This is an exceptional example of a near new Winchester Model 1873 Musket manufactured c. 1902. The musket has the standard features which include 30 inch round barrel, 27-inch magazine, three barrel bands with sling swivel on the middle band, block mounted iron front sight that serves as a lug for a socket bayonet, military style folding leaf rear sight rear sight with 900 yard center notch, stock sling swivel and carbine style buttplate with butt trap and sliding brass trap. The upper tang is factory drilled and tapped for a tang sight. The Third Model receiver has an integral dust cover rail and dust cover with serrated edges. The rifle has the Winchester commercial blue finish on barrel, magazine, barrel bands, receiver and dust cover. The loading gate is a fiery niter blue. The hammer, trigger, lever and buttplate are color casehardened with strong case colors. The stock and forearm are straight grain, oil-finished, walnut. The top of the barrel is roll-stamped "WINCHESTER'S REPEATING ARMS. NEW HAVEN. CT./KING'S IMPROVEMENT PATENTED MARCH 29. 1866. OCTOBER 16. 1860." ahead of the rear sight. "44 W.C.F." is stamped on the top of the barrel at the breech. "44 CAL" is stamped in script letters on the bottom of the cartridge elevator. The upper receiver tang is roll stamped "-MODEL. 1873.-" is script letters with foliate devices at either end of the marking. The lower tang is stamped with the serial number between the lever latch and the tang screw. This musket appears to be part of a group of 700 muskets in the 569,000-571,000 serial number range that were shipped to Central America in September 1903. These muskets were apparently never issued and were re-imported to the United States in the late 1950s in near new, un-fired, condition. The musket is complete with an 18-inch, bright finished, socket bayonet.

Excellent plus. This musket is all original and remains in virtually unused, as delivered condition. The musket retains 98% plus of the bright original high polish blue finish with two small spots of finish loss on the upper rear or the receiver near the side plates, some faint scuff marks on the top of the barrel bands and traces of edge wear at the muzzle. The buttplate shows the usual finish wear at the heel and retains 95% of the case colors. The hammer, trigger and lever have 99% of the casehardened finish. The stock and forearm are excellent plus with only traces of storage wear. Nearly all of the original finish is present on the stock and forearm. The bright finished socket bayonet has been cleaned and remains in fine overall condition with scattered spots of age discoloration and some light pitting. This is a nearly new example of a Winchester Model 1873 Musket in outstanding condition.