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April 19, 2017
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I have a Winchester 1873/3rd variation 32-20/manufacture 1903. I notice that when I removed the buttplate from the stock there is a hole drilled through. My question is did all Winchester stocks have this hole for the optional buttplate trap door with cleaning rods?
December 1, 2012
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All Model 1873 rifle buttstocks were drilled for the cleaning rods but only the 44-40 and 38-40 came with the trap door buttplate and cleaning rods. The rods were too large in diameter to fit the 32-20. I’m guessing that they were all drilled because at the time of shaping the stock no one knew what caliber rifle that particular stock was going to end up on.
Also, I wasn’t aware that it was an optional trap door. I thought it was standard with large calibers and not available with small calibers.
"This is the West, sir. When the legend becomes fact, print the legend."
May 2, 2009
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It was standard to have the cleaning rods and trap door on the larger calibers but it was a option to not have it. There are a couple 44’s that letter with no rods and have a solid buttplate. If you paid for it, Winchester would make it.
Bob
WACA Life Member--- NRA Life Member---- Cody Firearms member since 1991 Researching the Winchester 1873's
Email: [email protected]
April 1, 2005
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Bob – how difficult is it to come by an original cleaning rod and what would one expect to pay for it? Is there a difference between the cleaning rod provided for a 1866 and those for an 1873. Thanks, Burt
May 2, 2009
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Burt,
This was just talked about lately, here is the link. 1873-cleaning-rods
Original rods could go for $200 to $250 if you can tell them from repo’s.
Bob
WACA Life Member--- NRA Life Member---- Cody Firearms member since 1991 Researching the Winchester 1873's
Email: [email protected]
