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BERT H. family heirloom please help Pic Heavy
Oakie
Member Posts: 40,519 ✭✭✭✭
My father is passing this family heirloom down to me and I need some help. This is what I know. It has been in our family a long time. It is a Winchester 38-40. Could you help me with any info on the gun and value. It will never, ever be sold, but passed down to my son. If he decides he does not want it, It will go to Winchester. I pray to god this is enough pictures. If you need the full serial number, email me, as I won't give it out over the internet. Thank you sir.Oakie. I also wanted to add that this gun has never been touched as far as reblueing or anything. It is all original. Gotta love the brass too. Wood is all original and has some scratches and one little dent. No cracks or splitting. The end near the butt stock is the only real wear i see. Dad is giving it to me this year.
Comments
I'll save my input for after Bert comments. I think you will be pleased to hear what he says![:)]
It would appear to have a little surface crud that could be and probably should be cleaned off to preserve its condition.
Edit: I did not mean to in any way disparage this great gun. I was typing too fast, on my phone, late at night. Let me clarify my comment above. That light surface crud as I called it should be cleaned off because over time it will attract moisture and result in pitting. If you are not comfortable doing it, then it should be done by a professional. You are correct to be concerned, guns like this often get over cleaned and forever damaged. But failing to clean off that light surface stuff will also damage the finish over time.
I love the photos, that early short rear sight, the exposed loading gate screw on the right side, exposed trigger pin, all perfectly correct for a 729XX serial numbered '73. Great gun, but I said that already. Sounds like Bert is gong to help you out with getting some documentation on the gun from Cody.
Please send me a PM with the complete serial number. I will run it through Cody to get all of the pertinent information.
Also, I would like to see the top of the mortise cover rail.
Your Model 1873 is potentially worth a LOT of $$$$$. If you son does not understand or appreciate the history of this old Winchester, you would be much better off selling it. I can assist you in maximizing your best possible price on it.
Oakie,
Please send me a PM with the complete serial number. I will run it through Cody to get all of the pertinent information.
Also, I would like to see the top of the mortise cover rail.
Your Model 1873 is potentially worth a LOT of $$$$$. If you son does not understand or appreciate the history of this old Winchester, you would be much better off selling it. I can assist you in maximizing your best possible price on it.
The GunBroker email system will not let me send info. It always says fatal error. Let me see if I can find another way to get it to you. This has not worked for me in about a year. [:(!] It's aol.Not GB
Beautiful 1873, probably about 1881 production, second model range, with a set trigger and appears to be original cleaning rods. Here are some questions that will help us. Does it have the standard 24" barrel, measured from the muzzle to the back end of the chamber? Is the bore as nice as the outside?
It would appear to have a little surface crud that could be and probably should be cleaned off to preserve its condition.
Bore is excellent condition.Was already inspected. leaning rods are original to the gun as far as we know. Didn't even know they were there. I will have to find out about the length. We are in no way, shape or form going to touch this rifle.We just put a very, very lite coating of oil on it and only touch it with a rag or gloves at this point as to not leave any oil from out hands on it. The fine crud will come off, but were afraid to touch it for obvious reasons. It is the original blueing. Gun has been in a safe for over 70 years and not fired or will it. We have ammo, but will NOT fire it. It will be passed down with the gun.
I would love to get some documentation from Winchester for it, on their letter head, if possible..
Oakie, Winchester no longer exists except as a Trademark now owned by FN. A letter would have to come from the Cody Museum
http://centerofthewest.org/explore/firearms/firearms-records/
Bert can tell you as much, but for an "official letter," Cody is the only option.