This extraordinary Winchester Model 1873 Saddle Ring Carbine was manufactured circa 1902. The accompanying factory letter confirms the carbine configuration in 38 caliber and it was received in the warehouse on September 6, 1902, and shipped on September 8. The left side of the receiver is fitted with a staple mounted saddle ring. The upper receiver tang is factory drilled and tapped for a tang sight. The carbine style buttplate has a sliding brass trapdoor and the butt trap contains a jointed, three-piece, steel cleaning rod with steel tip. The caliber designation"38 W.C.F." is roll-stamped on the top of the barrel between the rear sight and the receiver. "38 CAL" is stamped in script letters across the bottom of the brass cartridge elevator. The upper receiver tang is roll-stamped: "- MODEL. 1873.-" in fancy letters with foliate devices at either end. The serial number, "562834B" is stamped in script numerals on the lower tang between the lever latch and the rear tang screw. The barrel, magazine, barrel bands, receiver, dust cover and saddle ring have the Winchester charcoal blue finish. The loading port cover is nitre blue. The hammer, trigger, lever and crescent buttplate are color casehardened with muted case colors. The stock and forearm are straight grain American walnut with a low-luster oil finish.

Excellent. This carbine is all original and remains in virtually unused condition with only very limited storage wear. The barrel and magazine retain 97% of the original blue finish. The barrel markings are near perfect. The receiver has 95% plus of the bright original blue finish with some very limited surface wear. The dust cover shows some minor flaking but has a strong 90% plus of the original blue. The left side of the receiver in contact with the saddle ring shows minimal finish wear which is consistent with the nearly new condition of the carbine. The loading gate cover retains close to 98% of the nitre blue finish. The hammer, trigger and loading lever show nearly all of their strong, deep original case colors. The buttplate retains 75% plus of the original casehardened finish. The stock and forearm remain in excellent plus condition and have nearly all of the original oil finish intact; wear is limited to several minor bruises on the upper right side of the stock near the buttplate due to storage. This is a really exceptional example of a Winchester Model 1873 carbine. Winchester carbines were usually considered "working" guns and inevitably show the effects of many years of hard use. Model 1873 carbines in new or nearly new condition, like this example, are extremely rare.