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That definitely looks like an original, and probably not filed down. What is the height of the sight, from base to highest point on blade? That will determine if it has ever been filed down a bit. (Need to measure with calipers or micrometer and post height in 1000’s of an inch ie. .xyz”.
"This is the West, sir. When the legend becomes fact, print the legend."
The height of the sight is exactly .350″. Width is .640 and the dovetail is right on at .375″
Wincacher – Do you then believe the machine marks are that of an original?
Bill Sturcke - Retired - Ponca City, Oklahoma
Looks like you have a 21A Winchester sight. Those were originally .358″ high. Yours being .350″ high is attributable to normal wear, the difference being a mere 8 mils, which is slightly less than the thickness of a Glad 30 gallon trash bag. The fact that it has the locking screw would make it vintage 1895 or later.
As to the machine marks on the bottom, there was no reason for Winchester to remove them from a surface that would have been completely hidden by the barrel dovetails. Interestingly, I have 10 assorted # 21 sights (all removed from rifles) with varying amounts of filing down and side dents from improper removal (or windage adjustment) and 7 have machine marks on the bottom and 3 don’t. The 3 that don’t all have German silver inserts and no screw. Of the 7 that have machine marks, 3 have screws, 1 brass insert and 2 all steel. I also looked at the base of a Lyman 5A and a Winchester 67A and they both have machine marks on the underside.
"This is the West, sir. When the legend becomes fact, print the legend."
Well then, I’m certain that I have a decent original sight but I’ll still be looking for one of 1875 vintage.
Thanks for the details! Every new tidbit of information helps, I have a lot to learn.
Actually I wasn’t concerned about the machine marks being visible, I was concerned that they might not be 19th century marks.
Thank you!!
Bill Sturcke - Retired - Ponca City, Oklahoma
After looking for several months I found an original early model ‘73 “flat step” rear sight elevator. The piece was paired with the rest of the rear sight.
One sight has serrations on the sides while the other is checked. Does anyone know when the checking was replaced by the serrations?
Thanks
Bill Sturcke - Retired - Ponca City, Oklahoma
Bill,
Yes, the serrated sights replaced the checkered sights.
Bert
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
Don’t know when the change was made but everything with Winchester was done gradually over a period of time. Here is a photo of serial number 2800, made in 1875, and it has the early “block” shaped sight with the checkered ears.
"This is the West, sir. When the legend becomes fact, print the legend."
And here is Sn 25826 with the first style rear sight:
"This is the West, sir. When the legend becomes fact, print the legend."
Bill Sturcke said
After looking for several months I found an original early model ‘73 “flat step” rear sight elevator. The piece was paired with the rest of the rear sight.One sight has serrations on the sides while the other is checked. Does anyone know when the checking was replaced by the serrations?
Thanks
Bill,
All the short early 73 sights, the ones with the flat elevator I have seen have the checkering. I have never seen one with serrations. I see the serrations on the longer later sights that have the sloped elevator. Please Post a picture of the one with the serrations.
Bob
WACA Life Member--- NRA Life Member---- Cody Firearms member since 1991 Researching the Winchester 1873's
Email: [email protected]
The sight on the left , or bottom, was on rifle serial number 9518 when it came to me. 
Bill Sturcke - Retired - Ponca City, Oklahoma
1873man said
Bill,I looked on ebay and didn’t see any of the early first model elevators. The elevator you want is like the one pictured below. The front sight is a plain 21 without the screw. They had German silver swagged in them.
Bob
http://www.rarewinchesters.com/gunroom/1873/M73-003414/-003414-10.JPG
Bob,
The photo in the above link also pictures a rear sight with serrations, almost the same as the one that came with my ’73.
Bill
Bill Sturcke - Retired - Ponca City, Oklahoma
Bill,
I have seen many of those sights in the 2 different styles (shapes) and have never seen the serrations. The sights look original so their is always a first time for everything. I will have to keep my eyes out for them.
Bob
WACA Life Member--- NRA Life Member---- Cody Firearms member since 1991 Researching the Winchester 1873's
Email: [email protected]
On tang sights made by Winchester, usually thin base sights have serrations and thick base have knurled knobs. The date of the change is about 1886, that being said, rear sight edges changed a little before that, maybe 1882. I would speculate serrations are cheaper to machine. I have never seen a serrated short sight but I see they exist, maybe a overlap. Never say never. T/R
One last somewhat related, question.
The sight pictured on the left or bottom in these photos is one I purchased on ebay as an early ’73. There are two major differences on this piece; the blade is much thinner and it would also sight higher than the others with the early ’73 front sight. All this makes me think it’s from another model rifle.
Any thought on this?
Bill Sturcke - Retired - Ponca City, Oklahoma
Bill,
I have never seen one that thin like the one on the left.
Bob
WACA Life Member--- NRA Life Member---- Cody Firearms member since 1991 Researching the Winchester 1873's
Email: [email protected]
While I was digging out another gun to take a photo I looked at some first and second models guns in the safe to see what kind of early first model sights were on them. To my surprise I did find one with the serrations. It was on a gun that was just below 26,000.
The other thing I did was take a close look at my sights in my inventory and found one that looked a little different. Its the one on the top and the the right in the third picture. The sight has a different front profile than any other first model sight I have and the elevator slot is slightly longer. upon looking at the underside I see it was made for a sloped elevator not the flat step elevator. It also does not have any serrations or checkering on the sides and never had any. Its has a 3/8″ dovetail otherwise its the same as the Winchester sights.
Bob
WACA Life Member--- NRA Life Member---- Cody Firearms member since 1991 Researching the Winchester 1873's
Email: [email protected]
Bob – These variations are interesting. Do you have any thoughts about the apparent scarcity of the serrated sight? Also, the knurled sight I have isn’t pristine so I’m not sure if the knurl is cut or stamped. Is the knurl cut?
Could your odd profile sight be aftermarket or reworked, perhaps to sight for longer rages? Like my “thin blade” sight, your unique rear sight is relatively low. (Your longer elevator slot would be to accommodate a taller elevator). Looking close at my “thin blade”, it was reworked.
Happy New Year!!
Bill Sturcke - Retired - Ponca City, Oklahoma
Bill,
I looked at the sight in question with a 20x loop and I can not see any signs that it has been altered. I figure it is not a Winchester sight.
I looked real close at many sights with knurling and serrations and can not see any tell tails if they were stamped or cut. The only thing I can see is there is quite a variation to the checkering spacing. I even took a first model sight that had the checkering worn real bad and did the crime lab acid test on it to see if it showed signs if its been stamped. The acid only can pull stampings not any form of cutting from machine or hand engraving. I did not see any sign of stamping but the metal did not react like receiver metal. Receiver steel stays fairly bright shinny to a dull cast during the process but the sight metal blued which could be from the hardening.
Bob
WACA Life Member--- NRA Life Member---- Cody Firearms member since 1991 Researching the Winchester 1873's
Email: [email protected]
Members, I am late to this discussion. I was looking, and have been, for an original front sight for a Solid Frame 1890. I have noticed that it seems to be the same as the 1873, but slightly narrower from side to side, but appearance is virtually the same shape and proportion. Am I going completely wrong?
Also, I have included a sporting sight that I purchased, purported to be original, but never used. It is the German Silver. After receiving it, looks too good to be original, even unused, but I could be fooled. Please look it over, thanks, Elliot
Elliot,
There are guys selling them on Ebay all the time and they look really good and they all can’t be new and never installed. They are just like the repo 73 cleaning rods that are made exactly like the originals. I don’t even bother to look at them any more and if I needed a set I wouldn’t pay more than repo prices even if they are real.
The pictures are not the best to judge it but the sight you have pictured does not look right to me, it almost looks like the blade could of been soldered in and has heavy machine marks on the bottom side.
Bob
WACA Life Member--- NRA Life Member---- Cody Firearms member since 1991 Researching the Winchester 1873's
Email: [email protected]
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