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Very interesting Model 1873 serial number
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March 5, 2022 - 11:46 pm
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At the Redding auction – Lot 3:

Winchester – Mod. 1873 Deluxe 3rd Model – 38-40 Cal. Lever Action Rifle – w/Factory Special Order 28” Octagon Barrel
w/Sporting Front & Low Buck Horn Rear Barrel Sights w/Full Magazine Tube – w/Checkered Straight Grip Fancy Wood Butt
Stock w/Metal Crescent Butt Plate w/Trap Door & Matching Figured Deluxe Checkered Forearm – Gun is Blue/Brown Finish
& Factory Letter Shows the Receiver Was Originally Case Hardened But Now Has Faded Silver – w/Vivid Case Colors on
Hammer – Good Wood to Metal Fit – Gun Has a Very Attractive Even Look to it – This Gun Has a Very Interesting Factory
Letter, For Starter, the Serial #141118½A – Yes, The Serial # Ends w/18½A. The Letter Also Shows: Rifle, Round Barrel,
Plain Trigger, Case Hardened, Fancy Pistol Grip Not Checkered – Then the Letter States Written on the Same Line Above
This Information is: 18½, Dec 11, 83 – Rifle, 38, Octagon, Plain, Case Hardened, Checkered Stock, Which is This Guns
Features. Obviously, This Gun Had a Duplicate Serial #. Either Way it is a Very Tight Even Looking Deluxe 1873 – Fully
Operational – Mfg. in 1883 – Serial #141118½A

AM-JKLUDUOo-sSgBvKA_FwQinz7-E2cM743PlAk_TK7NyY3Upfa_IWkVaDoXWU6CnT4gYZI7yNzdj_L1C_4IZVliSuTdrmuHM84iM307cf8Voebtty-WknWkudJCs7mTuqN1c0NhmcqCUZYA1JKhBXGaugvd5A=w2160-h1443-no?authuser=0Image Enlarger

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March 6, 2022 - 12:42 am
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Do you have a link to the auction. I found the text but no pictures.

Bob

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March 6, 2022 - 12:54 am
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1873man said
Do you have a link to the auction. I found the text but no pictures.

Bob  

You have to scroll down to lot number 3:

https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipNB1y-5fU59OOdLSgPH1VzuBZyUqBpYqNhcW5ah4vAOlnRR8ZDVF1uCf-nERWFLww?key=RjlxOVBERHhUb3Foemh5anpZc3k3cGRYMmJLbzhn

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March 6, 2022 - 1:07 am
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I’m not understanding why they needed to add the 1/2.  We see lots of rifles that are returned for major modification (e.g. different barrel style, chambering and so on).  Most do not show any change to the serial number for this.

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March 6, 2022 - 1:33 am
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 I think they made two rifles with the same serial number and added the 1/2 to the second one. Very interesting!

 Colt made guns with duplicate serial numbers and when you get a letter they list both, but never 1/2 on one of the guns. T/R

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March 6, 2022 - 1:53 am
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That is how I’m reading the letter that is the second gun with the same serial number.

Bob

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March 6, 2022 - 2:00 am
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The Fall 2012 Collector magazine features an 1876 deluxe with a fractional serial number on page 30.

https://winchestercollector.org/magazines/201209/32/index.html

Don

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March 6, 2022 - 2:11 am
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deerhunter said
The Fall 2012 Collector magazine features an 1876 deluxe with a fractional serial number on page 30.

https://winchestercollector.org/magazines/201209/32/index.html

Don  

 Thanks Don, that’s two with the 1/2. Strange, but nice to know. T/R

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March 7, 2022 - 12:08 am
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Maybe 1/2 means “one of two”. 

 

Mike

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March 7, 2022 - 1:03 am
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TXGunNut said
Maybe 1/2 means “one of two”. 

 

Mike  

Very interesting.  I hadn’t thought of that.  It would really be something if there was another one wih that number marked 2/2.

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March 12, 2022 - 5:49 pm
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The gun went for $7200 plus the juice. I would of been interested in it if the letter mentioned the 28 barrel”

Bob

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March 12, 2022 - 7:10 pm
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Do you think the 1/2 actually means 1 of 2?

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March 12, 2022 - 9:32 pm
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If  it meant 1 of 2,would the other rifle be marked 2/2, for 2 of 2? Smile

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March 12, 2022 - 10:01 pm
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The 1/2 means its between 141118 and 141119. The 1/2 stamp was put on after the serial was applied so if it was going to be a 1 of 2  and 2 of 2 they would of made room for it. 141118 was entered in the warehouse on Nov 23 1883 and when 141118 1/2 showed up on Dec 11 1883 the ledger page was already filled in so to keep the serial number in sequence it was added to the 141118 line.

When the second 141118 showed up in the warehouse it was sent back and someone in the factory solved the problem. I would also guess someone at the factory wanted it as to the in and out the same day.

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March 14, 2023 - 7:13 am
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 Rick C 

   

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March 14, 2023 - 6:13 pm
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Really interesting read.  I have never seen a serial number stamped like this.  Even the spacing between the 4 and the 1.

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March 14, 2023 - 6:23 pm
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Yes Chuck the entire serial number is different to anything I’ve ever seen also. The numerals look like other 73’s but I can see what you mean by the 4 and 1 spacing. Also it shows December 11,83 but then:
Received In the warchouse on November 23, 1883
Shipped from the warehouse on November 23, 1883. 
I must be reading it wrong because serial number couldn’t be applied after it was shipped?

 Rick C 

   

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March 14, 2023 - 6:32 pm
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I think one gun shipped in November and the other in December.

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March 14, 2023 - 6:36 pm
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Yes that’s it. I got caught up focusing on the 6 stamped digits and then reading the letter dates I forgot about the 1/2 ??‍♂️

 Rick C 

   

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March 14, 2023 - 8:36 pm
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I have seen that same”1/2″ marking and notation in the records on a few other occasions, and it is my belief (opinion) that it was how Winchester documented a duplicate serial numbered gun at that time.

Bert

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