Why did they make so many 73’s??|Winchester Rifles|Forum|Winchester Collector

helidriver72 said
Over 700,000 made over 50 years, still making and selling them for 20 plus years after the 92’s and 94’s were introduced.
People were still buying them after more modern designs with hot rod smokeless powder cartridges were available. Does anyone have any insight into this?
  

I’d like to dive in to this one by saying, that by answering this, is to try to understand the time period, of “The Gun that Won the West”!

My condensed opinion;

If you try to delve into some of the better history books, pertaining to our hobby, and take a look at some of the early developments, during the movement out West, mainly from the East, and by newcomers into this Country, from overseas. The Gold Rush of 1849, surely plays into this, and the Indian Wars don’t take a back seat either, as more firepower was required by many, if not needed. With the Buffalo hunters doing what they did and savaging throughout the West, the need for smokeless powder came into play, and the Industrial revolution, back East, and moving westward, also came into play, as well as did John Moses Browning, Horace Smith, Dan Wesson, and the famous Oliver Winchester. 

With Winchesters development of the M-1873, and I skipped a lot here, after the well known M-1866, the 73 proved it’s worth during those times, with it’s development of the famous “toggle link system”, not to mention the .44 caliber Center fire cartridge, the need for a more powerful, and very fast and reliable, and hand arm, was made so popular as an every day tool, that it almost became the necessity, before many other things of the times, as times can sometime move slowly, and people can get comfortable and become habitual even with the development with other arms, as an old trust rifle or carbine that was handy like the 73’s owners wouldn’t even ever consider buying a different model, as an upgrade, or try to fix something that wasn’t broken either. As far as the 73 was concerned it worked and many just felt happy with they’re ole’ trusty rifle. 

Mfg. from 1873-1923, think about the sons who bought one because their dad had one, and that’s all they knew! 

Yeah the other models were great tools also, as the larger calibers were known in the 1876, and 1886, and like you said the 1892, and the 1894, were good tools also, but sometimes I think the timing can be everything, as the model 1873 filled the need of the times, and kept being used,  mainly because it worked! 

There’s so much more to the whole story, and so many books and information, including the History and development of firearms of the times. For the times the 1873 was very affordable, not cheap, but it fit the many needs.

Anthony

The people liked it and it filled a niche.  It was the best rifle of the time. The 1892 wasn’t enough of a change for a lot people to change over.  The 1876, 1886 and 1895’s filled a different niche. The 1894 on the other hand was a game changer.  That’s why it is the only one still being made.  The change over to smokeless powder, the bolt action and rimless cartridges retired most of the lever actions.  Times and needs change.  It is still going on today.

Sorry, you are correct but I purposely left out the reproductions, commemoratives and such. 

The Henry stopped production, I believe in 1866.  The Model 1866 did over lap the 1873 for around 25 years but the total production numbers were under 180,000.  The 1873 production numbers were just over 700,000.

If the earlier rifles were relevant and selling Winchester may have kept building them.  But the truth is they became irrelevant and production was stopped.

The new guns we see today were built for a different purpose than the originals that made them famous. The fact that the 1873 continued to be produced thirty years after its “replacement” was introduced is a testament to the quality and popularity of the 1873. The model’s revival thanks in part to its popularity with the cowboy shooters is proof of its timeless appeal. As Zeb points out the internals of the arguably weaker 1873 were more user-friendly than the 1892 and that was probably a factor. 

Mike

TXGunNut said
The new guns we see today were built for a different purpose than the originals that made them famous. 
 
Mike
  

I disagree.  The guns today are being built for target shooting, hunting, self defense and some for War.  They are just the modern evolution of what we collect. 

Many a good points, have been brought, up as I purposely, started my condensed post, early this morning with my first cup of Joe!

I’m in agreement with so many of these members above!

Anthony

Correct me if I’m wrong, but the Model 92 was still more expensive than the Model 73. So some folks likely kept buying the old model due to the matter of economy. 

Maverick said
Correct me if I’m wrong, but the Model 92 was still more expensive than the Model 73. So some folks likely kept buying the old model due to the matter of economy. 
  

I wasn’t aware of that but a quick look at the prices quoted for sporting rifles in the latest Red Book support your point. It was only a couple dollars but two dollars bought a bit more in those days. That also explains why rimfire ammunition was available for so long after the central fire ammunition was introduced. 

Mike

As Mike pointed out, the same logic can be applied to why the Model 66 was still being made and sold well after the Model 73 was introduced. It was less expensive than the Model 73. 

You’ll notice that the sales of the Model 76 drastically dropped off once the Model 86 was introduced. Model 76 production did not fair well long after. The 86 was not available in the same calibers as the 86 as well. Of those two models the Model 86 certainly the superior of them. Now the question would be, Would the Model 76 have lasted longer in production, if it was made in the same calibers as the 86? I suppose we will never know. Even with the phasing out of the Model 76, the factory still stood by it as a product producing its ammunition and repairing it for decades after its production ceased. I doubt many companies today would take such measures to insure an old phased out produced was still be made functional well after its end date. 

Look at the auto industry today, after a certain period of time planned phase out occurs and its hard to get replacement parts. But they sure will gladly offer to sell you a new one once the warranty has expired.

Sincerely,

Maverick

The 73 was the same price as the 92 from the catalogs from about 1892 to 1910.

In 1918, the 73 was more expensive than the 92 by $3.
92 round barrel rifle $23.50, octagon $25.00, carbine $23.00
73 round barrel rifle $26.50, octagon $28.00, carbine $26.00

Bob