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April 2, 2016
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I was wondering if a 1873 Winchester 44-40 with a button Magazine is somewhat rare. I seen one and felt it made a very nice looking rifle.
March 20, 2009
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jerry thomas said
I was wondering if a 1873 Winchester 44-40 with a button Magazine is somewhat rare. I seen one and felt it made a very nice looking rifle.
Hello Jerry,
They are not rare by any measure. Certainly they are less common that the full length configuration. Our member, 1873man, is conducting a survey of the 1873’s and should be able to give you a better idea of what the % of production roughly is. Was the gun you saw a saddle ring carbine or sporting rifle configuration?
Michael
Model 1892 / Model 61 Collector, Research, Valuation
May 2, 2009
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Jerry,
The half mag guns make up about 5% of the rifles but it does not have a positive affect on its value. The issue is the majority of the collectors like the standard configuration. The rule of thumb in collecting Winchester lever actions is a octagon barrel is worth more than a round, a full mag is more desirable than a half and a crescent butt plate is better than a shotgun butt when comparing the standard hardware store gun with the same condition. There are collectors for all of them but the majority want the octagon barrel with full mag and crescent butt. Now that can change once the collectors change their taste.
Bob
WACA Life Member--- NRA Life Member---- Cody Firearms member since 1991 Researching the Winchester 1873's
Email: [email protected]
April 2, 2016
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Thank you 73man. I have been hunting and later collecting Winchesters for 50 years, the vast majority being lever guns. Never really paid a lot of attention to the 73 although I have owned several over the years. I hunted larger game so the 94,55 and the 64’s fit my hunting and collecting better. I shoot all my Winchesters. Given the information you have provided the 73 follows, as for a collectors interest, is about the same as the other Winchester models. I have the 73 in the 22 long, 32-20, and 38-40 all full magazines, octagon barrel and crescent buttstock. I just happen to see a 73 44 40 with the short magazine and thought it made for a very “clean” looking rifle and I have never seen one before.
