For your consideration is a Winchester Model 1873 lever action rifle in desirable caliber .44-40. This Winchester Model 1873 rifle was produced with the standard 24” round barrel, full magazine, crescent butt plate and chambered for the popular .44-40 Winchester Center Fire cartridge. The Model 1873 is the famed “Gun That Won the West,” and undoubtedly one of Winchester’s earliest and most popular repeating rifles. This fine example is typical of those found in every barn, saddle scabbard, and behind every ranch house kitchen door during the Frontier Years. Made uninterruptedly from 1873 through 1923, the 1873 is perhaps the most iconic of Winchester’s early products and found favor with hunters, ranchers, farmers, cowboys, lawmen, and outlaws. It was, and still is, known for having the smoothest action of any Winchester model. Its mechanism has few internal parts and, by removing the side plates, is extremely simple to clean and repair if needed. This was a huge selling point in sparsely populated areas where a gunsmith might be many days’ ride away. A frontiersman or hunter with a few spare parts and a screwdriver would never have to worry about his rifle becoming out of service. This rifle is a particularly attractive example with deep, aged blue appearance on the barrel, magazine tube, and receiver. The loading gate retains the factory blue and the screw heads are also in fine condition. It shows no evidence of being over-cleaned. Furthermore, it retains the original dust cover, and the mellow brass lifter on the bottom of the receiver is correctly engraved “44 CAL” and has never been polished. Frequently dust covers are missing, but this rifle has managed to retain the original. The Walnut butt stock and forearm also show no signs of being sanded or replaced. The wood to metal fit is tight and the steel butt plate has the brass trapdoor for cleaning rods found on the .44-40 caliber rifles. Correct Winchester markings and patent dates on the barrel and upper tang are sharp and clear and the mechanism is tight and crisp. The bore is in surprisingly fine condition with good rifling all the way through and little of the roughness that one would certainly expect of such an early black powder era Winchester. The barrel retains a very rare flat top buckhorn rear sight. The elevator bar is intact, as well as is the original standard Winchester blade front sight. This is a very handsome and original 134 year old Model 1873. Manufacture date of 1886. Serial Number: 208436B. This firearm qualifies as an Antique, and does not require FFL Transfer or NICS Background Check.