Winchester 1873 first model sporting rifle

[Mongo59]

My LGS had a rough one on the rack so today I went back and traded for it.

This is one for a beginner as most the metal is rough, the dust cover is missing and the fore stock is home made.

It does shoot and mechanically functions as should but I wouldn't advise looking down the barrel.

The good points are the receiver is all there and in good condition but it will never be case hardened again. The butt stock and butt plate are original and in better than average shape for a gun made in 1881.

It is apart and looking at me right now. My greatest fear was it has way more value in parts than it does as a collectible and I didn't want the cannibals to get hold of it.

I always told myself I wasn't going to get into these high dollar guns, so, this shows how much I know...

 

[churchmouse]

That is an area I look to venture into one day. LeadEye does this on many old pieces. He brings them back into service.

 

[Leadeye]

He has picked a good place to start, easy to take apart and reassemble and the mechanism is simple. Still a lot of parts around, big cost would be a bore reline. What caliber?

 

[Trapper Jim]

These are a lot of fun. I refabbed several 94’s and one 92. After going thru several of them I ended up with the ones I have now which are original in every way patina and character marks and a few spots inside the barrel but they all shoot 1” at 100 with Winchester 150PP.

 

[Mongo59]

He has picked a good place to start, easy to take apart and reassemble and the mechanism is simple. Still a lot of parts around, big cost would be a bore reline. What caliber?

.32wcf

 

[Mongo59]

These are a lot of fun. I refabbed several 94’s and one 92. After going thru several of them I ended up with the ones I have now which are original in every way patina and character marks and a few spots inside the barrel but they all shoot 1” at 100 with Winchester 150PP.

The more I clean the more I find out. Like an extra digit to the serial number which makes it a 3rd model instead of a first. It is an 1888 manufacture date.

The more I clean the bore the better it is looking. As the crap goes away more rifling takes it's place...

 

[DoggyDaddy]

There are 2 at the auction I'm going to this morning. The one in 32 WCF is sitting at $225 (cracked and broken forend and loose mag tube). Serial number 55074B. The other one is .22 short and it's up to $1200. Serial number 223820B.

 

[Mongo59]

There are 2 at the auction I'm going to this morning. The one in 32 WCF is sitting at $225 (cracked and broken forend and loose mag tube). Serial number 55074B. The other one is .22 short and it's up to $1200. Serial number 223820B.

How many rounds would a .22 short '73 hold? A box or two I would suspect.

The loose mag tube is a simple fix on the .32, fore ends go for $60. Even a 10% gun books for $1000...

 

[DoggyDaddy]

How many rounds would a .22 short '73 hold? A box or two I would suspect.

The loose mag tube is a simple fix on the .32, fore ends go for $60. Even a 10% gun books for $1000...

No clue on how many the 22 short would hold. Too rich for my blood for sure!

Lots 141 and 144...

https://christys.hibid.com/catalog/192605/dec--14th-live-and-online-firearms-auction/?cpage=3

 

[Leadeye]

While your 1873 was made for cast bullets, don't get discouraged if it doesn't do well with them, even if they match up to your bore. I have a 73 in 32-20 that does very well with Hornady 100 grain hollow points, but poorly with well sized cast 115s.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

How many rounds would a .22 short '73 hold? A box or two I would suspect.

The loose mag tube is a simple fix on the .32, fore ends go for $60. Even a 10% gun books for $1000...

BTW, the 32WCF rifle ended up going for $600 (so close to $800 with fees and taxes) and the 22 short rifle went for $1550.

 

[Mongo59]

Dang, even after the add-ons that is still cheap for the .32

 

[Splagt]

I have an 1873 chambered for 44-40. Mechanically good, but I have had issues trying to find the best cast bullet that provides acceptable accuracy. I'm trying to keep pressures low, and I thought soft lead at the correct bore diameter would be the ticket. Leadeye's comment about jacket bullet accuracy is interesting.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

Dang, even after the add-ons that is still cheap for the .32

It was a neat looking old rifle. And the forearm, while cracked and with a rather large chip out of it, wasn't something I would have been in a big rush to replace. The description made it sound worse than it was in my opinion. Then again, they described a lot of the Arisakas as having "cracked stocks" - they were referring to the two-piece design of the butt stock on Arisakas. Oh, and they pronounced it "a-RIS-a-ka". They put the emPHASis on the wrong syLLABle.

 

[Mongo59]

I have decided to go all new furniture on this one. The butt stock was dry as a popcorn fart but in good shape otherwise so I used some tung oil on it to preserve it.

The metal is almost prepared for bluing and I plan to get that done today since the rain outside.

My buddy already went through the mechanics and insured it fired before it got to me, so no worries there.

It should be done and waiting on the furniture to show up by sundown...

 

[Mongo59]

This is the '73 with old furniture and awaiting new parts.

The screws are going to need replacing along with the spring for the lever lock.

 

[red_zr24x4]

That's a nice looking rifle

 

[Mongo59]

It's all makeup!

Hours of getting the metal right. It will need to have more blue added. The fore grip is home made, I just sanded it down for the pic...

The only honest thing on it is the butt stock. Original un-sanded with honest wear.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

That's looking great Mongo!