My 'New' Winchester 1873 38 WCF

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KirkD
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My 'New' Winchester 1873 38 WCF

Post by KirkD »

Ladies and Gents, this past week I acquired an original Winchester Model 1873 in 38 WCF caliber. I had been thinking long and hard about getting an 1873, but didn't know whether to get a new Uberti or a well-used original. Those Uberti's are sure beautiful. But as I looked at the other old Winchesters hanging on the wall of my office, I knew that there was something about an old, well-used Winchester that would be missing if I bought a new one.

Also, there was the question of caliber. I already have a Winchester Model 53 in 44 WCF (aka 44-40). I had a Winchester 1892 in 38 WCF (38-40) and there was something about that cartridge that really grew on me. I sold the '92 last spring, but I sure did miss the 38-40 cartridge. I decided that I would hunt for an original Winchester 1873 in 38 WCF caliber.

Word spread on the grapevine and a fellow I knew said he knew an old retired fellow that had one. It turned out that the old fellow had owned this old '73 for 40 years. Prior to that, he said it used to hang on the wall of a sporting goods shop in Cowansville, Quebec, just a few miles north of the Vermont border with Canada. It is beautiful, rolling country, with a mixture of Maple-forested hills and farmland in the valleys. The old '73 had hung on the wall of that store as long as the old fellow knew; the store owner appeared to have taken it on trade sometime in the distant past and just hung it on the wall, along with some other old Winchesters, as a decoration. When the owner closed up shop 40 years ago, the old fellow I bought this from, bought it from the old proprietor. Long story short, this old '73 appears to have earned its keep bagging Whitetail deer along the Vermont-Quebec border a hundred years ago when life was simpler, there were no cars, and people used cedar rail fences to keep their cows in and heated their homes with wood. This particular gun is serial number 400100B, which puts it around 1891 mfg. date. The action is tight and smooth with no droop on the lever. The bore has strong rifling but scattered pitting .... it looks like it will give me 5-shot groups at 100 yards of around 3". I will harvest a Whitetail deer with this old vintage Winchester for old times sake, where I will be hunting in Maple and Cedar woods where the shots are less than 50 yards.

I like this old rifle. It is an honest old classic that no one has ever messed with. It also has some nice figuring in the buttstock wood, which really appeals to me. You can tell that it once earned its keep by bringing home a lot of venison. A couple photos are below. The quilt, by the way, was made for me by my grandmother when I left home at 18, 37 years ago. The saddle is my old saddle from my teenage years. It saw a lot of hard use, rain or shine, summer or winter, a lot of thick bush, and is pretty beat up, but it has a soft life now, here in my office.

Image

Image
Last edited by KirkD on Sat Feb 06, 2010 4:17 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Kirk: An old geezer who loves the smell of freshly turned earth, old cedar rail fences, wood smoke, a crackling fireplace on a snowy evening, pristine wilderness lakes, the scent of
cedars and a magnificent Whitetail buck framed in the semi-buckhorn sights of a 120-year old Winchester.
Blog: https://www.kirkdurston.com/
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Warhawk
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Re: My 'New' Winchester 1873 38 WCF

Post by Warhawk »

THat is a beauty, a real treasure.

If only guns could talk, I'm sure that one would have some stories to tell.
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Mike D.
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Re: My 'New' Winchester 1873 38 WCF

Post by Mike D. »

Kirk, that '73 is a real treasure and you, sir, have an excellent way with words. Tour story of the background of the rifle only adds to the mystique of the 1873. Thanks for sharing. :D
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Re: My 'New' Winchester 1873 38 WCF

Post by Buck Elliott »

honest old rifle for sure. True classic
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Borregos
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Re: My 'New' Winchester 1873 38 WCF

Post by Borregos »

That is a really nice one Kirk, congratulations :D
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Re: My 'New' Winchester 1873 38 WCF

Post by RIHMFIRE »

that is a beauty.....
and my favorite winchester....
its just a perfect rifle....
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Re: My 'New' Winchester 1873 38 WCF

Post by J Miller »

Kirk,

I envy you Canadians. You seem to have a large quantity of good old Winchesters and Marlins up there.

You got a jewel of a rifle, now don't change your mind next year and trade it off for a different one.

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Re: My 'New' Winchester 1873 38 WCF

Post by kimwcook »

You're a lucky man to be able to pick that '73 up. Hope it makes meat for ya.
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Re: My 'New' Winchester 1873 38 WCF

Post by Nath »

Kirk, you keep raising the bar. That 73 has alot of soul rubbed in it, boy if only it could speak!

First rate photo's KD as ever :)

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Re: My 'New' Winchester 1873 38 WCF

Post by KirkD »

Nath wrote: .... That 73 has alot of soul rubbed in it, boy if only it could speak!
This old '73, and where it came from, seems to speak of everything that is in the byline of my signature below. When I handle this old rifle, it conjures up a picture of woodsmoke curling up from the chimney of an old farm house nestled in a valley surrounded by wooded hills of Maple and Red Oak, turning their autumn colors, and a couple Whitetail deer at the far end of a golden corn field in the evening, near a zig zag cedar rail fence. Chores are done for the day.
Kirk: An old geezer who loves the smell of freshly turned earth, old cedar rail fences, wood smoke, a crackling fireplace on a snowy evening, pristine wilderness lakes, the scent of
cedars and a magnificent Whitetail buck framed in the semi-buckhorn sights of a 120-year old Winchester.
Blog: https://www.kirkdurston.com/
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Dave
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Re: My 'New' Winchester 1873 38 WCF

Post by Dave »

Congrats on a beautiful rifle! It looks just like a 73 should look.
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Re: My 'New' Winchester 1873 38 WCF

Post by JerryB »

That is a beauty Kirk, real proud for you.
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TedH
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Re: My 'New' Winchester 1873 38 WCF

Post by TedH »

Very nice. It's neat to have some it's history to go along with it.
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Re: My 'New' Winchester 1873 38 WCF

Post by rangerider7 »

Thats the way I like them. Great find. I have one just like it and love it. Great photo too! :D
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Re: My 'New' Winchester 1873 38 WCF

Post by pokey »

KirkD wrote:
Nath wrote: .... That 73 has alot of soul rubbed in it, boy if only it could speak!
This old '73, and where it came from, seems to speak of everything that is in the byline of my signature below. When I handle this old rifle, it conjures up a picture of woodsmoke curling up from the chimney of an old farm house nestled in a valley surrounded by wooded hills of Maple and Red Oak, turning their autumn colors, and a couple Whitetail deer at the far end of a golden corn field in the evening, near a zig zag cedar rail fence. Chores are done for the day.
man.

you make it seem like home. :)
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Re: My 'New' Winchester 1873 38 WCF

Post by Kansas Ed »

Nice rifle Kirk. I think you'll love it. The two I have are two of the most fun rifles I probably own... both in 38-40 btw. But it sure takes some mental getting used to, not feeling that carrier lock into place like on our other models. :wink:

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Re: My 'New' Winchester 1873 38 WCF

Post by win40-82 »

Great rifle! Just the way I love them, not so pretty you can't shoot it yet lots of life left. Have fun - you and the rifle deserve it.
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Re: My 'New' Winchester 1873 38 WCF

Post by Griff »

Congrats Kirk, that's a fine example of a fine arm. I good friend of mine in SoCal loves that cartridge as I love my .30-30 and .45Colt. Good selection.
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Re: My 'New' Winchester 1873 38 WCF

Post by KirkD »

I keep thinking that Nath needs one of these old original '73s for all those foxes. Now that would be fox hunting in style! The 38-40 would be just perfect for fox. Nath, if you decide you need one of these, let me know, and I'll hunt you one of them here in Canada and get it shipped over to you.
Kirk: An old geezer who loves the smell of freshly turned earth, old cedar rail fences, wood smoke, a crackling fireplace on a snowy evening, pristine wilderness lakes, the scent of
cedars and a magnificent Whitetail buck framed in the semi-buckhorn sights of a 120-year old Winchester.
Blog: https://www.kirkdurston.com/
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claybob86
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Re: My 'New' Winchester 1873 38 WCF

Post by claybob86 »

Fine rifle, Kirk! Congratulations! And as usual, you are a master of the camera and of words. 8)
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Re: My 'New' Winchester 1873 38 WCF

Post by perry owens »

Fine piece of history you have there Kirk. I have one in 38-40, made in 1890, but the only thing I know about it is that, from the sun bleaching on the butt and the muzzle wear, it probably spent a lot of its life in a saddle scabbard.
To date I have only shot black and 777 in it but lately I have been having impure thoughts about trying some smokeless loads, maybe SR4759 or Trail Boss.
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Re: My 'New' Winchester 1873 38 WCF

Post by gamekeeper »

Kirk, you will never regret owning that original Winchester over a brand spanking new Uberti.
The history behind that rifle makes it unique and it's a looker too!
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Re: My 'New' Winchester 1873 38 WCF

Post by rjohns94 »

Very nice. One of my favorites of those you have shared. That rifle speaks through your pictures, proud and honest as the day is long. May the memories you make with it last you a life time. blessings
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Re: My 'New' Winchester 1873 38 WCF

Post by mod71alaska »

Beautiful Winchester! Looks like a rifle picture for the next Winchester calender!

Just curious, Kirk...how do old Winchester prices compare between Canada and the US? Does it vary regionally, too?
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Re: My 'New' Winchester 1873 38 WCF

Post by KirkD »

mod71alaska wrote:Just curious, Kirk...how do old Winchester prices compare between Canada and the US? Does it vary regionally, too?
Prices in Canada run significantly cheaper than what I see in the US ..... maybe 2/3's. I don't think there is much regional variation .... we have a national website, and gun collectors are constantly travelling back and forth across the country, which tends to level the prices.
Kirk: An old geezer who loves the smell of freshly turned earth, old cedar rail fences, wood smoke, a crackling fireplace on a snowy evening, pristine wilderness lakes, the scent of
cedars and a magnificent Whitetail buck framed in the semi-buckhorn sights of a 120-year old Winchester.
Blog: https://www.kirkdurston.com/
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Re: My 'New' Winchester 1873 38 WCF

Post by Sixgun »

Kirk,
Nice snag with a bit of neat history to go with it. And............what a cool serial number :D

I too, prefer the 38-40 much more than the 44-40. Seems like every 38-40 I get has a nice tight .400-.401 bore where 44-40's are all over the map.

I'm thinking 7.5 grains of Unique with a 180 cast would make a nice factory equal load that is light in pressure and powerful enough to drop a deer. (About 4,000 of these loads have traveled the bores of one of my Colt Lightnings) The powder is fast enough to keep pressures up in cold weather, unlike light charges of 2400.------------Sixgun
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Re: My 'New' Winchester 1873 38 WCF

Post by Stone Fence »

Kirk,
Wow, what a super nice rifle. You know who to turn to if you need a .401", 20-1 lead/gas check RNFP-SWC bullet for that thing!

-Stone
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Re: My 'New' Winchester 1873 38 WCF

Post by RIHMFIRE »

theres your next calender pic!
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Re: My 'New' Winchester 1873 38 WCF

Post by MrMurphy »

That's a fine rifle in good shape. Kind of like my brother's WW1 Mauser 98 kar a, which is stamped for service with the Weimar Republic's police.....

These rifles have more than just shooting to do. They've got stories. Too bad they can't talk.
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Re: My 'New' Winchester 1873 38 WCF

Post by Ysabel Kid »

Wow! Thanks for sharing the story and the picture. You'd think I'd know better by now to grab the "drool rag" before opening any of your posts. Thick Irish skull I guess!!! :wink:
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Re: My 'New' Winchester 1873 38 WCF

Post by brno602 »

Sixgun wrote:Kirk,
Nice snag with a bit of neat history to go with it. And............what a cool serial number :D

I too, prefer the 38-40 much more than the 44-40. Seems like every 38-40 I get has a nice tight .400-.401 bore where 44-40's are all over the map.

I'm thinking 7.5 grains of Unique with a 180 cast would make a nice factory equal load that is light in pressure and powerful enough to drop a deer. (About 4,000 of these loads have traveled the bores of one of my Colt Lightnings) The powder is fast enough to keep pressures up in cold weather, unlike light charges of 2400.------------Sixgun
Yes your right with the all over the place 44/40, I never had a 44/40 that shot good unless I played with the sizing.
I have wanted a 38/40 all my life I have yet to find one! :x
Even up here in Canada I new a guy that had a Buckey Ruger in 10mm with a 38/40 cyl with some 296 and a 200gr bullet it made the 10mm look week! it was really just a .40, 41 mag.
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Re: My 'New' Winchester 1873 38 WCF

Post by 20cows »

Well done!
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Re: My 'New' Winchester 1873 38 WCF

Post by the telegraphist »

Good onya Kirk, thats one fine rifle, gotta find one myself like that. Congrats and if you fall on hard times and need to sell give me a call eh!!! Enjoy sir.
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Re: My 'New' Winchester 1873 38 WCF

Post by Streetstar »

Nice rifle :D Curses for making me want one too though. :lol:
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Re: My 'New' Winchester 1873 38 WCF

Post by the telegraphist »

perry owens wrote:Fine piece of history you have there Kirk. I have one in 38-40, made in 1890, but the only thing I know about it is that, from the sun bleaching on the butt and the muzzle wear, it probably spent a lot of its life in a saddle scabbard.
To date I have only shot black and 777 in it but lately I have been having impure thoughts about trying some smokeless loads, maybe SR4759 or Trail Boss.
Perry Owens

Gday Perry, 2400 is not a bad powder in these old cartridges if you can get hold of it in UK. Pressures are low. With 180g lead start at 12g slowly up to a max of 15g as always rifles are individuals, watch for pressure signs. Love those impure thoughts, whats life without taking acceptable risks.

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