1873

tksims · Post by **tksims** » Sun Mar 02, 2008 1:31 am

Hi All,
Been looking for a cheap 73 for sometime now. Possibly have found one that is in need of some(lots)work. It is a 32cal. with octogan barrel. I don't have the serial number, prolly get it Monday. The gun needs work, a new or replacement wood. The lever is loose and doesn't want to stay up against the bottom tang. What causes this? The metal is of course brown and surface rust is present. The bores looked okay but not much rifling left. Also the full length magazine tube should be replaced, too many dents and some large. I like project guns and do several a year, all sxs shotguns. I presently don't own a rifle and want to get in a lever gun. Would this be a useful deer cartridge? At what distance could this caliber handle in harvesting a deer? Going back to the wood.........is origianl take offs usually available? If so would it fit or need much fitting?
I can get this gun for under 500.00. Does this seem justified?

Thanks for any and all help from a rookie!

Travis Morgan · Post by **Travis Morgan** » Sun Mar 02, 2008 2:11 am

If it's worth it to you, it's worth it. Just remember, if you quit working on a gun, it's liable to end up being sold as parts a year or two later.

gamekeeper · Post by **gamekeeper** » Sun Mar 02, 2008 5:01 am

I have been looking for a .32-20 and found an old 73 over here in poor condition and they wanted over $2000.

Sixgun · Post by **Sixgun** » Sun Mar 02, 2008 7:51 am

There's an old saying among Winchester collectors-----"junk is junk and always will be junk". You will put a small fortune into that '73 and in the end, you won't get much more than you originally paid for it. Original wood in acceptable collector condition will set you back more than the rifle costs you. --------- Bores on 32-20's need to be in decent condition or they shoot shotgun patterns, so that will cost another $400 to have relined. --------- Guns in poor condition , especially black powder cartridge rifles almost always have excessive headspace, so thats another 5 hundred to have the barrel taken off and rethreaded. --------If it needs other parts, well, '73 parts are not cheap---------

1873's are poor choices for making into acceptable and safe shooters in a frugal way unless you are a gunsmith, have the parts, or don't care about money. Much easier to spend 1500-2000 on a shooter grade '73 and by that I mean original in parts, tight, not abused, but with little original finish remaining. Don't mean to be pessimistic, but you gotta call a spade a spade.

------------------Sixgun

KirkD · Post by **KirkD** » Sun Mar 02, 2008 7:54 am

The reason the lever hangs down is that there is a spring inside that rides on a cam that is pressed into the lever. Both are probably worn. Minor slop can be taken care of by tightening the screw on the spring, but major wear will require a new spring and cam, or at least the building up of the cam surface.

Griff · Post by **Griff** » Sun Mar 02, 2008 3:25 pm

I gotta agree with Sixgun on this one. '73s in excellent shootable condition will run about what a new Uberti will. Which is why I just said to heck with it, and bought an Uberti.

Swampman · Post by **Swampman** » Sun Mar 02, 2008 3:32 pm

The reproductions are excellent.

Leverdude · Post by **Leverdude** » Sun Mar 02, 2008 3:32 pm

Dont know much about Winchesters but I restore the guns I restore for personal use & satisfaction not resale.

That said, You can do MUCH better than $400 to line & $500 to set the barrel back a thread. I had both done to a Marlin plus some additional filing of pipe wrench marks & draw fileing for less than $400. If it cost $1100 simply to line & headspace I woulda bought 2 new guns.

If you decide to go ahead with it I'd recomend Taylor machine in Washington state for lining it & setting the headspace.

Grizzly Adams · Post by **Grizzly Adams** » Sun Mar 02, 2008 8:02 pm

Leverdude wrote:Dont know much about Winchesters but I restore the guns I restore for personal use & satisfaction not resale.

That said, You can do MUCH better than $400 to line & $500 to set the barrel back a thread. I had both done to a Marlin plus some additional filing of pipe wrench marks & draw fileing for less than $400. If it cost $1100 simply to line & headspace I woulda bought 2 new guns.

If you decide to go ahead with it I'd recomend Taylor machine in Washington state for lining it & setting the headspace.

I agree, that work around here would not cost more than $150, $200 max. In addition, the rifle, even as described is a bargain at $500 just for the parts!

Another option available to you is to rebuild it as a 44-40 or 38-40. All that is needed is the larger caliber carrier and bolt assembly, and a barrel/mag tube of course. The last carrier I bought off e-bay was $58 and a bolt generally runs about the same. As for the barrel, originals are available and if you really want a nice shooter then put on a Badger barrel. As for the wood, replacement can be expensive. However, unless the wood is just trashed, you may find that by cleaning it up it will be very servicable, and new wood looks goofy on old guns!

Of course, the cheapest thing would be to buy a reproduction - but that would not be near as much fun!

As for the prices for original 1873s they seem to have taken a jump recently. I was at a gunshow yesterday, and the only Winchester 1873 priced at anything close ($1600) to an Uberti was JUNK! Most were what I would consider $2000 rifles with $4500 and above on the tag. Nobody was moving on their prices either!

This rifle started out like the one you describe. By the way, the wood is the original stuff just cleaned up.