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Model 1873 Winchester

wtroperwtroper Member Posts: 736 ✭✭
edited December 2018 in Ask the Experts
I have a friend that owns the pawn shop in our small town. He recently pulled a M 1873 Winchester that someone had pawned and failed to pay. I suspect that it has been refinished and reblued. It looks too good. It is a 38 caliber and the s/n is 266xxxB. It is an unusual item for us to see here. Would be interested in any information that the experts can provide. Thank you.
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    Hawk CarseHawk Carse Member Posts: 4,369 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Bert says the usual serial number charts are not dependable, so all I will say now is 1880s.

    Is it a rifle or carbine? Any special order features like pistol grip, half magazine, half octagon, shotgun butt?

    How good is the refinish?
    How good is the bore?
    How good is the price?

    It would be fun if in good shooting shape and you could manage the .38 WCF ammo.
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    rufe-snowrufe-snow Member Posts: 18,650 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Need quality close-up photos. For identification and valuation purposes. The 73's were made in great quantity, over 30+ years. With many variations.

    Link below give instructions, for posting photos to forum.




    https://forums.GunBroker.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=259294
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    GrasshopperGrasshopper Member Posts: 16,750 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    That Winchester is one of my "next" guns. Heck if the price is right, get it. Be a good shooter I would think and they look like a piece of history just having one would make me happy.
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    wtroperwtroper Member Posts: 736 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    I am certainly no expert on "old" guns, however it appears to me that the finish (bluing) is too good for a rifle made in the 1880's and I think I can see some deeper pitting below the new refinish. Also, the lettering seems to be less distinct that I expected. The stock shows some damage but has been refinished with a very shiny coat of something. I expect that at one time the rifle had a pretty good coat of rust. I believe that it is a rifle (not carbine) as it has a longer octagon barrel. I did not notice any special features. For me, it would likely just be a wall hanger. But I like them too.
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    spiritsspirits Member Posts: 363 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Haggle the price down with the seller stressing to him that refinishing mitigated any of the rifle's collector value unless it has some special features - could be a "one of one hundred" or "one of one thousand" hahaha. If the price is right it would make a good "Wall Hanger" you could admire and wipe off occasionally with a lightly oiled patch.
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    TRAP55TRAP55 Member Posts: 8,270 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Made in 1888
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    Bert H.Bert H. Member Posts: 11,279 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by wtroper
    I have a friend that owns the pawn shop in our small town. He recently pulled a M 1873 Winchester that someone had pawned and failed to pay. I suspect that it has been refinished and reblued. It looks too good. It is a 38 caliber and the s/n is 266xxxB. It is an unusual item for us to see here. Would be interested in any information that the experts can provide. Thank you.


    Hopefully your friend is not into it too deep. A refinished Model 1873 Sporting Rifle in 38 WCF is not an overly valuable Winchester. The partial serial number indicates it was manufactured in May, 1888. As it was originally manufactured, the hammer, lever, and butt plate were case color finished, and the barrel muzzle face was left in the white. If it has been refinished, the value is at best $750 - $900.
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    Spider7115Spider7115 Member, Moderator Posts: 29,714 ******
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by spirits
    Haggle the price down with the seller stressing to him that refinishing mitigated any of the rifle's collector value unless it has some special features - could be a "one of one hundred" or "one of one thousand" hahaha. If the price is right it would make a good "Wall Hanger" you could admire and wipe off occasionally with a lightly oiled patch.

    Don't laugh. I knew a dealer who sold a rust-covered Winchester '73 for $150. The buyer cleaned it up and it turned out to be a "One of One Thousand". The dealer was sick over it!
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    wtroperwtroper Member Posts: 736 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Thanks to all for your thoughts.
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    oldWinchesterfanoldWinchesterfan Member Posts: 1,052 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by Spider7115
    quote:Originally posted by spirits
    Haggle the price down with the seller stressing to him that refinishing mitigated any of the rifle's collector value unless it has some special features - could be a "one of one hundred" or "one of one thousand" hahaha. If the price is right it would make a good "Wall Hanger" you could admire and wipe off occasionally with a lightly oiled patch.

    Don't laugh. I knew a dealer who sold a rust-covered Winchester '73 for $150. The buyer cleaned it up and it turned out to be a "One of One Thousand". The dealer was sick over it!


    Rusty or not, how could a dealer miss the engraving on 1 of 1000?
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    tsr1965tsr1965 Member Posts: 8,682 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by oldWinchesterfan
    quote:Originally posted by Spider7115
    quote:Originally posted by spirits
    Haggle the price down with the seller stressing to him that refinishing mitigated any of the rifle's collector value unless it has some special features - could be a "one of one hundred" or "one of one thousand" hahaha. If the price is right it would make a good "Wall Hanger" you could admire and wipe off occasionally with a lightly oiled patch.

    Don't laugh. I knew a dealer who sold a rust-covered Winchester '73 for $150. The buyer cleaned it up and it turned out to be a "One of One Thousand". The dealer was sick over it!


    Rusty or not, how could a dealer miss the engraving on 1 of 1000?


    Nobody said he was a smart dealer. Hell, you don't have to know much to get a FFL, just know where to insert the money.
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