'73 Winchester "Prop gun"

[jdunmyer]

I have a rifle that appears to be an 1873 Winchester lever-action, but is a fake. It's good enough that several of us looked at it for a while before figuring it out: the 'barrel' is plugged 6 or 8" from the muzzle, and the forearm wood is a bit loose so that you can slide it forward and see that the barrel is only about half there. IE: it's flat on the bottom. Some of the "screws" are fake also, in the end of the magazine tube and the forearm band. However, it's real enough that it has a functional loading gate, cartridge lifter, hammer, and trigger. I think it'd actually function rounds through it if I had the proper caliber. Of course, there's no firing pin. (!)

Near as my friends & I can figure, it's some sort of movie prop.

Although it's not all beat up, it is worn and has no finish at all. The function is good except the hammer doesn't always catch on the sear, it'll follow the bolt down.

Any idea on value?

[Oneida Steve]

"Prop gun" is a good description.

Your gun sounds like one of the replica guns sold in the 1970's. A company in Arlington, VA carried them. They were Japanese-made and were fairly decent quality. I saw one sell on eBay for $150 a few years ago - don't know if eBay still allows them. You could check.

FYI the company sold solid brass "cartridges" that fed and ejected just like real rounds.

Is you gun stamped "Made in Japan" anywhere?

[jdunmyer]

Steve,
There is no "Made in Japan" on the gun that I can find. Also, it's more properly a carbine, as it's a bit shorter than a rifle and has a saddle ring on the LH side. It appears to be much older than 1970s.

When I figured out what it was, I thought I got taken at the flea market, but since then, I think it's actually almost as desireable as the Real Thing. It's probably less common, and is a heckuva conversation piece.

Thanks for the info!

<<Jim>>

[Oneida Steve]

Jim -

Try a magnet on the barrel and the receiver. If it won't stick, then the gun is likely one of the replicas of which I spoke. They had a zinc alloy barrel and frame. The finish was "antiqued" to give it an old patina.

Owners have been known to file off the lightly-stamped "Made in Japan" markings.

Does your gun have a real wood stock? The replicas had one, of cherry wood IIRC. Rather nice for a fake gun.

Either way, definitely a good conversation piece.

Steve

[jdunmyer]

Well I'll be darned! A magnet doesn't stick to the barrel or receiver; I'd have never guessed that, it weighs as much as the real thing.

It does have a nice-looking wood stock, but I can't tell what kind of wood.

Thanks for the info!

<<Jim>>

[Bindernut]

jdunmyer,
any chance you could post up a picture of your prop gun? Pretty sure that Onieda Steve is right on the money with IDing it. I've seen a few of em floating around at local guns shows in the past. A local bar/restaurants here has a couple of these fake '86 Winchesters and a brace of Colt SAAs for wallhangers...all pot-metal but they do have enough moving parts and the antiqued finish to make em look just about like the real thing.

And welcome to TFF!

Originally Posted by hdmyg8586

I found that connector you were looking for
Cindy, is this the thing you were looking for?
XXXXXXX
It's on the list of computer accessories and parts. They have the DVI video thing to convert that jap monitor to work with your other computer. Just about any other kind of wire adaptor, usb connectors, monitor extension wires, ps2 extention wires, and all kinds of female and male swap connectors and things that I think would help your shop. If that above link don't work then goto XXXXXXX and click on computer accessories. Let me know if that is what you need and give me your email address again.

Would one of the admins please nail this spambot's IP address?
It seems to pop in here at TFF at least once a week as a "one-post-wonder" member and always peddling the same website.

Don't click on the web addy either unless you've got good spyware/malware protection on your machines folks!

[jdunmyer]

OK, I'll try to post a couple of pics: The first one is an overall of the RH side, the 2nd is of the RH side with the forearm wood slid a bit forward so you can see the "half barrel".