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Winchester 1873

isutoadisutoad Member Posts: 156 ✭✭
edited August 2020 in Ask the Experts
I went to a auction and bought a Winchester Model 1873 special order 38 cal rifle. Has a 28 inch octagon barrel and a set trigger. Wood Is good and above average rifle. I have just discover that the barrel has been relinded. How much does this take away from the gun. Also some one hopefully will give me a range on what it might be worth. I know that’s hard. Thank you. The gun is lettered. 

Comments

  • rufe-snowrufe-snow Member Posts: 18,649 ✭✭✭
    Quality close-up photos, would help for identification and valuation purposes. Don't know anything specific about 73 Winchesters. But in my experience, anytime a firearm is altered/reworked from the condition when it left the factory. It has a negative effect, on it's collectors value.
  • pip5255pip5255 Member Posts: 1,629 ✭✭✭
    relined barrel would make it a shooter grade
    just because you could doesn't mean you should
  • truthfultruthful Member Posts: 1,975 ✭✭✭✭
    Well, you already purchased it so you sort of established the value right there. The question is "Did I get taken?" A scrupulous seller would have pointed out the lined barrel, so I'd guess you did. The 1873 was in production for about 50 years, so there are a lot of variations that occurred, some major, many are minor. IF you have a genuine Cody letter for the gun that mentions the set trigger (and it works), the 38 caliber is correct for the gun, and the 28 inch barrel (24 inch was standard), that is a plus. But, regardless, the lined barrel will seriously detract from the collector value, maybe as much as 50% for many collectors. To a collector who collects special order 1873s it might not be that much IF the rest of the gun is genuine and in acceptable condition. If you bought it as a great item to hang on the wall in your den, it's still good for that purpose. If you bought it hoping it was a good investment (never a good idea with old guns these days) I suspect you are out of luck. 
  • 1873man1873man Member Posts: 128 ✭✭
    It all depends on if the guns condition. If its a shooter quality you didn't loose much but if its got some good blue you took a hit. Collectors want original guns.  As to the value gain from the long barrel, a 28" helps the value but not very much. There are close to the same number of 26" as 28" barreled guns out there. Its not until you get to 32" with the double barrel band does it give it major kick.
    NRA Life Member
    Cody Firearms Member
    Winchester Arms Collectors Association Life member
    73_86cutaway.jpg
  • isutoadisutoad Member Posts: 156 ✭✭
    my friend here is where I’m at, I have about $2000 in it. It does have the letter from Cody firearms, saying special order gun. 28 inch barrel and set trigger. Wood good,  mechanics good,  probable a 7 out of 10. Just curious if I’m all right with what I spent. It’s a 38 caliber. Thank You. 
  • isutoadisutoad Member Posts: 156 ✭✭
    isutoad said:
    my friend here is where I’m at, I have about $2000 in it. It does have the letter from Cody firearms, saying special order gun. 28 inch barrel and set trigger. Wood good,  mechanics good,  probable a 7 out of 10. Just curious if I’m all right with what I spent. It’s a 38 caliber. Thank You. 

  • 1873man1873man Member Posts: 128 ✭✭
     You did good at that price
    NRA Life Member
    Cody Firearms Member
    Winchester Arms Collectors Association Life member
    73_86cutaway.jpg
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