I just acquired a Model 1873 rifle manufactured in 1882. It is a second model, but the side of the receiver has the two screws behind the side plates like the first model, which I was told that hardware and parts were never wasted and some first model featured ended up on some second models. The one thing I’m most curious about is the ladder rear sight. Was a ladder sight a factory option on the rifles in that era? I know they came as a standard on the carbines. But not sure about the rifles. This one has a 24″ round barrel. If that matters any.