Pacific Northwest Indian relief carved Winchester 1873 sporting rifle in .38-40 caliber. This is a spectacular example of a type almost never encountered outside of museum displays! With a serial number of 270237, this rifle was manufactured 136 years ago in 1888. Popular with frontiersmen and Native Americans, the Model 1873 Winchester was also known as the “Gun that won the West.” It was so coveted by the tribes that individuals were known to have traded huge quantities of furs and hides for such a rifle. In the Pacific Northwest they were often used in hunting seals, otters and other aquatic game as well as deer and similar size animals. Winchester repeating rifles were also counted upon for self protection against two legged and four legged threats. While this rifle shows age and use, it was obviously well taken care of. The standard 24” round barrel retains fine only lightly aged blue with excellent standard Winchester markings. It is fitted with a buckhorn rear sight with elevator bar intact and a blade/bead front sight. The receiver is mostly gray with good blue in the protected areas as well as on the loading gate. The brass lifter on the receiver bottom is correctly stamped “38 CAL.” The screw heads are excellent and the action is tight with a secure safety half-cock on the hammer. Surprisingly, the dust cover is intact (these usually missing) and the bore shows fine rifling throughout. No doubt, this was a cherished and possibly spiritual firearm that may have belonged to a shaman, chief or other important tribal member of high status. The butt stock has a highly stylized deeply relief carved face on both sides with nose and mouth on the bottom edge of the stock behind the lever. The dark walnut forend is also heavily relief carved with a stylized fish with eyes and a jaw full of teeth on each side which extend the full length of the wood to the metal forend tip. There is some minor wood loss from age to the top edge of the forend on each side, but overall stock and forend are sound and excellent. This is a truly remarkable Indian used Winchester with outstanding decorative carving that is almost never offered on the collector market today. The rifle weighs 7lbs 12oz. Serial Number: 270237B. This firearm qualifies as an Antique, and does not require FFL Transfer or NICS Background Check.