Winchester Model 1873 (Manufacturer Date 1889)

[Snake-Eyes]

Yeah, I need to take a look down the barrel. I didn't have a bore light on me at the time.

Nice rifle. Here are some straightforward animations for function and disassembly/assembly. I think they are interesting to see how it works, especially when it zooms in:

 

[mac the knife]

I can see where the pitting is filled in with blueing, and some of the letterings are buffed out. So probably reblued at least once.
Also, the screws to the mainframe have been in and out many times (buggered up badly) So there have been mechanical problems in the past.
Just my opinion of course but I would beware of this deal at that price. I would definitely have a competent gun smith look at it before spending $ 900.00 for a refurbished wall hanger.

 

[Brockskennedy]

In one of the pictures the lever is closed and the bolt is to the rear. With all of the pitting, condition of the bore it would only have value as a wall hanger to someone looking for a serious project. $400 would be tops IMO

 

[Snake-Eyes]

In one of the pictures the lever is closed and the bolt is to the rear. With all of the pitting, condition of the bore it would only have value as a wall hanger to someone looking for a serious project. $400 would be tops IMO

Nice attention to detail... yeah, seems like there’s something wrong hiding under that sideplate.

 

[fisheadgib]

It's obviously been refinished so the collector value is gone. If it's in a common caliber like 44-40, that's a fair price. If it was in any other caliber, it would be worth a few bucks more.

 

[fisheadgib]

I just looked at all the pictures and it looks like a takedown model with an octagonal barrel. If t is, I would put the value over a grand easily. I've seen some really tattered ones go for 1100.00 to 1200.00. I gave 900.00 for one a few years ago that was in horrible shape and refinished it myself as it didn't have any collector value. I would jump on that one for 900.00.

 

[Uilleam]

I just looked at all the pictures and it looks like a takedown model with an octagonal barrel. If t is, I would put the value over a grand easily. I've seen some really tattered ones go for 1100.00 to 1200.00. I gave 900.00 for one a few years ago that was in horrible shape and refinished it myself as it didn't have any collector value. I would jump on that one for 900.00.

I have it listed in the for sale section.

 

[Boogan1]

I just looked at all the pictures and it looks like a takedown model with an octagonal barrel. If t is, I would put the value over a grand easily. I've seen some really tattered ones go for 1100.00 to 1200.00. I gave 900.00 for one a few years ago that was in horrible shape and refinished it myself as it didn't have any collector value. I would jump on that one for 900.00.

It is not a takedown, the only 73's that were takedown were the early .22 models. There is something broken or missing inside this gun, could be the firing pin retainer or could be broken or missing toggle links or link pins. As I stated previously there is a lot wrong with this rifle and not much right. It really isn't even worth buying for parts because every part of it that can be seen has been poorly redone and refinished. It is pretty much wall hanger material.

 

[fisheadgib]

It is not a takedown, the only 73's that were takedown were the early .22 models. There is something broken or missing inside this gun, could be the firing pin retainer or could be broken or missing toggle links or link pins. As I stated previously there is a lot wrong with this rifle and not much right. It really isn't even worth buying for parts because every part of it that can be seen has been poorly redone and refinished. It is pretty much wall hanger material.

How do you know all of this? I don't recall seeing any of this information in the original post. Has anyone handled the rifle? Does the action not cycle? Does the rifle just not fire?

 

[Boogan1]

How do you know all of this? I don't recall seeing any of this information in the original post. Has anyone handled the rifle? Does the action not cycle? Does the rifle just not fire?

Well I have been handling, collecting, buying, selling ,trading and studying these rifles for over 30 years. I have read several books about them and am friends with guys who are huge winchester collectors. I have learned a lot from these guys over the years. The pictures tell a lot. The gun has been heavily buffed to remove rust and pitting. This is evident by corners that should be sharp and square are rounded, such as on the barrel. When buffed the lettering gets a "soft" and slightly blurred look to it. These rifles originally had an oil finished stock so the stock being glossy indicates it was sanded and refinished. Sanding is also evident in the pictures because the wood is below the level of the metal parts where they meet. Some ahrinkage is normal on a rifle this age but not that much. As for the mechanical issues the bolt holding the side plate on with the piece of felt under it is not the correct bolt and looks like a machine screw which would also be the wrong thread pitch, meaning if someone tried to screw it into the original threads it would strip the threads. In one picture you can see the lever closed but the firing pin extension is extended out of the back of the receiver. This will not happen if everything is correctly in place inside the rifle. This means there are broken or missing pieces. If pieces were not broken or missing and the side plate bolt not stripped out the rifle could have some value as a shooter. But the pictures of the bore show it to be heavily pitted and corroded and it probably wouldn't shoot very accurate so the barrel would have to be re-lined. This costs about 3-500 dollars. So if nothing was missing, broken or stripped you would have to spend 300-500 dollars to have a shootable rifle worth maybe $1000. So maybe the rifle would be worth paying $500 for. But if you have to also replace missing or broken parts inside and deal with correcting a stripped screw and no telling what other parts are missing or damaged that can't be seen in the pictures then you are really taking a gamble paying 300-400 for the gun. Class dismissed.

 

[fisheadgib]

Well I have been handling, collecting, buying, selling ,trading and studying these rifles for over 30 years. I have read several books about them and am friends with guys who are huge winchester collectors. I have learned a lot from these guys over the years. The pictures tell a lot. The gun has been heavily buffed to remove rust and pitting. This is evident by corners that should be sharp and square are rounded, such as on the barrel. When buffed the lettering gets a "soft" and slightly blurred look to it. These rifles originally had an oil finished stock so the stock being glossy indicates it was sanded and refinished. Sanding is also evident in the pictures because the wood is below the level of the metal parts where they meet. Some ahrinkage is normal on a rifle this age but not that much. As for the mechanical issues the bolt holding the side plate on with the piece of felt under it is not the correct bolt and looks like a machine screw which would also be the wrong thread pitch, meaning if someone tried to screw it into the original threads it would strip the threads. In one picture you can see the lever closed but the firing pin extension is extended out of the back of the receiver. This will not happen if everything is correctly in place inside the rifle. This means there are broken or missing pieces. If pieces were not broken or missing and the side plate bolt not stripped out the rifle could have some value as a shooter. But the pictures of the bore show it to be heavily pitted and corroded and it probably wouldn't shoot very accurate so the barrel would have to be re-lined. This costs about 3-500 dollars. So if nothing was missing, broken or stripped you would have to spend 300-500 dollars to have a shootable rifle worth maybe $1000. So maybe the rifle would be worth paying $500 for. But if you have to also replace missing or broken parts inside and deal with correcting a stripped screw and no telling what other parts are missing or damaged that can't be seen in the pictures then you are really taking a gamble paying 300-400 for the gun. Class dismissed.

Thank you for the education. I didn't mean to question your knowledge of 1873's, I was curious about your knowing specific details about this rifle. If someone could put hands on the rifle and take a side plate off, a lot of questions could be answered. That shiny screw with the felt under it hurts my eyes, it would have been better to leave it out.

 

[fl57caveman]

jmo, i would offer a good deal less than $900.00

too much to be done with it, and too many questions.

but i know nothing about old winchesters..