1873 Winchester

[farmerjohn]

I am looking to find the approximate value of my 1873 Winchester Rifle in 22 long caliber. I joined the Cody Firearms Museum but all that I got from them was the mfg date and shipping date, other than that I don't know much.

The serial # is 290517B and the top of the barrel is stamped as follows: WINCHESTER'S REPEATING ARMS. NEW HAVEN CONN. U.S.A. Below that is stamped: KING'S IMPROVEMENT PATENTED MARCH 29, 1866. OCTOBER 16, 1860.

I have to wonder if the letter "B" after the serial number and the stamp KING'S IMPROVEMENT on the barrel has any special meaning?

This rifle has been used quite a lot as can be seen in the pictures but has also been well cared. for. The wood has some small dents and scratches but is not cracked anywhere. The lever action works freely and all parts move as they should, the barrel doesn't seem to be pitted (hard to tell without a bore scope), and the rifling looks good.

The bottom of the receiver appears to be brass and is stamped "22 LONG". The loading tube is smooth (no dents) and the spring is not broken. All screws are original and in good condition. The bluing is mostly gone but there's no rust anywhere unless it's under the forearm.

I am not an expert on antique guns but have been around guns and have owned firearms all my life and I would have to rate this rifle as "very good" as to condition.

I have more pictures available and will be glad to email them to you if you'd like to see them as I'm not able to attach them here.

Thanks in advance,
Farmer John

[300 H&H]

Tough call with out more and much better clarity pictures. From what I am seeing how ever, "very good" condition is not a possibility. Yes it is a rare rifle, but condition is subjective only to a point. With as little finish as I see remaining, a "good" rating would be more like it. This is a very valuable rifle if in excelent condition, if not values drop substantially...Still, worth more than most rifles will ever be...

So show us Winchester fans some pics....good ones. and we'll tell you what we think.

Regards, Kirk

[BETH]

Mpre pictures

[Jim K]

I can't see the pictures, yet, but I can make a few comments. The rifle dates to 1889, one of 39,426 made that year. How many were in .22, I don't know. The .22 caliber '73 was made in Short, Long or Extra Long, the latter being very rare; it was never made in .22 Long Rifle. The .22 model was discontinued in 1904. (Note that a given rifle was in one of those calibers; due to the design of the carrier, the 73 could not use the rounds interchangeably as many later rifles did.) .22 caliber Winchester '73 rifles should NOT be fired with modern smokeless powder cartridges; Winchester specifically warned against doing so.

The "King's Improvement" refers to the loading gate and as far as I know was put on all Winchester '73 barrels, even though the .22 rifles did not have any loading gate.

The meaning of the B following the serial numbers of some '73 rifles has not been determined.

Jim

[farmerjohn]

Thanks for your replies and for trying to help. I will get my son ,who is much better on the computer than me, to help post more and better pictures.It will be afternoon tomorrow before he can be here.Thanks FarmerJohn

[farmerjohn]

More pictures.

[farmerjohn]

more pics

[farmerjohn]

this is the last of the pics