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Snagged this early morning last week. Letters 36″ with plain trigger. 32-20 of course. LOL. 
nanzca said
Snagged this early morning last week. Letters 36″ with plain trigger. 32-20 of course. LOL.
A very rare piece. Not many out there. A wonderful addition to a collection. I’ve got to say though, the .32-20 doesn’t strongly ring my bell in the M1873. I would get real excited about this piece were it a .44-40 or .38-40. But, you’ve got to take them as they come 
Steve, I agree but from what I’ve seen the majority seem to be 32-20.
nanzca,
Congratulations on a rare gun! So many 36″ guns had the barrel cut so a honest 36″ in any caliber is rare rare! T/R
nanzca said
Steve, I agree but from what I’ve seen the majority seem to be 32-20.
It’s interesting that the two Colt 36-inch barreled Lightning rifles that I have seen – were both in .32-20 as well 
November 7, 2015
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Thought you loved everything 32, Steve! I’m an unabashed 32WCF fan, nanzca. Sweet little CF cartridge only needs a little dab of lead and a few grains of magic powder to make me smile. Congrats on an awesome score!
Mike
TXGunNut said
Thought you loved everything 32, Steve! I’m an unabashed 32WCF fan, nanzca. Sweet little CF cartridge only needs a little dab of lead and a few grains of magic powder to make me smile. Congrats on an awesome score!
Mike
Mike – we know that the .32 WCF is not the .32 Special!
I have never owned a Model 1873 in .32 WCF – and never wanted one. However, that doesn’t mean I haven’t had that chambering in M1892’s (carbine and rifle), M53, Remington M25 and Marlin M1894’s. It isn’t my favorite cartridge, but it is a fun one and it’s typical for me to bring a .32-20 along for a range trip. It’s also a great one for other family members to shoot. I wouldn’t use one on a deer. I don’t know why it’s unappealing to me in the M1873. Oddly, were that 36 inch barreled rifle in a M1892 (in .32 WCF), I’d be more drawn to it (but would still prefer .38 WCF or .44 WCF).
I have had only two opportunities to buy any Winchester lever model with an original 36″ barrel, in any caliber, that lettered. When you sort threw stretched or new barreled guns and only look for original examples few are ever for sale. I did manage to buy one and lost the second. Caliber and model are secondary.
My hats off to Casey. Nice buy! T/R
It’s the same gun. The seller is a bot that has over a thousand listings. I’ve asked them to take them down since they don’t own the gun and it’s not for sale by them but haven’t heard a response. The pics are the same from the gunbroker ad I purchased it from a couple weeks ago minus the letter.
Casey
So this GI seller seems to have nearly 20,000 active listings? I’m not understanding this. So, he never owned the rifle – just stole the photos and is trying to sell it? A fraudster?
steve004 said
So this GI seller seems to have nearly 20,000 active listings? I’m not understanding this. So, he never owned the rifle – just stole the photos and is trying to sell it? A fraudster?
Nope. I bought the gun from a seller in Alabama. His listing says Minnesota. Not sure what his scam is but I’m sure he’ll hook someone. I even emailed the first time acting as an interested buyer to see what would happen. No answer.
I see this a lot when looking for old cars. I don’t know if it is a scam but these type of posts are quite common in the old car world. You can find the same car at different locations?
January 26, 2011
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TR said
I have had only two opportunities to buy any Winchester lever model with an original 36″ barrel, in any caliber, that lettered. When you sort threw stretched or new barreled guns and only look for original examples few are ever for sale. I did manage to buy one and lost the second. Caliber and model are secondary.My hats off to Casey. Nice buy! T/R
Tom
Here’s a 36″ 1885 that didn’t make the reserve. It’s a #3 but it sure looks heavier. It went to $1400 and stopped. I had it in my watch list but didn’t bid. Pretty cool Single Shot though, maybe it will resurface in another auction.
~Gary~
pdog72 said
TR said
I have had only two opportunities to buy any Winchester lever model with an original 36″ barrel, in any caliber, that lettered. When you sort threw stretched or new barreled guns and only look for original examples few are ever for sale. I did manage to buy one and lost the second. Caliber and model are secondary.
My hats off to Casey. Nice buy! T/R
Tom
Here’s a 36″ 1885 that didn’t make the reserve. It’s a #3 but it sure looks heavier. It went to $1400 and stopped. I had it in my watch list but didn’t bid. Pretty cool Single Shot though, maybe it will resurface in another auction.
My guess is that the reserve was ridiculously high. Too many people seem to believe that the 36-inch barrel is worth a massive premium. In that rifle’s case, the original buyer inexplicably did not pay the extra $2 or $4 for a single set or close-coupled set trigger, or upgraded target sights after paying an extra $12 for the extra length barrel.
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
Chuck said
Terrible wood to metal fit. Maybe that is why it didn’t make reserve?
Chuck, that isn’t obvious to me, but maybe you’re looking at a higher resolution image than what I see. A plain-Jane .32-40 is the most common of all SS variants, & I wouldn’t pay very much extra for this brl length.
Bert H. said In that rifle’s case, the original buyer inexplicably did not pay the extra $2 or $4 for a single set or close-coupled set trigger, or upgraded target sights after paying an extra $12 for the extra length barrel.
If this was bought as a hunting rifle on some crackpot theory that the 36″ brl was “more accurate,” or whatever, there’d be no reason for a set trigger or target sights.
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