From the photos, I suspect that the ‘quite a lot of blue’ is actually patina that occurs on a well worn, old rifle. I see you are up here in Canada, in the same province I live in. I have bought and sold a few 1873’s. The last one I purchased and sold was also a 38 WCF and in about the same condition, with a strong patina on the metal were the blueing once was. I searched around for quite a while before I was able to find one for sale and in honest, unmessed-with condition. I was not able to find any under $2,000. However, a major collector said that if I searched long enough, I might be able to find and honest one for as low as $1,800. I ended up paying $2,200 including shipping. 1873man has a lot more experience buying and selling than I do, but he is in the USA where, perhaps, these 1873’s are easier to come by. I think you would be extremely fortunate to find that rifle for $1,500 IF (and it is a very important ‘if’) it is unsanded and unmeshed with. If those are wrench marks on the barrel, then I would put the value at around $1,500. Wrench marks probably means someone took the barrel off or replaced the barrel and wasn’t too professional about it. On the other hand, if they are just dings and not wrench marks, then the value would probably be closer to $1,800. If there were no major dings, then it would be worth closer to $2,000. One in well-sanded and poor condition would cost around $1,000 to $1,300 up here. I purchased such a beater (also a 38 WCF) for a fellow who simply wanted a shooter 1873. I had to replace a lot of home-made and broken parts before I got the old ’73 working again. The cheapest 1873 I ever got my hands on was also a beater, with bent tangs and sewer pipe barrel and very well worn for $1,000 but that was about 8 years ago. Looking at your photos, I can see that the wood is proud of the receiver which is a good sign that it has not been sanded or messed with. Close up photos showing both sides of the receiver, and one or two of the barrel and one of the buttplate/buttstock fit would be more helpful. I see that the brass has not been polished, so that is also a good thing. A close up photo of the possible wrench marks would also help in assessing the value.

Bottom Line: The wood looks original and unsanded from what I can see. Given the possible wrench marks, I think it would be hard to find a ’73 like that for less than $1,500. With no wrench marks and relatively smooth metal with patina, it would add at least $300 to $500 to the value up here in Canada.

A barrel might be removed to reblue it (not the case for this particular ’73). Another possible reason someone might have tried to remove the barrel is if there was a case head separation using old balloon head ammo, and the fellow could not get the case out (minus the head). In that situation he might decide it would be easier to get in there to get the case out if he took off the barrel. One way to see if this might have been the case is to examine the chamber walls for gouges made by a sharp metal object. I had this once in an original ’86. A case head must have separated and someone was digging around in there with a sharp metal object. Another possible reason someone might get vice marks on the barrel is if they wanted to saw a bit off the end of the barrel if the rifling was worn from cleaning rods, or if the muzzle was damaged from hitting a rock. In that case, they would not remove the barrel, but they would might remove the fore stock to better place the rifle in a vice. In the case of this rifle, however, the front sight looks to be the proper distance from the muzzle, so I don’t think anything has been sawed off. Of course, collectors cringe at all these scenarios. I’d like to see a photo of the wrench marks. Even with the wrench marks, that looks like a decent ’73 that has earned its keep. Coming from Newfoundland, it may have taken its share of Moose and seal. What is amazing to me is that in 1911 people were still ordering the ’73 in sufficient quantities to keep Winchester production of this rifle going.