1873 serial number

[Cockney Rebel]

I am buying an original 1873 and the serial number is quite worn.  I do not have the rifle in my posession yet.  The seller sent me a pic of the serial number and I would like your opinion as to the number.

What I can see is ?81177B  The shape of what preceeds teh first digit looks like a partial 8 but I dont believe the serial numbers went that high.  The B indicates series 2 which, I believe, started in 90,000 range so 81177B doesn't make sense.

 

Any of you guys/gals able to share your insight?

The pic would be helpful :-)

[Goody, SASS #26190]

I'd say 2, which puts it at 1879.

[Texas Jack Black]

 Let us know what date you come up with? I have a Winchester that my Great Grandfather ordered from Winchester .I have the original order slip and bill of sale and Cody and the Winchester collectors Ass. have the Manufacturing date  as being made 3 yrs after he brought it home. 

[largo casey #19191]

I have a 76 that has no SN & no sighn of there ever being one.  ?????

                                                                                                                       Largo

[Texas Maverick]

Looks like a 2 to me. 

 

TM

[J.S. Sooner, SASS #73526]

Not really clear on the first number or the last letter.  These two pics shown were edited with a couple filters to show the sn better. First number could be 8 and the last letter may be R.  I would suggest comparing to other numbers and letters on the rifle. 

[Cockney Rebel]

Thanks for going to the effort.  I will see if I can get better pics when I receive the rifle.

[Abilene, SASS # 27489]

Cockney Rebel, I just consulted my copy of Arthur Pirkle's "Winchester Lever Action Repeating Firearms, Volume 1, The Models of 1866, 1873 & 1876.  This is not a coffee table book, no color pictures, just lots of drawings and chock full of technical detail.  It is very inexpensive, and since you are going to have an original you should definitely get a copy.

 

Here's an excerpt from the pages on 1873 serial numbers:

"Starting at serial number #80,000, the letter "A" began to appear at the end of the serial number and by serial #100,000, it was used nearly all the time.  The "A" was as a block-style letter with serifs....After circa serial #190,000, the letter "B: was used interchangeably with the letter "A", and by circa serial #200,000, the letter "B" had replaced the letter "A" to the end of production.  The letters are not part of the serial number.  The letter "B" was a block-style letter, sometimes with and sometimes without serifs.  The lack of serifs may have been due to a worn or broken die."

 

10 hours ago, largo casey #19191 said:

I have a 76 that has no SN & no sighn of there ever being one.  ?????

                                                                                                                       Largo

Pirkle's book mentions that some special order 1876's had the s/n in small block letters, sideways, between the stock screw and the finger lever latch.  I guess we can assume you would have noticed that.  The book did not specifically mention missing s/n's on the '76, but on the '73 it said that sometimes rifles, particularly with set triggers, had problems and the factory replaced the lower tang with an un-numbered tang.  So perhaps your lower tang is a replacement as well, for whatever reason.

[Cockney Rebel]

Thanks.  I have found a copy on eBay.