An extremely rare offering of a Winchester Model 1873 Native American “Burial Guns" C.1880s. Winchester Model 1873 .44-40 caliber rifle. Interestingly, the barrel and magazine appear shortened to 22” during its time of use. This was a common Native American practice for horseback use. Very importantly, the barrel and magazine tube are heavily rusted with no attempt made to clean or restore the metal (in handling this rifle, dirt and rust fell from the barrel!). The barrel retains the buckhorn rear sight and front sight. The walnut forearm shows signs of heavy saddle wear ahead of the receiver and shows extreme weathering. The rawhide forend and barrel covering shows similar weathering with some of the forward sinew stitching rotted away. Similarly, the butt stock is extremely weathered and dried (sometimes referred to as an “old fence post” appearance) and has an unusual hole through the center portion which was probably used with a thong to use as a sling to hang in a lodge, or tie to a horse saddle. The steel butt plate is missing as these were usually removed and used for hide scrapers by women. Like the barrel, the receiver is evenly rusted with no effort made to clean the metal. All mechanics are “frozen” in time. It is estimated that it was placed on burial scaffolds sometime in the 1880s as this burial practice was generally discontinued around 1890. Scaffold burials usually consisted of the body of a man (women were not buried on scaffolds) being placed either in a tree or on a four-pole supported platform about seven or eight feet off the ground. This was done to keep animals from the body. Typically the corpse was sewn or wrapped in a buffalo or elk hide and weapons and possessions placed on the platform with the deceased. Judging by the weathering of the walnut stock, the rusting of the metal, and the degradation of the rawhide wrappings, it can be assumed this rifle was left to the elements for five to seven years. It appears likely that they were originally encased in typical stitched leather rifle covers which protected the receiver and barrel more than the exposed butt stock. It can further be assumed that this item was collected some time in the 1890s when, unfortunately, little respect for such sacred sites was common and travelers through the plains and west thought little of collecting “Indian souvenirs.” Probably when this rifle was collected, the scaffolds had rotted and fallen in. Unless such burial weapons and artifacts were collected in the first several years of internment, they would be lost forever due to rusting or being covered by eventual brush and dirt. Because of their extreme scarcity, few items such as this exist in private collections and of the few that have survived to the present time, most would be in museums. Included with this rifle comes a good deal of printed information and photography concerning Native American scaffold burials. This Winchester rifle has been in the same collection for years. Items like these are so rare, it is nearly impossible for the collector of Native American artifacts, firearms or old west items to have an opportunity like this. The rifle weighs 6lbs 12oz. This firearm qualifies as an Antique, and does not require FFL Transfer or NICS Background Check.