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Winning Bid US $6000 First bid $3500 Quantity 1 # of bids 9 Time left Auction has ended   Started 2020-07-30 00:00:00 Ended 2020-08-29 07:45:00

EXTREMELY RARE Winchester, Model 1873, DELUXE Takedown, Third variation, .22 SHORT Cal., MFG. 1885, SN: 161480, Lever Action Rifle, 24'' ROUND barrel (which is rare than octagon in this case by a factor of 15 to 1), Full mag. While Winchester had manufactured & loaded the 22 Short & Long cartridges since the year 1873, the model '73 chambered for these cartridges was only first offered in 1884, after serial number 145,000. Thus making this rifle made that same year, but not received in the warehouse until 1885, & just 15,000 serial numbers later, one of the early produced .22 rifles. It appears that it was an early take-down variation, which was later changed because the design was not successful at holding the rifles two halves tight. According to the Cody Winchester Factory record's letter this gun left the warehouse & returned four times in just under a year. Speculation is this deluxe rifle was used for marketing at exposition or shooter exhibitions, which explains why it left the factory on a Friday & was back by the following Monday. The last time it was shipped back it was out for over a year. At that time, it may have been returned for the peening of the take-down pin, that corrected the loose barrel issues of the original take-down design. This rifle's barrel is tight & is very nice. The original deluxe checkered wood stocks are excellent & solid, as professionally restored. The forearm has a 2'' sliver replaced on the right side & a number of small edge dings. The stock has two hairline cracks at the left wrist & four very small chips at each of the four corners where the wrist meets the receiver. There are some minor dings & scratches, & the toe falls short of the end of the buttplate. The factory metal blue finish can be found in protected areas of receiver & to the top of the barrel near receiver, the rest has toned to a plumb brown. The cartridge holding loading tube is of the early type having the ring of heavier steel & a separate stop spring. Bore is a fair brown barrel with roughness, but some rifling. Original buckhorn rear sight & flip-up globe front sight. Tight action & smooth functioning dust cover. Known Winchester collector Jeb Klitzke has stated & some publications support that only 8 DELUXE Model 1873's were produced in 22 caliber. If this is in fact the case, this Deluxe checkered 1873 in .22 SHORT may be among the rarest of Winchester collectibles. The rifle comes with a Factory Cody letter that confirms the above confirmation & the returns back to warehouse. It comes with six pages taken from the book 'The Winchester Book'. It also comes with a letter from 'Winchester 73 Collector', with information obtained from Gael L. Oswalt, Curatoral Secretary Winchester Arms Museum. There is also a hand penned letter From A previous owner of the rifle in the early 90's who writes ''the person I got it from said the museum figured it was a salesmans sample or exhibition gun.'' He also states ''It's a pretty good takedown.'' The rifle has marvelous eye appeal & is a very desirable .22 SHORT caliber.* Antique No FFL Req. - Value: 7000 to 14000

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Price

EXTREMELY RARE Winchester, Model 1873, DELUXE Takedown, Third va... Item # 4023   This auction is over.   No new bids can be placed.    Price:   US $6000

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