Winchester's 1873

[ColColt]

Anyone besides me like to see Winchester chamber their 1873 in something other than 357 and about 24" long? That would be a sweet rifle in 44-40 or something besides a 357 Magnum.

[Finster101]

I have an Uberti with a 24" octagon barrel in .44-40 and it shoots well plus is a load of fun.

[missionary5155]

Good morning
45 Colt or 44 WCF would be a nice idea. But I see the present offering as a pure profit "Cowboy" venture. Big bucks floating about with the weekend cow poke associacions.
Mike in Peru

[ElDorado]

I didn't even know they were making them again. I had to check their website just to see if they put a safety on them.

I had my eye on a Uberti rifle in 45 Colt last year, but I was holding out for a carbine. That rifle looked a lot better than the Winchesters on the web page. I'm with you ColColt, I wouldn't mind looking one over, but I probably wouldn't buy a 357. Maybe they'll offer more selections if it proves to be popular.

[ColColt]

Nothing's made here anymore. i'd love to see them in 38-55 but don't know about the strength of the '73 action.

[Kansas Ed]

I'm a big fan personally of the 38-40. I have two 1873's in that caliber along with a 92 and a SAA. I've killed two deer with them...But most modern people don't even recognize that cartridge. Sigh....

Ed

[bigted]

I would JUMP on a Winchester '73' chambered in 44WCF. a 44 special would be super as would a 38WCF. but in my humble opinion the 44WCF would just be the shis nis but would HAVE to be in a 24 inch RIFLE configuration. love that length rifle and chamber for some reason. just my 2 cents

[ReloaderFred]

Winchester says the most asked for caliber in their Model 73 is the .44-40, so that just may be next on the list. A good friend of mine makes his living making short stroke kits for the 73's, and he's now shooting one of the Winchesters in .38/.357 in SASS. He had to modify his short stroke kit to fit, but he says the workmanship on his Winchester/Japanese rifle is far and away better than the Uberti's he's been making a living on. The Winchester rep he's been dealing with says the .44-40 has had a lot of requests....

Hope this helps.

Fred

PS: Just read some of the previous posts concerning the finish on the Winchester 73. I asked the Winchester Rep at the SHOT Show in January about the finish they're putting on their guns. He said that was the original configuration of the Winchester 73, and that other finishes came out later on the originals. They decided that if they were going to produce the rifle, it was going to come out like the very first originals, except for caliber, since the .38/357 is more popular now with their targeted market. If they sell enough of them to make it worthwhile, they may produce other calibers later on.

[GabbyM]

1873 in 44-40 with a black powder throat. Deep cut rifling. 44 Special with tight smokeless powder chamber throated for jacketed bullets. They would need to cut the barrel and chamber correct for BP and advertise it as such. 44-40 was the original 1873 chambering and Americas most popular rifle round for many years. May as well run the 38-40 right along with it. Our West wasn't won with smokeless powder.

Am sure many BP buffs would get excited. Many could justify purchase of a BP lever gun. What I don't know is how large the market would be. They already make the 92 in 44-40 so may think there market is covered with that. I don't think that. But what do I know. I don't know how they cut the 44-40 chambers and barrels in the 92's.

[Don McDowell]

I guaranteed Winchester if they'ld build one of those new 73's in 38 wcf I would provide them pictures of that rifle layed out on a dead antelope buck, and a mule deer buck, but don't look like it's going to happen this year.:sad: