The letter describes this rifle as: "Rifle, Casehardened, Barrel Shape: Octagon, Plain trigger" and "Checkered stock with pistol grip". The letter states that this rifle was shipped from the Winchester warehouse on January 5, 1886. This rifle has the Third Model receiver with integral dust cover rail and dust cover with serrated edges. The rifle has a full-octagon barrel and full length magazine. The barrel has a standard sporting style front sight with nickel-silver blade and a buckhorn sporting rear sight with serrated edges. The upper tang is factory drilled and tapped. The crescent buttplate has a sliding brass trapdoor and the butt trap contains a four piece, jointed, steel cleaning rod. Non-factory, Winchester style sling swivels are mounted on the forearm cap and stock. The top barrel flat is roll-stamped: "WINCHESTER'S-REPEATING ARMS. NEW HAVEN. CT./KING'S-IMPROVEMENT-PATENTED -MARCH 29. 1866. OCTOBER 16. 1860." in two lines ahead of the rear sight. "44 CAL" is stamped on the top barrel flat between the rear sight and the receiver. The upper receiver tang is roll-stamped: "-MODEL 1876-" in fancy letters with foliate devices at either end. "44 CAL" is stamped in script characters across the bottom of the brass cartridge elevator. The serial number is stamped in small characters across the lower tang behind the lever latch. The top of the dust cover is period engraved with the initials "W.F.W.' in block letters. The forearm and pistol grip stock are highly figured, fancy grade walnut with Winchester "Style H" checkering and a piano finish. The bottom of the pistol grip has an ebony inlay.

Fine. 50% of the original blue and 30% color casehardened finish. Nearly all of the blue finish is present on the barrel and magazine; wear is limited to some finish loss on high points and some scattered and very minor spots of age discoloration. The barrel and caliber markings are crisp. The dust cover was reblued after it was engraved and retains half of the dull blue finish. 40% of the fire blue finish is present on the loading gate. The case colors on the forearm cap, receiver, side plates, hammer, trigger and lever have mostly faded to a mottled silver-gray. The buttplate shows slightly more wear and has a silver patina. All of the receiver markings are sharp. The stock and forearm are both in very fine condition and retain more than 80% of the piano finish. The checkering on the pistol grip and forearm is sharp. The stock and forearm have a few scattered handling marks primarily on the left side of the stock between the sling swivel and the buttplate. This is a very fine example of a Winchester Model 1873 Deluxe Lever Action Rifle.