The story behind this rifle is amazing. It was being used as a leg for a bench in a machinist's shop. Rusty, oily..... Traded a 25' long welder extension chord for it. Originally was just going to find a hammer and a side plate and make a wall hanger out of it. Then I saw the four digit serial number. Researching the rifle I found it was made July 25th 1875. Eventually found all of the missing parts. Relined the barrel, had it case colored and blued. The early 1873's didn't have the caliber engraved on the brass loading chute because .44 WCF was the only caliber this rifle came in this early. Single set trigger too. And of course shoot nothing but black powder and pure lead cast boolits!