Original Item: Only One Available. "The Gun that Won the West!" This very nice "frontier used" repeating rifle is in .32-20 Winchester caliber, correctly marked with 32 W.C.F. over the chamber and 32 CAL. on the brass carrier block. It features a 24 inch heavy-wall round barrel and full-length magazine tube. As with all examples, it is marked MODEL. 1873. on the upper receiver tang. Features a classic front sight with a nickel blade and aftermarket iconic "Buckhorn" rear adjustable sight. The serial number is 321975B, denoting the year of manufacture as 1889. The engraving on the top of the barrel is present and clear:-

Condition of the rifle is very good, still showing the original blued finish very well, which is now faded to a lovely plum color on the receiver, while the barrel is more of a blue gray. The receiver side plates look to have been refinished at some point, which is well retained on the right side, while the left had the bluing wear away. The wood stocks are solid, and the butt stock is a real treat, as it has some lovely "flame" figuring on both sides, showing only light wear from service. The fore stock shows more wear with a lot of dents and dings, but no cracks, repairs, or other major damage. Both stocks do show a bit of raised grain from repeated cleaning, probably out on the frontier. The crescent butt plate on this example does not have a storage compartment.

This lever action repeater has a crisp tight action in fully functional condition with an original dust cover. The rifle cycles well and dry fires, with good mechanical operation, and no sticking that we noticed. The bore is in very good condition, showing a mostly bright finish with strong lands and grooves. There is some past oxidation and fouling, particularly in the grooves near the muzzle, but overall it has stood the test of time very well. We would rate it about a 7-8 out of 10.

A very nice "frontier used" example of an iconic gun with a lovely patina of age and a great looking butt stock, ready to display!

Specifications-

Year of Manufacture: 1889
Caliber: .32-20 Winchester
Cartridge Type: Centerfire Cartridge
Barrel Length: 24 Inches
Overall Length: 43 Inches
Action type: Lever Action Repeater
Feed System: 15-round tube magazine

The Model 1873 was one of the most successful Winchester rifles of its day, gaining the reputation as "The Gun that Won the West". Still an icon almost a century and a half later, it was manufactured between 1873 and 1919. Originally chambered for the .44-40 cartridge, it was later produced in .38-40 and .32-20, all of which were also popular handgun cartridges of the day, allowing users to conveniently carry just one type of ammunition. The Model 1873 was produced in three variations: a 24" barrel rifle, 20" barrel carbine, and a musket. The easy to transport and handle carbine was the most popular, while the musket accounted for less than 5-10 percent of total production.

Due to feeding problems, the original Model 1873 was never offered in the military standard .45 Colt cartridge, although a number of modern reproductions are chambered for the round. The popularity of the original Model 1873 led Colt to manufacture .44-40 a version of the Single Action Army revolver called the "Frontier Model".

To both celebrate and enhance the Model 1873's prestige, Winchester established a coveted One of One Thousand grade in 1875. Barrels producing unusually small groupings during test-firing were fitted to rifles with set triggers and a special finish. Marked One of One Thousand, they sold for a then princely $100. A popular 1950 Western starring Jimmy Stewart, Winchester '73, was based on the coveted gun. Promotions included a search for One of One Thousand rifles by Universal Studios, with advertisements in sporting magazines and posters in sporting goods stores.

A second grade of Model 1873 barrels producing above average accuracy were fitted to rifles marked One of One Hundred, and sold for $20 over list. Approximately 136 One of One Thousand Model 1873s were sold, and only eight One of One Hundreds. In all, over 720,000 Model 1873s were produced.

The .38-40 Winchester round is actually a .40 caliber cartridge shooting .401 caliber bullets. The cartridge was introduced by Winchester in 1874 and is derived from their .44-40 Winchester. This cartridge was introduced for rifles, but in its reintroduction for Cowboy Action Shooting it has seen some popularity as a pistol cartridge. It is not particularly well suited to hunting larger game, but it was popular when it was introduced, along with the previous .44-40 Winchester, for deer hunting. It can be used successfully on smaller game animals, and for self-defense.

Note: This gun is NOT considered obsolete calibre, so we are not able to ship to the United Kingdom. Please note that for international shipping, these MUST be shipped using UPS WW Services. International customers should always consult their country's antique gun laws prior to ordering.

Note: This gun is NOT considered obsolete calibre in the UK.

IMA considers all of our antique guns as non-firing, inoperable and/or inert. Title 18, U.S. Code, Section 921(a)(16) defines antique firearms as all guns made prior to 1899. This law exempts antique firearms from any form of gun control or special engineering because they are not legally considered firearms. No FFL, C&R or any license is required to possess, transport, sell or trade Antique guns. All rifles and muskets sold by IMA that were manufactured prior to 1899 are considered Antiques by the US BATF (United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms). Therefore, all of IMA's Antique guns may be shipped to all US States and most nations around the world.

These antique guns are not sold in "live" condition, and are not tested for the the ability to feed or load any type of cartridge. They are sold as collector's items or as "wall hangers" not for use, and we make no guarantees regarding functionality aside from what is stated in the description. Any attempt at restoring an antique gun to be operational is strongly discouraged and is done so at the risk of the customer. By purchasing an antique gun from IMA you thereby release IMA, its employees and corporate officers from any and all liability associated with use of our Antique guns.

Pre-1899 Manufacture, no licenses required, allowed to ship to almost any deliverable address across the globe. Please note that for international shipping, these MUST be shipped using UPS WW Services. International customers should always consult their country's antique gun laws prior to ordering.