Dad's old Model 1873 Questions|General Discussions & Questions|Forum|Winchester Collector

HorizonMike said
Howdy everyone! can finally bring myself to enjoy the firearms Dad I used to shoot, found a Model 1873 SN# 288883B in 44W.C.F.. in wonderful shape to my eye, have always loved the crescent stock. But just wondering, What an expert could tell me about what I have. From what I understand, it’s from about 1889. What does the “B” mean? It has the Kings improvement which I believe allows you to load through the loading gate? It has no cleaning rod. Receiver seems to be made of nickel? Doesn’t seems to have any bluing on the barrel or action, yet has patinaed darker than the receiver, as well as the handguard cap.

  

Hi Mike, you’ll soon be asked for pictures for us to tell you further, but non-members can’t add them. You can host to an outside site and link here or send them to one of us and we can post them. Take several nice ones!

The “A” and “B” designation purpose has been lost to time for the 1873 mostly although there are a few theories floating around. You’d want a factory Cody letter to determine if the nickeled receiver was from factory, but if your barrel has lost its bluing, it’s likely your receiver is the same, not nickeled but missing bluing and closer to “in the white”. There will be a few experts tell you more along soon!

Mike,

You can send the pictures to my email below and I can post them. From that we can tell what you have.

Bob

Mike,

Here are the pictures. I cropped and rotated a few. The gun has been well used and has no finish left. The bore condition matches the condition of the outside. It looks like its been dry fired a lot from the mushrooming of the firing pin so check for a broken firing pin. The receiver is steel, its just been cleaned on is shinned up.

Bob

Bob, I can see where the firing pin is mushroomed from dry firing. Evan as it appears to have been sand or bead blasted somewhat in the cleaning process, besides the traditional cleaning methods. It would be interesting to see how she shoots, after completely checking the old girl out mechanically. A good honest representative of yesteryear, Dad’s gun need’s to be shot.

Anthony 

Chuck said
I see rifling so it will shoot.  How well, you should find out.  Load some light loads, or buy some Cowboy Action loads and find out. Most factory loads will be OK too.  Just not anything HOT.

  

I think accuracy is mainly defined by what you’re satisfied with.  For an old rifle that is mainly purchased for its character and an example of an old west rifle, hitting a gallon jug at 25 yards might be adequately satisfying. 

I hope you meant 12″.  Have fun.