Log In
Members
Home
Add Reply
Add Topic
Hello,
My first time on the forum but have been a member of the WACA for some time. I hope to get more involved in the forum since now retired so here’s my first question.
I have a Model 73 that was my Great Grandfathers, that I have the factory letter on. The info contained in the factory letter indicated it arrived in the warehouse January 3, 1887 and was shipped per order #13776. Everything on this rifle was special ordered. My question is how do I find the information on this order such as who requested it, where shipped, etc.?
Any advise on this would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you
WACA #9243
James,
The order number will not gain you any information. The original order information was burnt in the Factory boilers to power the factory. What you can get is the Warehouse records that were kept in a ledger. All you need is the serial number and model. The Cody Firearms Museum part of Buffalo Bill center of the West now has the ledgers. Here is a link to their web site. Firearms Records
As a member of the Museum you can call in (phone check) and get information about a gun the same day if not while on the phone and get discounts on letters or free letters that are included at the higher membership levels. As a non member you would have to pay $70 for a letter which can take a month to get and you can’t call in. There are limits on some models they have records for which you can check on via their web site but for the 73 they have all of them.
The information you can get is: Model type, Caliber, Barrel length, Barrel shape, trigger type, butt plate type, date it entered the warehouse, date it left the warehouse and maybe the date the serial number was applied to the frame or any other special features. If the feature was standard at the time it is not listed. The destination is not in the warehouse records except on the late 73’s.
Bob
WACA Life Member--- NRA Life Member---- Cody Firearms member since 1991 Researching the Winchester 1873's
Email: [email protected]
Thanks Bob, I have already done that. That’s how I obtained the order number. I thought it would be interesting to see if the order contained my Great Grandfathers name, address, who he ordered the rifle through, etc.
I appreciate your response.
Jim
January 26, 2011
Offline
Jim,
Unfortunately, what you already have is all that is available. There are very few Winchester letters with destination information, let alone original owners. The order numbers don’t really route to more info, except for other firearms that may have shipped in the same order.
~Gary~
1 Guest(s)
