Log In
Members
Home
Add Reply
Add Topic
Offline
I bought this Winchester Model 1873 in .44-40 yesterday afternoon. 24″ barrel, single set trigger, with solid wood (no cracks) and a very good bore that’s sharp and shiny. The sights are original. The internals looked just fine and the single-set trigger works as it should. All and all a pretty solid example.
It was made in 1884……Serial # 157441A……What does the A suffix mean?
There is almost no OEM finish left on it, just patina. It’s markings are in fair shape.
It’s missing it’s dust cover and dust cover spring but replacements are on order. Evidently the spring broke as there was the corner of the spring under the screw when I removed the screw to clean the area.
The sorta odd thing was all the metal was covered in a very thin coat of linseed oil. Then I remembered, OK maybe not so odd, my granddad used to do the same thing to tools/oil lanterns that stayed out in his shed to help prevent rust.
Some lighter fluid on a rag/Q-tips along with a old tooth brush made short work of it to where I could get some oil on it. Otherwise I did not mess with it.
Nobody really knows what the A or B mean except some think is was a production change. The spring gets broken if someone removes the dust cover and then tried to slide it back on and the spring will get caught in the screw hole of the dust cover and bend it backwards. When you put it back on you will need to use a screwdriver blade or some other tool to push the spring down to get the cover all the way on.
Bob
WACA Life Member--- NRA Life Member---- Cody Firearms member since 1991 Researching the Winchester 1873's
Email: [email protected]
Looks like nice old honest gun.
Bob
WACA Life Member--- NRA Life Member---- Cody Firearms member since 1991 Researching the Winchester 1873's
Email: [email protected]
Rub some oil all over it, let it soak in, rub off any excess. Don’t need to be picky about what oil. Use whatever you have, withing reason, out in the garage. Boiled linseed oil on the wood would be best. Metal doesn’t care what gun oil you use.
I use 10W30 on the metal only, leave it sit overnight and rub off, it cleans and brings out any color. I use Liquid gold on the wood, it adds no finish while cleaning the dirt out of the wood. T/R
[email protected] said
What does the A suffix mean?
The best explanation I have heard to date is that it denotes a “Change in Manufacture”, which simply put is factory terminology for a major change in how something was to be made by Winchester. Now as to what the specific “change” was that took place, it is currently not apparent, and likely may mean something totally different for different models. It could be a change in the metal formula used to make components like the receiver. Or a change of a particular part. Maybe someone with enough research will be able to enlighten us all. But for all I think the average collector has to just sit back and wonder at it.
Sincerely,
Maverick
WACA #8783 - Checkout my Reloading Tool Survey!
https://winchestercollector.org/forum/winchester-research-surveys/winchester-reloading-tool-survey/
TR said
I use 10W30 on the metal only, leave it sit overnight and rub off, it cleans and brings out any color. I use Liquid gold on the wood, it adds no finish while cleaning the dirt out of the wood. T/R
Yeah, it already got it’s over-night “oil bath”. In fact it got two. 😉
I got in the dust cover/spring. It required a bit of fitting (to the cover, not the rail) but it’s on and works just fine.
BTW…..I know it’s hard to qualify but how tight should the cover be on the rail? I got it to where there is still some resistance I did not want to over-do it.
You want it to slide with little to no resistance. Once the oil dries out it will get harder to move but you don’t want side play. When I check out a gun that I’m considering buying and want to know how much its been used, I check for side play in the dust cover. The more play the more use the guns had.
Bob
WACA Life Member--- NRA Life Member---- Cody Firearms member since 1991 Researching the Winchester 1873's
Email: [email protected]
1873man said
You want it to slide with little to no resistance. Once the oil dries out it will get harder to move but you don’t want side play. When I check out a gun that I’m considering buying and want to know how much its been used, I check for side play in the dust cover. The more play the more use the guns had.Bob
That seems reasonable, I’ll work on it a little more, as of now there is no side to side play.
1 Guest(s)
