Jump to content
SASS Wire Forum

Original 1873 rifle with no caliber marking on the carrier?


Hurricane Deck 100366

Recommended Posts

So I was privileged enough to spend some time with good friends at the Woolaroc Museum a few weekends back. They had their annual fall mountain man rendezvous so we went up to be tourists.

 

Of course, we all drooled at the gun collection the museum sports and came across an original 1873 in a case but the id car didn't have any markings on it that referred to caliber. Naturally we assumed is was a 44-40 since it appeared to be a pretty early version of the rifle, so I pulled out the handy-dandy cell phone and zoomed in on the bottom of the carrier to see.

 

To my surprise, there was no markings on the carrier. What? I thought ALL original Winchester 1873's had the caliber marked on the carrier. Am I wrong? So, with that assumption there could of a couple of reasons why there are no markings: 1) the wore off from use or scabbard wear 2) it's a replacement carrier 3) winchester decided not to mark this one.

 

What do you all think? There was a request that no flash photos be taken, so this was the best photo I could get. take a look:

 

20161001_141424_zpsjrhwvrka.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Howdy

 

When the Model 1873 was first introduced it was only available chambered for 44-40. These guns were not marked for caliber. When the 38-40 chambering became available in 1879, Winchester began marking the caliber on the bottom of the magazine to differentiate between the two different available chamberings. This happened before Serial Number 50,000 was reached. After that time, the caliber was usually marked on the underside of the carrier.

 

This 38-40 Model 1873 left the factory in 1887.

 

1873bottomofelevator-2.jpg

 

 

 

 

This one is also marked on the barrel.

 

1873calibermarking-2.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Howdy,

The one best caliber, who wouldn't want a .44 W.C.F.?

Try it, you LIKE it.

Well if Winchester HAD to, they started marking them. What are they going to want next?

Extra safeties?

Best

CR

ps- I just cringe when I see a Winchester marked 44-40.

And all our cowboy shells should be .44 W.C.F. to be 'Period cerrect'.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

I wish there were some way to completely BAN the term "PERIOD CORRECT." It is SO stupid .. PERIOD.

 

Absolutely. I hate that phrase too. It sounds too much like Politically Correct, I prefer to say Historically Accurate.

 

 

The one best caliber, who wouldn't want a .44 W.C.F.?

Try it, you LIKE it.

 

Oh foo! I have plenty of 44-40 rifles. A Marlin 1894 from 1895, two Winchester Models 1892, one from 1894 and one from 1916, an Uberti 1860 Henry and an Uberti replica 1873 Winchester. All of them are 44-40s. And yes, I have no problem at all saying 44-40 instead of 44 WCF.

 

Although I have three Winchesters that do have the old WCF markings.

 

MarblesSemi-BuckhornonWinchester1892Carb

 

 

 

44WCF_zps8ymiitzu.jpg

 

barrel%20markings_zpsmjkmgibf.jpg

 

 

 

The reason I have a couple of 38-40 Models 1873 is because that is what I came across and the prices were right. Real Model 1873 rifles chambered for 44-40 tend to go for a little bit more money that the same rifle chambered for 38-40. The same rifle chambered for 32-20 is usually even more affordable, but I ain't interested in a big heavy 1873 with a little tiny 32 caliber hole in it. The 1873 is heavy enough to begin with.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I was told that the original 1873s in .22 caliber were chambered for the .22 Long, as Stevens had not

invented the .22 Long Rifle at the time they were introduced. Please correct me if I am wrong about this.

 

Duffield

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I was told that the original 1873s in .22 caliber were chambered for the .22 Long, as Stevens had not

invented the .22 Long Rifle at the time they were introduced. Please correct me if I am wrong about this.

 

Duffield

You're likely right.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Howdy Again

 

Beginning in 1884 the Model 1873 was offered in 22 Short and 22 Long chamberings. Although Stevens developed the 22 Long Rifle cartridge in 1887, the Winchester Model 1873 was not offered in that chambering. All 22 caliber 1873 rifles had either 22 Short or 22 Long marked on the underside of the carrier, the guns were specific to those calibers. There were no side loading gates on the 22 caliber '73 rifles. The inner tube of the magazine was removed for reloading. The photo below shows the magazine arrangement of a 22 caliber '73. The tube was rotated 180 degrees until the flat side was under the barrel. The tube could then be removed for loading.

 

22 caliber was the least popular chambering for the Model 1873, only about 19,738 were made. 44-40 was the most popular chambering, 566,487 were made, followed by 109,558 in the 32-20 chambering and 24,826 in the 38-40 chambering.

 

 

muzzles.jpg

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yep, the .44 is the default calliber. I read somewhere that they were marked .44 with the third series, somewhere around 1888.

The easiest marking for the .22 is the lack of a loading gate.

I have a Win 1892 made in the 1920s that is marked .38-40 on the receiver where the marking would be on an 1873. The marking looks very old. Seeing the gun next to my original 1873s makes the intentions of the added marking very clear.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use.