Winchester 1873 EXTREMELY RARE SPECIAL ORDER EXTRA LONG 26 INCH octagon barrel rifle with non-standard special case colored receiver in desirable, large caliber .38-40, serial number 568835 made during the tail end of the Frontier Era in 1903. Winchester made over 720,000 Model 1873 rifles and carbines. According to the standard reference: The Winchester Handbook, by George Madis, of this huge number of 1873s only 1201 rifles had barrels longer than the standard length of 24”. Considering that Winchester offered extra long lengths all the way to 36” in round barrels, octagon barrels and half-octagon barrels, there could only be a handful of 26” length octagon barrel rifles manufactured in this caliber...and of these the survival rate would have to be even smaller, making this rifle one of a very few in existence today. Additionally, blued receivers were standard with case coloring on the receiver an extreme rarity and almost never encountered. Interestingly, it seems most special order long barrel rifles were in the smaller caliber .32-20, again, making this example even more rare in the large .38-40 chambering. This is the classic “Gun That Won the West!” An very fine condition example, this 121 year old Winchester still retains fine deep aged blue on the barrel and magazine. The special order long 26” octagon barrel also retains excellent and clear Winchester markings as does the upper tang. Walnut butt stock and forearm are in fine condition with only normal light handling marks. It correctly has the sliding brass door compartment in the butt plate for storing cleaning rods. Like the barrel, the receiver shows good vivid case color on portions of the right side plate and around the side plates of both sides. There is also good color in the protected areas with strong blue on the loading gate and mottled uncleaned gray/brown on the balance. This fine 1873 rifle also retains a very tight action and strong springs. The sliding dust cover on the receiver top is intact (these are usually missing). The un-polished brass lifter on the receiver bottom is correctly engraved with “38 CAL” and shows an attractive mellow patina. The lever catch is also intact and the receiver screws are excellent. This superior, large caliber Model 1873 is in better condition than normally encountered on the collector market today. The action is tight with strong springs and solid safety half- cock. Even the bore is in bright excellent condition with strong rifling. It is fitted with a buckhorn rear sight and blade front sight. The Model 1873 was the standard for lever actions throughout the Frontier Period in the West which, in some areas, lasted well into the twentieth century. Most surviving specimens show heavy use and often abuse with broken or missing parts making this example far better than normally encountered. This rifle, in the very rare and desirable extra long barrel length of 26 inches combined with case colored receiver plus large caliber .38-40 is a true Winchester rarity. The rifle weighs 8lbs 4oz. Serial Number: 568835. This firearm qualifies as a Curio & Relic firearm, and requires FFL Transfer or NICS Background Check.