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Here’s an interesting 1873 configuration and Cody Letter. Looks like rifle was returned to Winchester just a little over a year after manufacture for addition of gold trim and perhaps a barrel caliber downgrade from 44 to 38 caliber? Nice looking short rifle w/an interesting factory history.
Winchester Model 1873 44-40 circa 1886
A bit of nonsense:
Looks as if a wife gave her husband a wonderful Christmas present. Problem was, he had a prized .38 WCF revolver, not a .44, and he preferred to carry only one type of ammunition at a time. So the wife sent it back to Winchester and added the gold to show how sorry she was for her error. Then, she happily presented it to him again on Valentines Day. —I’m certain this is the history of that rifle.
I don’t understand why someone would change it to a 38.
Bob
WACA Life Member--- NRA Life Member---- Cody Firearms member since 1991 Researching the Winchester 1873's
Email: [email protected]
FromTheWoods said
A bit of nonsense:Looks as if a wife gave her husband a wonderful Christmas present. Problem was, he had a prized .38 WCF revolver, not a .44, and he preferred to carry only one type of ammunition at a time. So the wife sent it back to Winchester and added the gold to show how sorry she was for her error. Then, she happily presented it to him again on Valentines Day. —I’m certain this is the history of that rifle.
You may have just solved the mystery 
Winchester Model 1873 44-40 circa 1886
1873man said
I don’t understand why someone would change it to a 38.Bob
Yes, really odd.
Without the letter there would be no reason to ever suspect that it wasn’t originally a 38.
Winchester Model 1873 44-40 circa 1886
Some of you fellows seem to hitting the hooch a little early today…
Bert
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
Why would the letter include the trim change but not the barrel change?
Perhaps it was always a 38 and listed as a 44 in error.
Winchester Model 1873 44-40 circa 1886
It originally was a 44 from looking at the frame.
Bob
WACA Life Member--- NRA Life Member---- Cody Firearms member since 1991 Researching the Winchester 1873's
Email: [email protected]
November 7, 2015
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1873man said
I don’t understand why someone would change it to a 38.Bob
I dunno, I’m pretty fond of the 38WCF. It’s a fine cartridge….but then again, so is the 44WCF. Christmas present theory has some possibilities here. My shooting buddy got a nice 1875 Sharps in 45-110 from his wife one Christmas awhile back. He’s still shooting it…after having the barrel replaced with a 45-90. I’m not a Freudian fanboy, please give it a rest if you are, lol.
Yep, been in the hooch a bit myself tonight. Backspace key is my friend. 😉
Bob–You are a ’73 Guru, and I’m down near the creek at the base of your mountain. So I have to ask: Is there a difference in .38 and .44 frames, or is TX accurate in following your lead with his (excellent and has me chuckling) Freud allusion?
Yes there is. A 44 frame is flat across the top of the frame ahead of the bolt. Where the 38, 32 and 22’s step down to the barrel since the barrels are small in diameter.
Bob
WACA Life Member--- NRA Life Member---- Cody Firearms member since 1991 Researching the Winchester 1873's
Email: [email protected]
nice rifle, but for that kind of money I’d want the letter to state 38.
my opinion,
Al
tionesta1 said
nice rifle, but for that kind of money I’d want the letter to state 38.my opinion,
Al
I’m in 100% agreement with you on that. At least I would want to see mention that barrel was swapped as part of work order 3317. Like nascar fan said; it’s strange that the letter mentions the trim change but not the barrel.
Let’s suppose for a minute that the letter did state the 44 barrel was changed out for the 38 as part of work order 3317, would this rarity most likely increase the current value or would the rifle be worth more if it still had the original 44 barrel?
Winchester Model 1873 44-40 circa 1886
The gun would of been worth more if it remained a 44.
The only reason I could think of to make it a 38 is it would of lightened the gun.
Bob
WACA Life Member--- NRA Life Member---- Cody Firearms member since 1991 Researching the Winchester 1873's
Email: [email protected]
1873man said
The gun would of been worth more if it remained a 44.The only reason I could think of to make it a 38 is it would of lightened the gun.
Bob
Yep, maybe they wanted to make up for the weight of all that added gold!
Winchester Model 1873 44-40 circa 1886
November 7, 2015
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1873man said
Yes there is. A 44 frame is flat across the top of the frame ahead of the bolt. Where the 38, 32 and 22’s step down to the barrel since the barrels are small in diameter.Bob
Does this mean the fore end wood is different? If so that would help determine when the barrel swap was done.
Forearms would be different from 44 to the others since the barrels are bigger on the 44 and the receivers are a little wider. The forearm would have to be custom made for the gun. There is no way to tell when it was done.
Bob
WACA Life Member--- NRA Life Member---- Cody Firearms member since 1991 Researching the Winchester 1873's
Email: [email protected]
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