This is a very fine example of an antique Winchester Model 1873 .22 Rimfire Lever Action rifle as manufactured in 1888. This rifle has standard blue finish on the barrel, magazine, forearm cap, dust cover, receiver and trigger. The hammer, lever and crescent buttplate are color casehardened. The stock and forearm are straight grain American walnut. These early 22 Caliber rifle are very scarce with this example being in very fine condition. The rifle has the third style receiver with integral dust cover rail and dust cover with serrated edges. The receiver ring has the "step" found only on .22 caliber Model 1873 rifles and also correctly lacks a loading gate on the right side as these loaded through the front of the magazine tube. The octagon barrel has a standard, sporting style, front sight with nickel-silver blade and sporting style, buckhorn, rear sight. The magazine has the second style tube with flared ends. The top of the barrel is roll-stamped with the two-line legend "WINCHESTER'S REPEATING ARMS.NEW HAVEN, CONN. U.S.A/.-KING'S IMPROVEMENT PATENTED MARCH 29. 1866. OCTOBER 16. 1860.-" ahead of the rear sight. The caliber designation "22 SHORT" is roll-stamped on the top, breech end of the barrel with the brass cartridge elevator, also marked "22 CAL/SHORT". Then directly below that is has been hand engraved "LONG" indicating the chamber has been lengthened for the 22 Long cartridge, which was introduced in 1887. Obviously a previous owner realized the new "improved" 22 Long cartridge was a significantly better game cartridge than the 22 Short. The upper receiver tang is roll-stamped "MODEL. 1873" in fancy script with foliate designs at either end of the marking. The serial number "281895B" is stamped in script on the lower tang behind the lever latch. The Winchester Model 1873 .22 Rimfire Rifle was the first Winchester .22 caliber rifle and the first .22 caliber repeating rifle manufactured in the United States.

Fine 60% plus of the original blue finish overall with edge and high spot wear on the receiver, barrel and magazine tube with most of the wear on the underside and sides of the magazine tub, with the balance a brown patina. The sides of the magazine tube show some small areas of fine pitting. The hammer and loading lever retain 20% of their original case colors with the balance having faded to a gray patina overall. The stock and forend are in fine condition with half of their oil finish remaining with light handling marks on the sides. There is a 3 inch age crack on the lower right side of the buttstock, starting at the edge of the buttplate. Mechanically fine, missing extractor.