Price Check - 1873 Winchester with Specials

71fan · Post by **71fan** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 12:31 am

I have my eye on one, as follows:
44-40, mfg 1883
28" Octagon (special order)
Set trigger

It all checks out with Cody.
Zero finish on receiver. Very minor/light pitting near hammer.
Barrel and mag about 25 to 50 percent mottled patina (no blue)
Bore dark with minor pitting, but OK rifling
Wood is unmolested and well aged, with great fit - this is the rifle's saving grace, besides the specials

I think this would be around $1000 is standard, but I don't know what the long barrel and set trigger are worth on a low condition rifle. The owner doesn't know much about it. I want to throw a number him, and I'm thinking about $1,800. What do y'all think?

(Madis says ~1,200 long barrels, and 12,000 set triggers on the 1873s)

Thank you!!

Nate Kiowa Jones · Post by **Nate Kiowa Jones** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 3:38 am

If it's complete with the dust cover and fully functional with just the percentages of honest wear and the special order features you have discribed I believe $1800 would be a fair deal for you both.

Sixgun · Post by **Sixgun** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 6:46 am

Very hard to put a price on an antique without actually having it in one's hands. As we all know, originality comes first. You say its all original. Does it have a "clean look". That means clean lines with no unpleasant blemishes, noticable pitting, excellent fitting wood, blue (or patina) wear that flows evenly from areas of handling and of course, excellent mechanics with a smooth action with no stickyness. Is the lettering on the barrel sharp and clear?

These descriptions show a gun was well maintained, but used. If thats the case, with an 1883 manufacture date, 28" barrel and set trigger, $1800 is a steal. More like twice that amount. But.....................a lot depends on one's description as we all have varying degrees as to what "pleases" the eyes. Even pictures have a way of being deceptive. Before I spend that kind of green, I want to hold it.-----------------Sixgun

KirkD · Post by **KirkD** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 8:04 am

Without the specials, I'd say you were bang on at $1,000. However, with the special order 28" barrel and set trigger, I'd go with Nate on this.

71fan · Post by **71fan** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 11:44 am

Thank you for the input, gentlemen.

I have handled the rifle, so I'm beyond the picture stage. Sixgun's comment strike a chord, because the action is a bit sticky - the lever really has to worked with authority to activate the lifter. Also, the hammer seems a bit sloshy, and the half-cock can't even be felt, although the hammer does stick at half-cock.

To me, these things are minor, as the 'smithing to check out the internals and make it right would be minimal compared to the cost of the rifle. I've had a few old Winnys like this that just needed a good cleaning. And if I had to replace an internal part or two to hake it a shooter, that wouldn't bother me. Of course I'd keep the originals to always remain with the rifle.

So, we're somewhere between $1800 and say $3500. At least that gives me a range and the knowledge of whether or not we're both being realistic.

Sixgun · Post by **Sixgun** » Fri Jan 11, 2008 9:51 am

71fan wrote:Thank you for the input, gentlemen.

I have handled the rifle, so I'm beyond the picture stage. Sixgun's comment strike a chord, because the action is a bit sticky - the lever really has to worked with authority to activate the lifter. Also, the hammer seems a bit sloshy, and the half-cock can't even be felt, although the hammer does stick at half-cock.

To me, these things are minor, as the 'smithing to check out the internals and make it right would be minimal compared to the cost of the rifle. I've had a few old Winnys like this that just needed a good cleaning. And if I had to replace an internal part or two to hake it a shooter, that wouldn't bother me. Of course I'd keep the originals to always remain with the rifle.

So, we're somewhere between $1800 and say $3500. At least that gives me a range and the knowledge of whether or not we're both being realistic.

Yes, good price range, but like I said, a lot "depends". I might handle that rifle and pick out a few bad things and say "$800" Or I might reach very quickley in my pocket for 4 g's---------Sixgun

71fan · Post by **71fan** » Fri Jan 11, 2008 12:27 pm

I fondled it again yesterday and made an offer. I'll find out today. I think he had to check with the consigner. All the screws have been worked over and the receiver shows signs of cleaning. BUT...it looks decent and is complete, and is basically a 1 of 1,200 with the long barrel and set trigger plus the right caliber and octagon barrel. The truth is, I want it bad. It looks good and the problems are minor in my mind. I may never see another special order 1873 that I can acutally afford, so I'm going for it.

marlinman93 · Post by **marlinman93** » Fri Jan 11, 2008 7:33 pm

You'll be sorry if you can't find a way to talk him out of it! Lots of common standard 1873's around, but specials don't show too often! Good luck!-Vall

Nate Kiowa Jones · Post by **Nate Kiowa Jones** » Fri Jan 11, 2008 10:59 pm

71fan wrote:Thank you for the input, gentlemen.

I have handled the rifle, so I'm beyond the picture stage. Sixgun's comment strike a chord, because the action is a bit sticky - the lever really has to worked with authority to activate the lifter. Also, the hammer seems a bit sloshy, and the half-cock can't even be felt, although the hammer does stick at half-cock.

To me, these things are minor, as the 'smithing to check out the internals and make it right would be minimal compared to the cost of the rifle. I've had a few old Winnys like this that just needed a good cleaning. And if I had to replace an internal part or two to hake it a shooter, that wouldn't bother me. Of course I'd keep the originals to always remain with the rifle.

So, we're somewhere between $1800 and say $3500. At least that gives me a range and the knowledge of whether or not we're both being realistic.

That is not unusual for the guns of that era. Some of the ammo of that era was bennet type primed I think it's called. This was a center-fire cart but it looked like rim fire ammo because it was internally primed and hard to ignite. Plus, the tips of firing pins of the guns from that era are known to have what is now called the black powder profile, bigger more blunt and require a harder hammer hit. For these reasons the guns came with fairly heavy hammer springs which in turn make the action somewhat stiff cocking/levering.

But, if "hammer seems a bit sloshy" means the hammer spring feels too light then the gun may not be right.