. The caliber, "44 W.C.F." is roll-stamped on the top barrel flat between the rear sight and the receiver. "44 CAL" is stamped in script letters across 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 "279787" is stamped in tiny numerals across the lower tang between the lever latch and the rear tang screw. The barrel has the Winchester charcoal blue finish, and the dust cover and loading gate are bright blue. In addition to the receiver, the magazine tip, forearm cap, hammer, trigger, lever and crescent buttplate are color casehardened. The stock and forearm have a piano finish.

Fine. The barrel has 85% plus of the original blue finish and crisp markings. The case colored forearm cap, receiver, hammer, lever and trigger retain 70% of the original case colors; wear is limited to some silvering on the edges and contact points of the receiver and the bottom of the lever. The buttplate retains about 90% of the casehardened finish with some light pitting and age discoloration on the heel and toe. The highly figured, deluxe, fancy grade stock and forearm are very good and retain most of the piano finish. The checkering shows wear on contact points but remains excellent. The stock is cracked through the wrist at the rear tang screw and has an old glued repair. A professional stock repair would greatly enhance this very desirable Winchester Deluxe Model 1873 Lever Action Rifle.