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R.I.A. lot #3045 ; good lookin’ ’73 with no ser#, how common is this from the factory. I’ve never run into one before. It would be difficult to verify configuration.
W.A.C.A. life member, Marlin Collectors Assn. charter and life member, C,S.S.A. member and general gun nut.
Online
The missing serial number is seen now and then but most of the time it’s from refinishing or wear. I have seen a few blank lines in the ledgers as well. The receiver looks good as far as I can tell from the pictures but they don’t show the lower tang so you can’t see if something happened to it. I don’t like the look of the barrel. Too nice as compared to the rest of the gun. Stock has a nice crack in the wrist on the left side.
Bob
WACA Life Member--- NRA Life Member---- Cody Firearms member since 1991 Researching the Winchester 1873's
Email: [email protected]
Bob,
Was a replacement tang (numbered or un-numbered) sometimes used for repaired rifles? Or, if a rifle with a plain trigger was sent back to get a set trigger? Or would the factory number the replacement lower tang with the original serial number?
Sorry, so many questions and possibly no answers as the people who would know are all dead. 
Bill
I call myself a collector as it sounds better than hoarder
Bill Hockett said
Bob,Was a replacement tang (numbered or un-numbered) sometimes used for repaired rifles? Or, if a rifle with a plain trigger was sent back to get a set trigger? Or would the factory number the replacement lower tang with the original serial number?
Sorry, so many questions and possibly no answers as the people who would know are all dead.
Bill
They could go either way with a replacement tang. This gun would have to be sent back and have the tang replaced and refinished to get the tang to match the receiver. The issue I have is the barrel condition is better than the rest and the address and caliber stamp is later than a 2nd model would have had. It would have had 38 Cal. Not 38 WCF. If the barrel was replaced when it was repaired at a later date, I could understand that if the barrel condition matched the gun. Either way without a serial number it’s going to be a hard sell if you bought it.
Bob
WACA Life Member--- NRA Life Member---- Cody Firearms member since 1991 Researching the Winchester 1873's
Email: [email protected]
Thanks Bob, I have no intention of buying the gun . I was just going over their offerings and pickin’ them apart, and was curious about the “no ser#”. Like the “antique ” Mod. 1894 ser#’d in 1901. Although there is a couple there I’ll be bidding on.
W.A.C.A. life member, Marlin Collectors Assn. charter and life member, C,S.S.A. member and general gun nut.
interesting description from the auction company “added rare feature of being an unserialized example” – like someone special ordered it and requested it not be given a serial number. Obviously the gun was made long before the GCA but is it even legal to own, buy or sell the gun?
Burt,
Like you said it was made before the GCA so guns didn’t need a serial number before then. It is defiantly an antique by the features of it, 1883 or before. It would be like the guns that had WRACO stamped over the serial numbers except it does not detract from its looks like the ugly WRACO stamp.
Bob
WACA Life Member--- NRA Life Member---- Cody Firearms member since 1991 Researching the Winchester 1873's
Email: [email protected]
1873man said
Burt,Like you said it was made before the GCA so guns didn’t need a serial number before then. It is defiantly an antique by the features of it, 1883 or before. It would be like the guns that had WRACO stamped over the serial numbers except it does not detract from its looks like the ugly WRACO stamp.
Bob
thanks Bob – the gun would not be for me – too many possible issues like the serial # and crack in the wrist – you are probably right about the barrel being too good for the rest of the gun- will be interesting to see what it sells for – hopefully someone will let us know when there are auction results available.
I don’t think I’d ever get it across the border, it would be tough to prove to a customs agent that it’s antique.
W.A.C.A. life member, Marlin Collectors Assn. charter and life member, C,S.S.A. member and general gun nut.
November 7, 2015
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Henry Mero said
I don’t think I’d ever get it across the border, it would be tough to prove to a customs agent that it’s antique.
They’d think it was a “ghost gun”.
Mike
The one I’d really like out of this whole sale is item #1034 a 1st mod. ’94 s,r,c, oh ya’ and maybe item 1013 the 1 of 1000 
.
W.A.C.A. life member, Marlin Collectors Assn. charter and life member, C,S.S.A. member and general gun nut.
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