Question about 1873 Winchesters.

[rangerider7]

Are the round barrel sporting rifles more scarce that the octagon barreled ones? They seem to be to me but I'm not sure.

[Hobie]

I wonder if it was like the Winchester 1894/94? The round barrel was standard but the octagon is much more common. People paid extra for the octagon rifle barrel.

[Mike D.]

Both round and "hextagonal" barrels were standard on the Model 1873, but the "hex" ones were more popular.

[rangerider7]

Thanks MikeD, I keep forgetting "hex".

[J Miller]

Both round and "hextagonal" barrels were standard on the Model 1873, but the "hex" ones were more popular.

Oh brother


Joe

[Gun Smith]

There was an extra charge for octagon and part round barrels. One of each six guns had round barrels (approx. 117,000 guns) , and one of each 900 guns had part round barrels (approx. 780 guns).

Am I missing something? Winchester barrels have 8 flats, octagon? Doesn't a hexagon have six sides?

[Mike D.]

There was an extra charge for octagon and part round barrels. One of each six guns had round barrels (approx. 117,000 guns) , and one of each 900 guns had part round barrels (approx. 780 guns).

Am I missing something? Winchester barrels have 8 flats, octagon? Doesn't a hexagon have six sides?

Sorry, it was too easy to add that totally incorrect, but often cited, description for octagon barrels. My rant of a few weeks past on this subject got to me.

[KirkD]

Round barrels were standard, but prior to the turn of the century, octagon barrels were more popular. This changed in the early 1900's when people started preferring lighter rifles. So, as Gunsmith's numbers indicate, even though the round barrel was standard, the octagon barrel on the '73 is much more common.

[rangerider7]

When I got this round barreled 1873 Winchester Sporting rifle years ago I didn't know much about them. I have gotten a few more old Winchesters since then and noticed that most of the 1873s I have seen have octagon barrels. Thanks for the information.

[Hoosierdaddy]

I have owned 4 original Model 73's, all had oct barrels. How common is a single set trigger on these? I have only seen one.
Ken

[Gun Smith]

According to Madis, approx. 27,000 M. 73's had set triggers. About one of every 26 produced.
Rare, yes, REALLY rare, part round barrels, about one in 900 (780 total). Really, really rare, shorter than standard carbine barrels, approx. 439.

[Kansas Ed]

I have owned 4 original Model 73's, all had oct barrels. How common is a single set trigger on these? I have only seen one.
Ken

You see them off and on for sale, mostly in the extra length barrels. If you have one, first be careful with it. There is a design flaw which makes it prone to breakage. Second, if you take it apart for cleaning or seeing how it works or what ever....make sure you take lots of digital hi res photo's of the disassembly. Trust me, it will save you hours....

Ed

[Hoosierdaddy]

Thanks for the info, guys. rangerider7, didn't mean to steer your thread in a different direction.
Ken

[rangerider7]

No problem, I love all the information I can get on old Winchesters.

[Mike D.]

If the truth be known, I much prefer round barreled Winchesters over the "more desirable" guns bearing octagon barrels. Yes, I also prefer post-1900 guns, too. Everyone else wants "antiques", so that's good thing AFIAC.

[Sixgun]

The round barrel was standard but the octagon is much more common. People paid extra for the octagon rifle barrel.

They still do -----------Sixgun

[rangerider7]

Mike D, I'm feel about the same as you even though I have about the same amount of octagon as I do round. I like post 1900 myself. You can shoot them with smokeless powder. I only have one gun that I don't shoot at all; the rest I shoot at least every once in a while. I have a 1842 Springfield. BP is just to messy. I have some pre 1900, 1886 and 1873 models, but I shoot mild loads in them.

[Griff]

Mike D, I'm feel about the same as you even though I have about the same amount of octagon as I do round. I like post 1900 myself. You can shoot them with smokeless powder. I only have one gun that I don't shoot at all; the rest I shoot at least every once in a while. I have a 1842 Springfield. BP is just to messy. I have some pre 1900, 1886 and 1873 models, but I shoot mild loads in them.

As long as your bore isn't pitted, BP is just SO much easier to clean up than smokeless, you SHOULD be shooting it!

[Mike D.]

You can't be serious, Griff. There is nothing easy about BP cleanup. No, thank you, I'll stick to smokeless. Clean every six months, not every day.

[Sixgun]

You can't be serious, Griff. There is nothing easy about BP cleanup. No, thank you, I'll stick to smokeless. Clean every six months, not every day.

Yea+1 While the barrels are not all that hard to clean, the residue gets all through the action. And then there's the brass to clean And then..................every few rounds you have to stop to clean the bore or accuracy goes to pot. Hard chambering. And the loading process (loading the ammo) takes about 19 times as long. Naaaaa.... too much aggravation for me.

But very cool for people who have patience like Griff ------------Sixgun