The factory letter describes "Model 1873, serial number 121105, as: "Type: Rifle, Barrel Type: 1/2 Octagon, Trigger: Plain, X stock, 1/2 Magazine" and "Casehardened". The letter states that this rifle was shipped from Winchester on March 17, 1883. The rifle has the Third Model receiver with integral dust cover guide rail and dust cover with serrated rear edges. The half-round/half-octagon barrel has a sporting style front sight with nickel-silver blade and buckhorn, sporting style, rear sight with flat top. The receiver is factory drilled and tapped. The crescent steel buttplate has a sliding brass trap door. The butt trap contains a four-piece, jointed, steel, cleaning rod with brass tip. The stock and forearm are nicely figured, fancy grade "X" walnut with a semi-gloss finish. The barrel has the Winchester charcoal blue finish, the dust cover is a high polish blue and the dust cover is a fiery niter blue. The half-magazine, forearm cap, receiver, hammer, trigger, lever and crescent buttplate are color casehardened with vivid case colors. 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 script letters ahead of the rear sight. The upper receiver tang is roll-stamped: "-MODEL. 1873.-" in fancy letters with foliate devices at either end. The serial number is stamped on the lower tang behind the lever latch. Deluxe Model 1873 Rifles with special order color casehardened receivers are rare and extremely desirable.

Exceptionally fine. The half-round/half-octagon barrel has 85% plus of the blue finish. The barrel legend is crisp. At least 95% of the high polish blue is present on the dust cover. The loading gate retains 95% of the niter blue finish. The magazine tip, forearm cap, receiver, hammer and trigger have 80% of the original casehardened finish with vivid case colors. The sides of the lever have strong case colors while the bottom shows some silvering with scattered spots of age discoloration. The buttplate has 60% of the casehardened finish with some scattered age spots and light pitting on the edge of the heel. The nicely figured, fancy grade stock and forearm are in excellent condition and retain nearly all of the semi-gloss finish. Wear is limited some dulling to the finish on the rear of the forearm and several small chips in the stock wrist on either side of the junction with the receiver and upper tang. This is an exceptional example of a rare, special order, Winchester Model 1873 Sporting Rifle with highly desirable casehardened receiver.