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This 1873 was my wife’s grandfather’s. It was originally ordered and sold in June of 1900 according to the letter from the Cody museum. Their family moved to the southwest around the same time so I have it in my head that this gun has probably been in the family of the entire time.
In case it’s not clear from the photos, the finish on the wood has deteriorated significantly, likely due to a century of SW summer heat. It also appears to have been varnished or shellacked somewhat sloppily at some point in its life as evidenced by the dried coating on the barrel and other metal parts. Fortunately the metal is all there and I do not see any severe rust or pitting, dings, or dents, but all of it is a dull brown in person. The action cycles and the trigger pull is pretty good. It is anyone’s guess when the last time the poor thing was cleaned or oiled… definitely not in this century and possibly in the last half century!
My plan for this old coyote is simple:
– clean the varnish off of the wood and metal. Will try denatured alcohol as I’ve seen as a suggestion on this forum, followed by acetone or mineral spirits if needed. Worst case I’ll end up scraping it off, lightly sand, and oil the wood with multiple coats 100% tung oil cut with mineral spirits.
– completely disassemble the gun to see what is lurking under the wood and metal bands. All screws will be treated with care; there are several already that have buggered up heads that I’ll be addressing.
– replace any coil springs and anything that is found broken.
What to do with the barrel and frame? I’m leaning towards completely degreasing everything, boiling it all to convert the brown rust on the surface, carding, and oiling. I’m nervous because it just seems too simple. I don’t want it to look new, but I do want to make sure it’s clean, serviceable, and shootable and able to survive another 125 years.
– reassemble, lube, and shoot occasionally. Likely all BP hand loads.
Welcome to WACA Skierd,
You’ve got a nice SRC that looks to be in pretty nice original condition, here’s what I’d do and wouldn’t do to preserve 124 years of character
– I’d use denatured alcohol to clean the varnish off the wood and metal. I would not sand the stocks.
– As the gun cycles correctly I’d resist the urge to disassemble it.
– I’d just wipe the gun down with a lightly oiled rag and skip the boiling, etc.
– I’d keep it clean, lightly oiled and also shoot it occasionally.
Good Luck with your project and let us know how it works out
“If you can’t convince them, confuse them”
President Harry S. Truman
I like your gun. It’s only original once, so don’t do anything until your get good advice. Tedk made some good points.
Do not sand anything.
On the metal use Kroil or G96, spray or wipe the metal that you can get to. These types of products will stop any rust. Tilt the gun when using these products to reduce the contact with your wood. Oil will not hurt the metal.
If your wood has linseed oil applied or something that wrinkled with age then you can experiment on a very small area with denatured alcohol or turpentine on a damp rag. The object is to take off the top layer that doesn’t belong without damaging any finish or stain below.
You can take off the side plates with one screw and easily clean and lubricate working parts.
Run an oil patch down the bore.
Don’t take anything apart unless it’s broke. Less is better, your gun has a good look. It took years to get the natural patina and blue mix, leave it there.
T/R
After removing the varnish use Boiled linseed oil on the wood. Lightly wipe the metal surfaces with an oily rag to clean off the dirt. Oil the interior and moving parts but do not take it apart. One of your descendants will appreciate that you didn’t ruin it.
skierd,
Many of us would love to own that 73 src. but we’re also happy that you’re keeping it in the family, where it belongs, and hopefully pass down to many more along the way.
There’s so much experience here on this sight, and darn near every level of collector. Many of us have been in you’re shoes, and have, “cleaned up”, an old collectable without destroying the value, or even ruing a fine piece like you have.
You already have a lot of really good advice and suggestions from a few who have been there. I’ll add, to remember it’s not a modern brand new rifle, and don’t try to pretty her up too much!!!
The exterior screws, that you choose to replace that are buggered, after the suggested Kroil, is applied to the screw, a light tap with the proper sized, small flat set, on the head of the screw, on top of the slot, and a small machinist, (ball paean), hammer, it really helps to break free the crud that has, helped to secure those frozen screws in place! Like was said earlier, refrain from completely tearing it apart!
Naturally we don’t know you’re capabilities and what you’re level of competence is, but go slow, and as much patina, that you can leave on it, will do more good than harm!!! IMHO!
Anthony
The only screws that have messed up heads are the side plate screw and the lever screw. Whoever tweaked those was probably the last person before me who tried to get in to the gun to clean it because everything inside was covered in a fine tacket grit of New Mexico dust mixed with old oxidized oil. I know what’s inside because I was able to get the side plates off with the help of a good fitting screwdriver and patience. The toggle links look great, the carrier lifters and springs look great, and everything functions smoothly just gummed up.
So a question… what am I missing about disassembling and throughly inspecting and cleaning this 1873 that I’m being advised to not take it apart? I should clarify that I don’t necessarily intend to take every single pin and piece out, just get it down far enough to get the grit and grime out of the nooks and crannies. I want to check on the firing pin and spring and clean the inside of the bolt to make sure nothing bad is lurking in there. I want to make sure there’s magazine tube is clear and clean and protected internally. I also want to make sure there’s no active rust lurking under the stock and fore end. Kroil, hollow ground screwdrivers, ballistol, and patience.
Once it’s clean and oiled, I’ll re-evaluate the barrel and receiver condition and may very well leave it alone.
skierd, welcome to the forums and WACA. I often disagree with folks on here about “leave it alone,” especially in the context of needing to clean and oil it. Doesn’t hurt to do maintenance and seek out any hidden problems like rust….sound like you have the tools and skill to do some needed maintenance and I would personally support you doing it.
Some folks would rather let a gun continue to rot rather than remove a speck of rust on an heirloom…not me. I very much believe in Mark Novak’s (youtube) philosophy of “do the maintenance” and “conserve” a gun….patina is sometimes just rust….rust trying to turn your gun back into dirt.
Keep us up to date, with a lot of pictures, and progress. As it sounds like you have a great plan of attack,
and are more than capable to do the work yourself! 
Anthony
You should be able to clean and oil what is needed with just the sideplates off. The only other part that may need attention is the firing pin sliding in the bolt if it feels stiff or gritty and that would still be done with the sideplates off but you would need to drive out the pin that has the firing pin retractor. The only tricky part is if the firing pin will pass over the hammer. Tonight I will post a parts diagram and disassembly instruction I found in the American Rifleman.
Bob
WACA Life Member--- NRA Life Member---- Cody Firearms member since 1991 Researching the Winchester 1873's
Email: [email protected]
1873man said
You should be able to clean and oil what is needed with just the sideplates off. The only other part that may need attention is the firing pin sliding in the bolt if it feels stiff or gritty and that would still be done with the sideplates off but you would need to drive out the pin that has the firing pin retractor. The only tricky part is if the firing pin will pass over the hammer. Tonight I will post a parts diagram and disassembly instruction I found in the American Rifleman.Bob
Bob, What is your opinion of that buttstock?
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skierd,
I used to take every gun I bought apart, clean, oil, and inspect. Now I look at some of those guns and see the original unturned screws that I was the first to turn, the sealed stock to metal fit is not there, the little scratch I made getting it apart, and realize I made a mistake. I have changed my mind and don’t want to be the first to down grade a gun. If the gun is marked up, screws turned, abused, and or broke I go for it. If not I do the minimum very carefully with the proper tools and technique. I do not want anyone to say I down graded the gun.
A new collector doesn’t understand at first but if he stays at it he realizes it’s only original once. You can do a lot from the outside.
I have seen some real ugly cleanups so I give anyone asking the same advice. Go slow. T/R
Maverick said
1873man said
You should be able to clean and oil what is needed with just the sideplates off. The only other part that may need attention is the firing pin sliding in the bolt if it feels stiff or gritty and that would still be done with the sideplates off but you would need to drive out the pin that has the firing pin retractor. The only tricky part is if the firing pin will pass over the hammer. Tonight I will post a parts diagram and disassembly instruction I found in the American Rifleman.
Bob
Bob, What is your opinion of that buttstock?
Maverick,
The stock has a little fit issue and has a old heavy alligated finish which might be helped with some TLC. There is something going on with the top of the stock along side the top tang. The surface looks irregular, just not a good view of it. I would worry when removing the heavy finish is if you remove too much and loose the color in the wood or when your done it will stick out as a refinished stock.
Bob
WACA Life Member--- NRA Life Member---- Cody Firearms member since 1991 Researching the Winchester 1873's
Email: [email protected]
Here is a PDF of the parts diagram and disassembly instructions for the 73 which was published in a 1967 American Rifleman magazine.
Bob
WACA Life Member--- NRA Life Member---- Cody Firearms member since 1991 Researching the Winchester 1873's
Email: [email protected]
Bob, those instructions are wonderful to have thank you.
I’ve attached another picture, this time of the top of the rear tang if that helps with anything.
I’m going to pick up some denatured alcohol after work today and see if I can make progress on the old ruined finish and getting the over-application off of the metal this weekend. Watching Mark Douglas’ video on removing shellac with alcohol was very informative and I can only hope taking care of this finish will be that simple. I would much rather wipe it off with alcohol and an old t shirt than use a scraper that’s for sure.
skierd said
Watching Mark Douglas’ video on removing shellac with alcohol was very informative and I can only hope taking care of this finish will be that simple. I would much rather wipe it off with alcohol and an old t shirt than use a scraper that’s for sure.
I’ve also had good luck using this to remove old wood finish… https://www.truevalue.com/product/antique-furniture-refinisher-32-oz/
It looks like the wood along the upper tang splintered off.
Bob
WACA Life Member--- NRA Life Member---- Cody Firearms member since 1991 Researching the Winchester 1873's
Email: [email protected]
I gotta say I’m impressed that you guys were able to see that in photos when I hadn’t noticed it in person until I got the stock off tonight. There is indeed a small split forming near where the stock meets the upper tang on the loading gate side.
I was able to test using denatured alcohol to remove the shellac on the metal tonight and I’m happy to report it is coming off nicely with only a little persuasion from an old t-shirt. I can’t wait to see what’s under the alligator and orange peel.
That does look a lot better,
Bob
WACA Life Member--- NRA Life Member---- Cody Firearms member since 1991 Researching the Winchester 1873's
Email: [email protected]
That looks mighty good, to me. It looks like you left all the character and color and got rid of the crud.
I’ll be curious to know what our guys think. Leave well enough alone or wipe on a little boiled linseed oil?
It’s good you caught that split because you can stop it and make it stronger from inside the mortise.
That sure is a fine-looking Winchester for its age!
- Bill
WACA # 65205; life member, NRA; member, TGCA; member, TSRA; amateur preservationist
"I have seen wicked men and fools, a great many of both, and I believe they both get paid in the end, but the fools first." -- David Balfour, narrator and protagonist of the novel, Kidnapped, by Robert Louis Stevenson.
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