The accompanying factory letter confirms this Model 1873 as a carbine in .44 caliber. The carbine was received in the warehouse on January 22, 1902 and shipped on May 29. This carbine has the Third Model receiver with integral dust cover rail and dust cover with serrated edges. The barrel has a block mounted front sight located behind the upper barrel band and folding, adjustable leaf rear sight. A staple mounted saddle ring is located on the left side of the receiver. The upper tang is factory drilled and tapped for a rear sight. The buttplate has a sliding brass trapdoor, and the butt trap contains a three-piece jointed steel cleaning rod. The barrel, magazine, barrel bands and receiver have a commercial blue finish. The hammer, lever and carbine style buttplate are color casehardened. The stock and forearm are oil-finished straight grain walnut. The top of the barrel is roll-stamped with the two-line legend: "WINCHESTER'S REPEATING ARMS. NEW HAVEN. CT./KING'S IMPROVEMENT PATENTED MARCH 29. 1866. OCTOBER 16. 1860." The top of the barrel between the rear sight, and the receiver is stamped with the caliber designation: "44 W.C.F." "44 CAL" is stamped in script letter on the bottom of the cartridge elevator. The serial number "551052B" is stamped in script on the lower tang between the lever latch and the tang screw. The upper tang is roll-stamped: "-MODEL 1873-" in fancy letters with foliate devices at either end.

Excellent. The carbine retains 90% thinning original blue finish and shows only very limited storage wear. The barrel, magazine tube and barrel bands retain 97% of the original blue finish. The blue finish on the receiver and upper tang has a few scattered and very minor storage marks. The blue finish on the top of the receiver on either side of the dust cover rail and the upper tang has thinned slightly. The left side of the receiver has the usual scuff marks from contact with the saddle ring. The case colors on the lever have a brown patina. The case colors on the buttplate and hammer are vivid. The stock is in excellent plus condition with very minor scratches and dents. The forearm has scratches and dents. This is an excellent example of an original Winchester Model 1873 carbine that shows only very minor storage wear. Model 1873 carbines with this amount of high condition are very scarce!