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Here are a couple tools used by Winchester to make the crescent butt plate and drill the stock for the screws. The one with the lugs on the side looks like would be used with a jig to hold it. The holes have harden drill guides to place the hole in the correct spot. You can see on the top view where model stamp “73 RIF” is which probably was “RIFLE” before the bushing was moved, this tool was used for the long tang butt plate and modified to the short tang. You can see part of the hole where the drill guide originally was.
The other tool is used to drill the holes in the butt plate. The tool is stamped “Mod 73” and then its etched 86, 90, 92, 94, 95 & SS
Bob
WACA Life Member--- NRA Life Member---- Cody Firearms member since 1991 Researching the Winchester 1873's
Email: [email protected]
Wow. Those are really cool to see. Not the kind of thing you see every day.
Thanks for sharing.
Steve
WACA Member. CFM Member. NRA Lifer.
1873man said
Here are a couple tools used by Winchester to make the crescent butt plate and drill the stock for the screws. The one with the lugs on the side looks like would be used with a jig to hold it. The holes have harden drill guides to place the hole in the correct spot. You can see on the top view where model stamp “73 RIF” is which probably was “RIFLE” before the bushing was moved, this tool was used for the long tang butt plate and modified to the short tang. You can see part of the hole where the drill guide originally was.The other tool is used to drill the holes in the butt plate. The tool is stamped “Mod 73” and then its etched 86, 90, 92, 94, 95 & SS
Bob
Impressive! Those are the kind of things you have to know what you are looking at to recognize. I wonder how many valuables like that are sitting in bins in antique stores and nobody know what they are. Just waiting for that one person to come along. Cool.
When I was a kid I remember my dad getting grandpa’s .405 out for someone to hunt elk. The adults each shot it a few times. My older brother and cousins each shot it once. LOL. Crescent Butt. A lot of years later I had the pleasure of taking a Caribou with it. The recoil was ….meh. Of course by then I had been hunting with magnums for a lot of years. The Caribou didn’t know the .405 had a crescent butt, and also didn’t know it wasn’t a magnum.
Shoot low boys. They're riding Shetland Ponies.
I look at them and wonder about how many other jigs, gauges and tools that had to be made to produce one model and then probably thrown out in the scrape bin if they didn’t get rescued by a employee.
Bob
WACA Life Member--- NRA Life Member---- Cody Firearms member since 1991 Researching the Winchester 1873's
Email: [email protected]
1873man said
Here are a couple tools used by Winchester to make the crescent butt plate and drill the stock for the screws. The one with the lugs on the side looks like would be used with a jig to hold it. The holes have harden drill guides to place the hole in the correct spot. You can see on the top view where model stamp “73 RIF” is which probably was “RIFLE” before the bushing was moved, this tool was used for the long tang butt plate and modified to the short tang. You can see part of the hole where the drill guide originally was.The other tool is used to drill the holes in the butt plate. The tool is stamped “Mod 73” and then its etched 86, 90, 92, 94, 95 & SS
Bob
I’ve not seen anything like this before. Very interesting. What it really illustrates to me is the extent to which the Winchester was a hand made rifle. 
Now if your not a crescent butt plate guy I do have some carbine butt plate tools. They are very simular but are marked for the 92 & 94.
Bob
WACA Life Member--- NRA Life Member---- Cody Firearms member since 1991 Researching the Winchester 1873's
Email: [email protected]
Thanks from me as well. I really enjoyed seeing the photos. Bob – if you show any more tools I’m going to think you could start manufacturing Winchesters. Can I place an order for one with you? As you’ve no doubt guessed, I want mine with a carbine butt 😉
steve004 said
Thanks from me as well. I really enjoyed seeing the photos. Bob – if you show any more tools I’m going to think you could start manufacturing Winchesters. Can I place an order for one with you? As you’ve no doubt guessed, I want mine with a carbine butt 😉
This is true. I’ll place an order too. Standard rifle, one each. I think we can all agree that, to keep everything historically accurate, the prices should be the same too, right Bob?
Huck Riley said
steve004 said
Thanks from me as well. I really enjoyed seeing the photos. Bob – if you show any more tools I’m going to think you could start manufacturing Winchesters. Can I place an order for one with you? As you’ve no doubt guessed, I want mine with a carbine butt 😉This is true. I’ll place an order too. Standard rifle, one each. I think we can all agree that, to keep everything historically accurate, the prices should be the same too, right Bob?
I agree completely. I also enjoy historical accuracy. And the price of, “extras” should be the same too. You know, engraving, gold plating and the like.
steve004 said
I agree completely. I also enjoy historical accuracy. And the price of, “extras” should be the same too. You know, engraving, gold plating and the like.
I don’t know, Steve, it’s been five hours and all I hear is crickets. 
Maybe he wants snail mail orders, for historical accuracy and all? I’ve got a quill pen around here somewhere.
1873man said
Now if your not a crescent butt plate guy I do have some carbine butt plate tools. They are very simular but are marked for the 92 & 94.Bob
Where did you find these tools and the ones for the rifle crescent butt plate? Unique and interesting.
Who’s got a horse to carry the mail? Even if I got paid in gold coin of the day which a $20 gold coin is only good for a ounce of gold I’d be looking at about $1700. A nice Winchester is worth more than gold now.
I bought the bulk of these tools and others I have from a collector friend, then I knew what to look for and found more at the Tulsa gun show a number of years ago.
Bob
WACA Life Member--- NRA Life Member---- Cody Firearms member since 1991 Researching the Winchester 1873's
Email: [email protected]
1873man said
Who’s got a horse to carry the mail? Even if I got paid in gold coin of the day which a $20 gold coin is only good for a ounce of gold I’d be looking at about $1700. A nice Winchester is worth more than gold now.I bought the bulk of these tools and others I have from a collector friend, then I knew what to look for and found more at the Tulsa gun show a number of years ago.
Bob
A guy can find anything if he is in the right place at the right time. But finding that right place at the right time….
steve004 said
A guy can find anything if he is in the right place at the right time. But finding that right place at the right time….
That’s why I always take the time to look through the junk on every table at the gun shows. Never know what you’ll find.
At Tulsa getting there on setup day is a must to find the deal and asking if you have something neat under the table. I bought the extra heavy 73 in 22 extra long and a second model 73 in 44 S&W American from under the table at Tulsa. Table holder that don’t really know what to price gun at or have a buyer at home in mind keep it under the table. This gives you a chance to talk him out of it.
Bob
WACA Life Member--- NRA Life Member---- Cody Firearms member since 1991 Researching the Winchester 1873's
Email: [email protected]
Chuck said
That’s why I always take the time to look through the junk on every table at the gun shows. Never know what you’ll find.
I always see tons of those at every gun show. But again, you have to know what you are looking at. I once thought I’d look for a 94 extractor. Never mind.
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