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Does anyone know app. how many of these were made and may be still around, Bob????
W.A.C.A. life member, Marlin Collectors Assn. charter and life member, C,S.S.A. member and general gun nut.
Since we all want to learn here, yes, this does letter as nickel, but are you sure it’s not an old renickel? That last photograph that shows the proofmarks seems to show heavily nickeled proofmarks whereas they really should not be nickeled at all, being applied after the nickel finish was applied.
Henry,
There are 57 15” trappers that are around in my survey in all calibers. 17 if you just count 32 cal. The gun has been refinished and proofs added
Bob
WACA Life Member--- NRA Life Member---- Cody Firearms member since 1991 Researching the Winchester 1873's
Email: [email protected]
Online
Very cool gun! But as stated above, it appears to have been renickeled, it being shipped 1891 and have proof marks, would mean, went back to factory.
With no “R&R” entry listed on the CFM factory letter, the re-nickel and the added proof marks are very unlikely to be factory work. Further, unless Winchester swapped out the barrel, they would not have proofed fired it on a typical R&R.
Bert
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
OK , I understand all that and I did know it has been re finished, don’t know where though, I’m guessing factory how ever. My original question was how many 1873 15″ nickeled trappers in 32-20 were made and how many .remain. I’d like to be able to say it’s 1 of 1, or 1 of 6 or what ever the case may be. Out of 17 trappers surveyed in 32-20 how many were nickeled, regardless it has to be a “rare” configured 1873. Whether it was factory re finished or not , to say definetly , one way or the other, would be difficult, as Bert said ,”Unlikely”. As We all know, not all things done at the factory were entered in the ledgers and My thoughts are why would any one , other than the factory,want to go to the trouble of stamping proofs on a gun that didn’t have , or need them. Thanks for the numbers Bob.
W.A.C.A. life member, Marlin Collectors Assn. charter and life member, C,S.S.A. member and general gun nut.
Henry,
There are 2 others with nickel besides yours.
Bob
WACA Life Member--- NRA Life Member---- Cody Firearms member since 1991 Researching the Winchester 1873's
Email: [email protected]
Thanks Bob
W.A.C.A. life member, Marlin Collectors Assn. charter and life member, C,S.S.A. member and general gun nut.
Would a 16 inch carbine also be called a trapper or just a baby carbine? Or something else14
martin rabeno said
Would a 16 inch carbine also be called a trapper or just a baby carbine? Or something else14
It’s a name given by collectors, and I believe any carbine shorter then standard would be. 15″ is one of the most popular. In Marlin catalogs they list as standard 15″ and 20″ carbines in the models, 1893,1894
From my survey there are:
13 with 14″ barrels
79 with 15″
54 with 16″
51 with 17″
4 with 18″
No 19″ carbines. They were all called trappers by collectors like cj57 said.
Bob
WACA Life Member--- NRA Life Member---- Cody Firearms member since 1991 Researching the Winchester 1873's
Email: [email protected]
Thanks I appreciate the insight Now I know what to call my 16 in carbine and also how many were made I was always calling mine a baby carbine. Thanks again
Martin,
Those numbers are not what was made but how many are in my survey of all the 73’s I’ve recorded. I have a a little over 21,000 to date. If I do the math over the 720610 production you get 1931 15″ trappers. The issue is the distribution is not even over the production of them. The first 15″ showed up at 62472 and the last one at 579080 and more of them were made earlier and fewer of them later. I would have to come up with a formula based on the distribution of the particular feature over time.
Bob
WACA Life Member--- NRA Life Member---- Cody Firearms member since 1991 Researching the Winchester 1873's
Email: [email protected]
Thanks Bob
I will send you the serial number of my trapper later today for your survey. It is a 44 SRC with a 16 in barrel
martin rabeno said
Thanks I appreciate the insight Now I know what to call my 16 in carbine and also how many were made I was always calling mine a baby carbine. Thanks again
The term Baby carbine was used by Marlin at turn of century for a model 1894 carbine with a half magazine to lighten up a little, other wise was a standard carbine with 20”. Here’s a page from 1905 catalog 
Bob My serial number is 324012. Its a 16 in 44 cal carbine shipped 1/9/90 order #7813
Colt also made a Lightning called the “Baby Carbine Slide Action”. It had a 22″ barrel. T/R
There’s a lot of terms out there that were thought up by collector’s vs. assigned by the factories. “Trapper” is a good example. Interestingly, as has been pointed out, “baby carbine” was actually used by both Marlin and Colt. Here’s a pair of factory nickel Colt SRC’s (with SRC being a collector term 
). The upper carbine is a baby carbine. When held in your hand and comparing the two, one can clearly see the baby carbine barrel has a much lighter barrel profile.
steve004 said
There’s a lot of terms out there that were thought up by collector’s vs. assigned by the factories. “Trapper” is a good example. Interestingly, as has been pointed out, “baby carbine” was actually used by both Marlin and Colt. Here’s a pair of factory nickel Colt SRC’s (with SRC being a collector term
Steve, I had forgotten about the Colt! , and have seen them, thanks for posting those little gems!
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