New member and query asking for help.

[SergioSC]

Hello,

I am a new member of your forum. I live in Spain, Europe, where unfortunately we do not have the freedom that you enjoy regarding the possession of weapons. (my apologies, I use a translator, because I don't know your language well)

I am a hunter and shooter and I own several leverguns:

Winchester 1873 trapper 14", manufactured in 1984
Winchester 1873 Custom, manufactured in 1879, deluxe finish.
Marlin 444SS.
Marlin Golden Model 39M.
Tigre Carbine 44L, Spanish copy of the Winchester 1892, manufactured in 1927.

Although I have been reading your forum for some time, I have decided to register because I have recently inherited the Winchester 1873 manufactured in 1879, after the death of an uncle and I have found that it does not have the firing pin. The rifle is in excellent condition, all the original parts and obviously with the patina of time, very little used, the rifling in perfect condition and also its mechanisms, adjustment and conservation, it even has the original cleaning rod. It is very possible that my unclee disassembled the percussive needle, to avoid possible misuse, since he had not hunted for many years or simply it's broken.

I have been looking for information on the necessary piece, looks it'ss not difficult to obtain, but I find differences over the standard production models, regarding the bolt, since this model has a threaded piece on the bolt head, which I do not see in others bolts, as if it were a cover to access the inside of the bolt and change some part.

I haven't disassembled it yet and I would appreciate help from a member, because I know that there are highly trained people with great knowledge in this forum.

I attach some picks and my thanks in advance.

[gamekeeper]

Welcome to the forum a very nice Winchester you have inherited...

Someone will be along soon with more knowledge than I have.

[OldWin]

Welcome to the fire, sir.

There are many here who will be glad to help.
Sounds like a beautiful 73 you have become the custodian of.
Detailed pictures will be a considerable help. Especially of the bolt and bolt head, where it interfaces with the breech, and any stampings or roll marks of chambering on the barrel.
Is the firing pin hole in the bolt face still centrally located?

[AJMD429]

.
WELCOME to Leverguns...

I got a great replacement firing pin for an 1889 Marlin from these guys - http://www.wisnersinc.com/

Others will likely chime in with other sources or ideas. (For about ten years my 'replacement' firing pin was one made by a neighbor who was a reclusive hermit type who had done prison time for filing washers just right to fool laundry mat coin changers. His filing skills and a junk lawnmower with some throttle part or something as raw material, and presto he made me a 'new' firing pin...) I finally decided to get a 'real' replacement from Wisners though.

[Griff]

That is a beautiful 1873, I was going to say 1866, but they don't come with a dust cover, the distinctive shaped side plates, or the flat area on the lever to engage a trigger block safety. Wisner's doesn't sell a firing pin for the 1873... Your rifle appears to have a removeable firing pin bushing. Which, in my opinion, is a good thing. The firing pin on an 1873 is simple affair, of a certain length, and 2 diameters. The rear portion is the large diameter to fit inside the breach block, and the forward part (smaller diameter), to fit thru the breech face (in your case the bushing). I can't lay my hands on my copy of the NRA firearms assembly/disassembly book right at the moment, nor do I own an original Winchester '73 to look at or to take photos. If they are similar to the Uberti copies tho', the breech block separates from the firing pin extension by the removal of a pin located that the rear of the breech block. It's accessed after removal of the side plates. It should be possible for any machinist to make a new firing pin from good tool steel. Determining length would be beyond my ability to calculate... but I could probably come up with something through trial and error! The firing pin spring is also a simple thing, I've know guys that have simply used the spring from a ball point pen. The spring simply has to be able to pull the nose of the firing pin back inside the breech block too keep it from protruding thru the front of the block.

That probably wasn't much help, but the best I can do without reference to my assembly book.

[.45colt]

Welcome to the Fire.....that is no plain Jane '73 . the fancy walnut in the stock and the gold inlay on the end of the barrel look pretty special. Maybe Steve from Steves Gunz will be along soon. He is a sponsor Here . Can't wait to Hear more about this Gun.

[OldWin]

Ok.
Not sure if I missed your pictures when I posted, or they were added later.
Beautiful rifle sir!
Griff is correct, I believe, in that what you are seeing is a firing pin bushing.
I got you some pictures I hope will help you.
There is a picture of a standard .44 bolt with the firing pin installed.
A picture of the two separated.
And a picture of an 1873 .44 showing how the firing pin tail interacts with the hammer in the action cycle.

There is another part I don't have pictured. It is a small pivoting lever that is located in a notch on the side of the bolt. This retracts the pin while the bolt is out if battery. Not sure if you are missing this part also.

[jeepnik]

Welcome to the fire. I can’t help with your rifle but I spent a couple of years in your country many years ago. Lovely place. Planning on returning when things return to normal.

[Nate Kiowa Jones]

I'm pretty sure that bushing in the bolt face was added. To me it appears to protrude slightly. That would be a slick way to correct headspace and it makes sense. The old 73 tends to shoot loose with modern ammo.

Also, you might look in the cleaning rod trapdoor in the buttstock. That firing pin may be in there.

If not, the tip may be broke off. Can you take a picture of the hammer in the cocked position?
Does the action work? without the firing pin the bolt tends to flop around and bind up.

PM me. I may have a firing pin.

[SergioSC]

Hello again,

Thank you very much for such a friendly welcome and for the contributions.

The firing pin is definitely broken, the needle is broken. I have disassembled the needle and the breach block, all parts are present. Although I suppose that a gunsmith can repair this, welding a new needle, I prefer to look for an original one, if possible, this old friend deserves to be complete and have a calm soul from him.

Thank you very much for all comments, especially the one from OldWin about being the Custodian of this rifle, I have always thought that these levers are more than just a set of steel, wood and adjusted mechanisms. They have their history, sometimes intricate, and much to tell.

I'm still discovering things about it, I don't know much about its history even though he's been in the family for a while, but I'm trying to find out more. Due to the serial number and year of manufacture, 1879, it seems to be a first model, the dust cover rail is screwed on, instead of being integrated into the frame like second and third models; From what I have read, the bushing of the breach bolt belongs to the first model and therefore the needle must be the specific one. Perhaps it is a transition model between the first and the second.

I've thought about requesting the certificate from the Cody Museum, maybe it will yield some information.

I enclose some more photos about the details of the weapon, especially the engravings, sorry that they are not of better quality. The entire weapon is engraved, as you will see it has the classic wear and tear of use after many weapons, however the adjustment of mechanisms is perfect. I also take this opportunity to send a photo of my other treasure, an 1873 trapper made in 1984

I have also read that engravers used to sign their works, I have looked for a mark but I cannot find the engraver's signature.

Regarding the caliber, it is 44-40 WCF, although I do not see it engraved in the usual places, perhaps since it was engraved there would be no room left.

I will take advantage of this disassembly to clean and grease everything properly.

Thanks also for the offer from Nate Kiowa Jones, I'm sending you a PM.

I keep in touch here, greetings to all from the other side of the pond, as we say in Spain.

Sergio.

[SergioSC]

More picks

[SergioSC]

And The Trapper

[Oldncrusty]

Welcome! I am nearly speechless upon seeing the treasures you have been fortunate to acquire. You seem to have a good grasp on what to do to get your problems solved. I would definitely be getting in touch with the Cody museum to find out if your guns are original. I am sure you know they are Extremely valuable in currency. The engraved one should jump to the top of the list for research at Cody. Two other places I might check for assistance would be LeRoy Mertz Firearms, and the Winchester Arms Collectors Association. The only thing I can add is that the first model 1873,s were not marked as to calibre, because they were all chambered for .44WCF.
Huge thanks for sharing your collection!

[SergioSC]

Thank you very much for your welcome,

Certainly I'm getting an idea of ​​"where the shots are going", with the help you are giving me, the problem is in the great limitation of finding old weapons parts in Spain, even in Europe. This is in contrast to the fact that Europe has always sourced sporting weapons of American origin, but I think the importers have not put much effort into after-sales service. Added to this that the Spanish arms industry has almost definitely fallen in recent years, then the result is frankly discouraging.

Regarding its possible price, surem it could be a significant sum, but I have no reference to compare it here, since the market is totally different from yours.

I am used to finding information in American auction houses, to see those things that we all dream of, but that is another world very far away. I remember that a good friend of mine located and bought another Old Winchester a few years ago, possibly one of the so-called "Porfirios", in reference to the Mexican dictator Porfirio Diaz, who used to give them away, all gold plated and with ivory stock and fore-ends, and he got it at a price that would surely multiply many times over there in the USA. I think I have a photo somewhere, I look for it and paste it in this post.

Greetings from across the pond.

[Tycer]

Very nice. I am looking forward to hearing how well she shoots!

[SergioSC]

Very nice. I am looking forward to hearing how well she shoots!

The Trapper model, even with a 14" barrel, shoots really well.

The target below corresponds to a light load, 12 grains of Blue Dot, at 100 meters. and .427" 200 gr. bullets. The other one, once repaired, I hope it shoots even better.

Of course supported, "this Indian does not have such a good aim"

[.45colt]

Very , Very Cool. can't wait to hear more about those Rifles. .

[Nate Kiowa Jones]

Sergio,
Because you have the main part of the firing pin it would be an easy fix to drill the end and silver solder in a new tip.

This would need to be done on a lathe.

[SergioSC]

Sergio,
Because you have the main part of the firing pin it would be an easy fix to drill the end and silver solder in a new tip.

This would need to be done on a lathe.

Right, I guess it's the most practical and fast. I'll see what I find, there are very few armories left to do custom work, although perhaps a turner-miller is better.

I keep you informed.

Greetings to all.

[ollogger]

Thank you for showing 3 awesome guns, i am at a loss for words
they say a picture is worth a thousand words



Ollogger

[3leggedturtle]

Welcome aboard. Nice rifle to learn and shoot with. I just discovered Joker Knife Company that is in Spain. Todd/3leg

[SergioSC]

I just discovered Joker Knife Company that is in Spain. Todd/3leg

It is a Spanish company, located in the city of Albacete.

Albacete has a very long tradition in cutlery, since the Middle Ages, for its industry of edged weapons, swords and knives, recognized worldwide for its quality and craftsmanship.

If you need anything or management, do not hesitate to contact me.

[SergioSC]

Good morning to all,

I have already managed to repair the firing pin, a friend who is a master turner inserted a new needle for me, after hollowing out the head of the body, and the 73 fires perfectly again.

The whole assembly has been perfectly aligned and operational.

I went to the shooting range to do some tests, shooting several series, and I couldn't even get the projectiles to enter the target, the results were erratic, only two projectiles hit the paper and the imprint of the impact showed that they were destabilized, slightly lying down, without a definite tendency, they spread out in all directions.

I do not intend to make this rifle an everyday weapon, I would just like to shoot it from time to time out of nostalgia and respect for a weapon that has a long history and to ensure that the shots are accurate.

Bearing in mind that this rifle has a very deep rifling, similar to that of black powder muzzleloaders, I have thought that it may be a caliber problem, that the projectiles are under-calibrated, (I have used original 200 grain and 427 ", flat-base bullets), the same ones I use on my other lever-action guns, but these ones have a more modern and shallower rifling.

The loads were smooth and I tried at least four different loads, all behaving equally badly, so I don't think the problem is with the load.

I would appreciate any information on this matter, perhaps these first model rifles used different bullets, for example hollow base, and if the original caliber was different from 427". I have to take a mold to verify this matter.

My thanks in advance for any input.

Greetings from the other side of the pond,

Sergio

[Tycer]

Yes. A mold is next. We call it slugging the barrel.
I probably do it differently than most.
I fill a fired case almost full of lead and chamber it. I then take a soft lead slug about 25mm long and drive it down the oiled barrel with 150mm long pieces of wood dowel until it has formed to the leade and the breech rifling. Release the lever and gently tap the dowels while opening the action.
Then I close the action and drop several bullets down the barrel. These should slide freely. Then I drive a soft slug in the muzzle a few mm and then use the loose bullets to drive it out the muzzle.
Then I drive a soft slug from muzzle to breech to feel for restrictions.

[Scott Tschirhart]

Those are such nice rifles! Thanks for sharing the photos.

[OldWin]

As Tycer mentioned, slugging your bore is essential to getting the 44 to shoot, especially with smokeless powder. Groove diameters vary wildly in this cartridge. With black powder, it isn't as big an issue, as the bullet will obturate to fit the bore.
I am guessing you will end up needing around a .430 slug, and it will shoot very well.

[Sixgun]

What are the serial numbers?....just leave out the last few numbers for privacy....a full ivory stock? Do you have any idea of the size of a tusk needed for that? I've only heard of one like it in 50 years and I eat, sleep and breath the old Winchesters.

I am an advanced Winchester collector/shooter but not that advanced to what you have......seems your first one is a first model and even those in beat up condition bring big money......

You need to factory letter them from the Cody museum......if there is provenance the price will double or triple and it's an excellent chance those guns went to someone famous........

I would not shoot them and your hearing it from a guy who shoots most everything......don't do ANY alternations AT ALL.

There's several hundred thousand dollars worth of guns there......

Factory letter first and whatever you do don't let anyone b.s. you into selling them......first step...factory letters...for an extra few they will do it fast.....Cody Museum in Cody, Wyoming......then take it from there....----006

[SergioSC]

Factory letter first and whatever you do don't let anyone b.s. you into selling them......first step...factory letters...for an extra few they will do it fast.....Cody Museum in Cody, Wyoming......then take it from there....----006

Hello again,

Thanks for the contributions.

Reading some post it almost scares me to investigate the caliber, I don't know if I'm doing the right thing, maybe my ignorance about these rifles makes me take a path that I shouldn't.

I understand that they are old, original and some of them even rare, but they are not fragile objects if they are treated properly, or should I think yes and do nothing?

As I said, only two of them are my property now, the trapper and the gold plated one with a wooden stock and octagonal barrel, the other with ivory and gold belongs to a good friend. We do not know if that ivory is solid, it has not been disassembled, but it could perfectly be a finish on the original wood, as a luxury finish. Everything indicates that this is how it came from the beginning, it was not a later work.

Regarding my intention with the 73, this is to bring it back to life and be able to use it carefully on occasion, without using cartridges that could harm it.

Knowing the number is not a problem, it is seen in the photographs, it seems to be an early model of the Winchester 1873, #33694, the trapper is somewhat later a #479xxx. I have ordered the two certificates from the Cody Museum, but they take two months to issue them.

regards,

Sergio.

[AJMD429]

As Tycer mentioned, slugging your bore is essential to getting the 44 to shoot, especially with smokeless powder. Groove diameters vary wildly in this cartridge. With black powder, it isn't as big an issue, as the bullet will obturate to fit the bore.
I am guessing you will end up needing around a .430 slug, and it will shoot very well.

This is what I would do, as Tycer suggested. I'd probably be lazy and do a less meticulous job of 'slugging the bore', but the idea is to drive soft lead down the barrel and find the diameter of bullet YOUR gun needs. Getting the details of the rifling leade at the chamber end helps assess the ideal bullet seating depth, and sensing the uniformity of the barrel lets you know if there are any restrictions (or worse yet, bulges) that may need addressed.

P.S. Sixgun has some good advice too.... just thinking about it, with a gun as fancy as the ivory-stocked one, and with U.S. guns of that vintage in Spain, there is a good chance they were shipped and owned by someone with at least a keen interest in fine firearms, and lots of money, and that could be someone 'famous' as he said. It might not mean you'd necessarily sell them just because of that worth, but it would be of interest historically, AND down the road if a descendant of yours inherits them and does want to sell them, at least he or she wouldn't get taken advantage of and would get their full worth.

I don't know the gun laws in Spain - Sixgun says "I'd not shoot them" and that makes sense but if it were him, or me, we would just keep fancy valuable guns set aside, and trot down to the gun shop and buy a 'shooter' for a few hundred bucks. If I wanted to, within an hour I could go to several gun shops near my office, and get home with a lever action Marlin in 44 Mag or Henry in 45 Colt, a Ruger 10/22, and an AR-15, and in normal times spend less than $1,500 total for the three of them. I don't know if that is an option where you are.

[Grizz]

another thing, you can take a paper towel and put gun oil on it and roll a piece into a tight fit and push slowly through the barrel. there should be even resistance all the way. if there is a spot where the resistance suddenly diminishes, you've likely found a bulge. bulges don't necessarily affect accuracy.

also, is the rifling good all the way to the muzzle? are the grooves full of lead?

Ciao

[Ysabel Kid]

Those are such nice rifles! Thanks for sharing the photos.

+1 Those are BEAUTIFUL!

[Sixgun]

Your first gun wth the plating is a first model and the reason there are no caliber markings is because all first models are only in 44-40....the wood, gold plating and the engraving look original......THAT rifle was extremely expensive when it was made. Engraving looks typical Ulrich who engraved the high end guns.......when you get that letter it will show how it left the factory and if everything matches up it's a $100,000 gun.....easily......if a name comes attached it will bring double to triple depended on who the name was......most always top of the line Winchesters with the special order plating, engraving, checkering, gold inlays (at the muzzle) were made for dignitaries. Even if the letter comes back as being shipped to a common dealer it's more than worth your energy and money to dig deeper....

The trapper is astounding! While I don't have it in my hands to see the details as trappers had their roll stamp in a different place. Your trapper is an easy $30,000 gun. Trappers are routinely faked because of their rarity. It's also very rare for any trapper to have any kind of condition at all as they were "trappers", made for a guy who used his guns as tools.

The ivory stocked one will be solid, unless you can see if it was pieced together as it would make no sense to hollow out a huge tusk. These guns were bragging guns and were not expected to be used, kind of like a half million dollar Ferrari....you know, gets driven to places on nice days and to show off the gal who's probably in the passenger seat......I seriously doubt that the stock is factory as I've never heard of Winchester making stocks from ivory but......you never know as ivory was plentiful in those days.

Beautiful guns! Your plated engraved gun is the nicest/rarest 1873 Winchester I've ever seen outside of auction catalogs. Guaranteed, it went to a very important person, like me. ----006

[AJMD429]

.
Watch out, next thing you know Sixer will offer to trade you a couple Rossi's for them....

[Sixgun]

Doc,
It would take the entire Rossi factory machinery, the buildings, grounds, stock, change in the company safe, the tuition that management had to pay to learn gun manufacturing and even Rossi's mascot, Junkity Jim just to buy the screws on that gun. ---00 2 and 5/16th's.

[AJMD429]

.
Well I guess I blew my cover teasing you; I hoped you'd offer him two Rossi's so I could offer him THREE, and out-bid ya.

[Sixgun]

All kidding aside, Rossi's are not bad for the money they charge.....you figure, there's a few middlemen in on the action before the gun hits the shelves and Rossi does keep their costs down and helps to arm many people who normally would not have the money for a more expensive arm.

My issue is their quality control. Some stuff gets through their QC checks with outrageous defects. Most gun savvy people can fix em but the average guy can't and that brings on aggravation. ......but they keep on selling with no let up....don't make sense......a similar process takes place here in the states....HOW in the f can people like pelosi, AOC and the like keep on getting elected.? I find it hard some voters are that stupid....yes..stupid...not misinformed....STUPID....retarded, backwards, bad genes, whatever...

[SergioSC]

I am glad to see this good atmosphere among the members of the forum, the same that I have always known among hunters and close shooters. I see that there are no borders for this feeling.

I think you have all convinced me, let's see what data we get from the certificates of the Cody Museum and from there we will decide the way forward. It's worth the wait, if only for the adventure of learning more about its history, and I'm in no hurry.

Regarding some questions that have remained in the air, I will try to answer them:

What AJMD429 says is consistent, and I certainly have other guns to practice with, I normally use a 30" Uberti 1873 custom and a 1860 Henry also from Uberti, they are not the same as an original winchester, but they do a good job. I also have another guns in different calibers, most of them of USA origin.

Sixgun, what you say about the Trapper seems correct to me, the most possible thing is that it is a serial production without anything significant, just the model. I read that the production of the trapper was few units and therefore it is a rare weapon, possibly it is totally original since it has been in Spain for many years and a fake would be rare here. In any case, the certificate will tell us the truth; I am amazed that a rifle with such a short barrel is so extremely accurate, especially with a bullet that does not have a very aerodinamyc profile. If you tell me where to find a specific brand, I can look for it and provide the photos.

Regarding the issue of weapons in Spain, the legislation is very restrictive in relation to their possession and use. You have to pass many controls and renew them every 5 years, in addition to maintaining sports and hunting activity to justify possession. Surely many of you will not understand this, neither do I. The fact is that I have to compete to keep my shooter category, and depending on the category obtained, they "let" me have 1, 7 or 10 pistols. Long guns and shotguns have hunting licences, so I have to hunt from time to time too. As we say here, we have 49% ownership of our weapons, since any day we are denied permission and we lose them. (Guns are frowned upon and Europe has a majority of people with a Bambi complex).

We will definitely wait.

Thank you all for your opinions and help.

Greetings from across the pond.

Sergio

[OldWin]

Thank you for posting good pictures of those absolute treasures. All of us here can certainly appreciate such incredible examples of Winchesters finest.
I live a short distance from what was the highest grossing firearms auctioner in the world. I have seen some incredible Winchesters, but none any better than yours, sir.
My buddy Jack's (Sixgun) advice can be taken to the bank. He knows Winchesters, and like many here, understands that firearms such as yours go beyond the monetary value. They are objects of history and we are mere custodians.
Thank you again. Hope to see more of you around our fire.

[Old Savage]

A belated welcome. Very rare for Sixgun to get excited like this. Have never seen it to this extent.

Thanks for posting these pieces.

[Sixgun]

Sergio,
I couldn't sleep at all last night......visions of your Winchesters danced through my head all night.......I called today and am having wallpaper with your Winchesters on it and am having it installed all over the house......and then I'm going to have you and your buddy fly over (with the Winchesters) and spend a month playing with your guns.....my buddy Jay (Old Win) in a few posts above will stop down with his buffalo coat which has hidden pockets sewn into it. Then we will all get drunk as hell, bring on the dancing girls, smoke some weed and you'll go home the next day...(without the Winchesters)

OK, back to reality........it's interesting to see your perspective on firearm ownership. We have another member here (Gamekeeper) who lives in England who appears to have the same restrictions as you guys do. Yes, ludicrous.....but when a government does not trust its citizens it means one thing..THEY have control over you.....our forefathers were smart enough to have it the other way around where WE have control but that is slipping every year and before you know it, we will all be having a Spanish Inquisition.
Depending on what state you live in we here can have anything we want..even machine guns and suppressors but they are heavily regulated to about the same point where your regular guns are except we do not have to express a "need".

Guns like you and your friend have were destined to a King or other equally important individual. Beware who you show in your area as some no good basta$d will claim ownership. I am as excited as you are in the information contained in the factory letter.

It's very rare for guns like this to just "show up". Very, very rare.......perhaps you are a curator at a museum?

Stick around and keep us informed.....as you can see I have several of the same identical 1873's in my personal collection shown on my signature line.....just tap the picture and it will expand.

And beware of any Yankee from the U.S who stops at your door with a buffalo coat on in 90 degree weather. (that's a joke for my fine friend Jay) (Old Win.) He is truly a most honorable and patriotic citizen.-----006

[JimT]

Bienvenido Sergio! I would love to see a picture of your El Tigre! When I was barely in my teens I bought an El Tigre in Phoenix, Arizona. I believe I paid about $40.00 for it at a Pawn Shop .. and they gave me a box of old original UMC Blackpowder ammo with it. I really liked that gun! That was back about 1960. I should have kept it but I was just a kid and girls and cars came along not too long afterward and I sold it.

Love the pictures of the guns you have posted! Very nice.

¡Gracias por compartir con nosotros!

[SergioSC]

Dear Oldwin,

The image of a few days in that distant land, among like-minded people, is more than captivating, and it improves a lot with that mix of alcohol, weed and Valkyries.

No, I'm not a museum keeper, or anything like that, I'm simply passionate about weapons, and increasingly about weapons with history. I have always had a predilection for leverguns, from a very young age, when I accompanied my father hunting, also a gun enthusiast.

There have always been hunters in my family, and those rifles had to reach my hands, it couldn't be otherwise. But Europe is changing very fast, our governments never trusted their people, they only know how to live at our expense, controlling and manipulating us, they sold us long time ago and I am sorry to see the absolute decadence towards which they are leading us.

Regarding the rifles, there is no doubt about their ownership, they have always been here and no ill-born bastard will claim them successfully; before I turn them into scrap metal and, as a famous American said, "from my cold hands they will be snatched". (or something similar).

Perhaps one day they will return to the land where they were born ..., if so I hope it will be in the hands of people who know how to appreciate them, as you have shown me.

Greetings from the other side of the pond,

Sergio.

[OldWin]

Sergio,

It is obvious both your head and heart are in the right place. As such, we are all confident your fine Winchesters are in good hands. Don't worry, if I come to Spain, I won't bring my buffalo coat. (that has been a running joke here for years).
Like Jack (Sixgun), I can't wait to hear what those letters from Cody have to say. I sincerely hope you share the info with us.
Oh, and by the way......love your attitude towards oppressive government and ridiculous gun laws. You'll fit in here just fine!
Take care sir!

[4t5]

Some very nice firearms Sergio, your gonna like it here!

[AJMD429]

.
"...Perhaps one day they will return to the land where they were born ..., if so I hope it will be in the hands of people who know how to appreciate them, as you have shown me..."

....you'll receive a prepaid shipping box to my address in a few days. I'll take good care of them...

Actually I would be the first to admit I'm not enough of a connoisseur of fine firearms to appreciate such guns. I have a couple old ones from my own family that are not in the best shape and certainly weren't high-end items, but I understand the sentimental value. I have a picture of my grandmother and her father taken in about 1890 on our small farm with his then-new Marlin 1889, and I would never part with that firearm. But most of the ones I own and shoot tend to be things like Rossi's that I have smoothed up or AR-15's that vie with my so-called "Night Scout Rifles" because they are practical for livestock protection (we have goats and chickens mostly, prayed on by everything from raccoons and coyotes to packs of feral dogs).

"Night Scout" leverguns- viewtopic.php?t=46640#p583183

[SergioSC]

Good afternoon friends,

I just received the certificates from the Cody Museum;Good news, although we are going to have to wait longer because one of them must have been ordered with a wrong serial number. At first glance, one of the digits looks different, but once enlarged digitally, it is not the one I ordered.

Regarding the Trapper, the certificate says that it is a rifle from July 3, 1894, Type: Carbine and barrel length 15". Delivered at the warehouse on November 24, 1894 and sold at the warehouse on November 27, 1894, also include the order number.

I understand therefore that it is an original trapper and not a fake or modified rifle.

Regarding the gold plated finished, I have written to the Cody Museum, attaching an enlarged photo of the serial number, so they can tell me how to proceed.

I can't give any more information, but the news from one of them is fantastic.

Greetings to all from the other side of the pond,

Sergio

[RIHMFIRE]

FANTASTIC NEWS SO FAR...
AND WELCOME THE FORUM TOO!
AWESOME WINCHESTERS....JUST AWESOME!

[JOG]

This post is fantastic!
You sir have a few rare gems!
Johnny

[Oldncrusty]

It is great news. Thanks a ton for keeping us posted. Your sharing your treasures here is greatly appreciated!

[Griff]

It is great news. Thanks a ton for keeping us posted. Your sharing your treasures here is greatly appreciated!

+1!