Very Unusual 1873

[TXGunNut]

Stumbled upon a very unusual 1873 Saturday, just took me awhile to realize it. I actually decided it was too much money and walked away, but then I spent a little time with the Blue Book. Glad I've been reading Madis' "The Winchester Book" recently, specifically the chapter on 1873's. This rifle has a half round, half octagon barrel. On top of that it has a full length magazine, unusual for a half-round barrel. It also has a shotgun butt and sights the Cody letter refers to as "New 22 A". Serial # applied 1917, rec'd in warehouse 1918 and shipped to the famous Richards Conover Hardware Company in OKC later that year. (And I met the nice young lady who wrote this particular Cody letter two weeks ago!). Blue is very strong on the barrel, not so much on the receiver...pretty much the norm for guns of this era. Wood fit is quite good, solid with a good varnish finish. It may even be the upgraded finish, hard to say at this time. Yes, it's been used quite a bit but gently and carefully. It's chambered in 38-40 and barrel is the standard 24". Action feels very good and bore seems good as well.
Needless to say I went back and negotiated the purchase Sunday, even got a chunk off the asking price. I like the way this gun feels, full octagon barrels feel a bit muzzle-heavy to me. I like the shotgun butt as well.
As soon as I get this eye candy posted I'm going shopping for dies, brass, sizing die, mould, and a peep sight. She may be a very rare rifle but she looks like a shooter to me!

[TXGunNut]

Sorry, my phone & netbook are not getting along and I'm not smart enough to fix the pic.

[ndnchf]

Sweet! You did indeed pick up an unusual '73. It appears to be well taken care of. Congrats!

[square butte]

I've always liked the shotgun butt on 1873's. Just appeals to my eye.

[Blackwater]

Great score! It's good to see it in the hands of someone who'll appreciate and care for it. Like land, they ain't makin' any more of those!

[Scharfschuetze]

Hope it shoots as well as it looks!

[TXGunNut]

Hope it shoots as well as it looks!


Thanks all, and I believe it will, Scharf. Have everything but a mould enroute but I may be able to talk my shooting buddy out of a few boolits. It's his fault I bought this thing so I figure it's the least he can do, lol. He has a couple of 1873's that I've been admiring for years.

[clum553946]

That's a great looking rifle! Congrats! You'll have a truck load of fun with it!

[smokeywolf]

Very happy you've been granted the opportunity to bring a wonderful piece of history to a good home. Hope to see a few more pictures.

[runfiverun]

man that is in waaay super nice shape.
I have a couple of 92's from about that same time frame and they in about 1/2 the shape that 73 is.

[missionary5155]

Howdy TX
That is a beauty ! Just the barrel and the shotgun stock would have hade me getting icky all over. The rest is so much more to be thrilled with. 38-40 is a sweet caliber. The lighter bullets (160's) fly nice and flat. Even the 180's zip right along and really will put the hurt on smaller deer and especially coyot's out to 100 yards. Yep I have a couple 38-40's and do enjoy them.
Mike in Peru

[Ric-san]

Beautiful rifle...great find.

[T-Bird]

congrats on a fine find (get it?)! I'm jealous.

[TXGunNut]

Well, this rifle has pushed me over the edge. :shock: One of the responses to my thread requesting recommendations on Winchester books was a suggestion to join the Winchester Arms Collectors' Association and today I recalled that bit of advice and joined. Wish I could recall who pointed me in that direction but I couldn't find the post...or was it a PM?
WACA has a forum and I joined it this morning as well. Hopefully I'll be able to learn more about this 1873 and another (potentially) rare rifle in my collection.

[flint45]

Very nice rifle good luck with it.

[Markbo]

Very nice indeed. Can't wait for the shooting report.

Mike a general question. Can you have firearms or hunt in Peru? I have often wondered about several south & central American countries and just dont know how to find out

[69daytona]

Very nice, took my great grandfathers 73 deluxe in 38-40 out today for the first time since getting it also got a colt Saa in matching caliber.
the gun is a very good shooter for something made in 1886, will be shooting this 73 a lot more often.
hope you enjoy yours just as much, had a crowd around me the whole time I was shooting and let them all have a turn. The younger females love it since recoil is like a 22.

[TXGunNut]

Taking my 1873 to the range tomorrow but not sure if I'll shoot it. No ammo yet but my shooting buddy may take pity on me and bring a few.
I was eyeing a Bisley Colt in 38-40 earlier today, 69daytona. I'd prefer a more standard Colt to go with my Winchester but my Winchester is anything but ordinary. Might just make a good pair!

[Artful]

Wow, nice find - I'm hoping it shoots as good as it looks.

[smokeywolf]

Mind if I add another unusual model '73? How about a takedown...
153416

[TXGunNut]

Wow, sweet rifle, Smokeywolf!
And yes, Artful, seems she shoots just fine. Took her along to the range yesterday to show my shooting buddy and he just happened to have some BP 38-40 ammo along. ;-) Only shot a few rounds (tiny sights, overcast day, presbyopia, etc) but she's quite likely a shooter! Just restocked my front sight and sight blank selection from Brownells and I have a tang sight in hand already. I saw a couple of boolit designs I liked on Tom's site so I may just get this project going in a month or two!

[DougGuy]

Wow man that is one sweet cheeked classic rifle! If you right click and "save image" to your PC, it comes out the right way, sitting upright in the chair, and I can then zoom in on it and drool even more!

The wood and CCH on the takedown is breathtaking!

[smokeywolf]

If that's an honest to goodness hand made Navajo wool saddle blanket behind TXGunNut's model '73, that also gets my attention and envy. A nice genuine double size Navajo saddle blanket can go for as much as $1,000.00.

[TXGunNut]

Blanket is wool, Smokeywolf, but that's as far as it goes.
Snagged an older 401043 mould the other day but probably won't get a chance to try it until after the first of the year. Between hunting trips and holidays I'll only get a chance to drop by the loading room for a short visit now and then.

[Le Loup Solitaire]

Lyman mold #401043; they have always touted it as the original design for the 38-40. It was formerly marked 40143 and does well in the 73 rifle, but as I found out back in the day..it was designed for use with black powder when the case was filled up so that the bullet could not be pushed down into the case. That worked fine, but when you try to load smokeless and you want to use the crimping groove then the round is too long to feed from the mag thru the elevator. I tried roll crimping anyway and it was destructively hard on the already thin 38/40 brass. I then tried to shorten the cases to allow for using the crimping groove, but didn't like the idea of all the trimming and using altered cases. i believe that the solution is to use the RCBS mold for the 38/40 to start with. LLS

[BrentD]

If you don't have your brass already, I see that Starline has it in stock currently. I use it in my .38-40 and I like it a lot.

[TXGunNut]

If you don't have your brass already, I see that Starline has it in stock currently. I use it in my .38-40 and I like it a lot.

Thanks, was pleased to find it in stock when I ordered my dies & such.

[TXGunNut]

Lyman mold #401043; they have always touted it as the original design for the 38-40. It was formerly marked 40143 and does well in the 73 rifle, but as I found out back in the day..it was designed for use with black powder when the case was filled up so that the bullet could not be pushed down into the case. That worked fine, but when you try to load smokeless and you want to use the crimping groove then the round is too long to feed from the mag thru the elevator. I tried roll crimping anyway and it was destructively hard on the already thin 38/40 brass. I then tried to shorten the cases to allow for using the crimping groove, but didn't like the idea of all the trimming and using altered cases. i believe that the solution is to use the RCBS mold for the 38/40 to start with. LLS

I believe you're correct about the Lyman design, Midway now has the RCBS mould in stock and I'm also giving serious thought to Tom's version of these moulds. I wasn't planning on shooting much smokeless powder in this rifle but I've been re-thinking that. The rounds I fired in it a few weeks back used the RCBS moulds and KIK powder IIRC but I've been scoring a few pounds of Unique lately.