{"id":34864,"date":"2015-03-26T11:49:35","date_gmt":"2015-03-26T15:49:35","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.gunsamerica.com\/blog\/?p=34864"},"modified":"2015-03-26T11:49:35","modified_gmt":"2023-08-18T14:50:55","slug":"shooting-history-winchester-1873-old-gun-review","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/shooting-history-winchester-1873-old-gun-review\/","title":{"rendered":"Shooting History-Winchester 1873-Old Gun Review"},"content":{"rendered":"

Buy one on GunsAmerica: \/Search.aspx?T=1873%20winchester<\/a><\/p>\n

Shooting History is our continuing series where we take some old guns, shoot them and write them up like they were a new review gun.\u00a0 The round counts are a bit lower as these old guns have already done that part.\u00a0 Check out our past articles in this series if you have missed them here<\/a>.\u00a0 If there is a gun (or guns) you would like to see covered in this series be sure to comment below and we will do our best to get a “shooter.”<\/p>\n

1873 Winchester<\/h2>\n
\"Model<\/a>

Model 1873<\/p><\/div>\n

1873 was a big year in the firearms world.\u00a0 Colt’s new single action was adopted by the Army and Winchester came out with their best lever action to date.\u00a0 Originally chambered in .44 W.C.F., aka 44-40, the 1873 Winchester was the most powerful of the lever guns when it was introduced.\u00a0 This was a huge step forward from the rimfire .44 caliber used in the Henry and earlier Winchester rifles. It could be said that the 1873 is the rifle that “made” Winchester.<\/p>\n

From 1873 until 1919 Winchester made over 720,000 of the 1873.\u00a0 They came in 3 major different configurations and barrel lengths: 24 inch rifle, 20 inch carbine and 30 inch barreled musket.\u00a0 There were other barrel lengths offered as custom orders. Round and octagon barrels were also available. The 1873 was primarily\u00a0 chambered in 44-40, 38-40 and 32-20.\u00a0 There were also a few that were made in .22 long and short.<\/p>\n

Design<\/h2>\n

The roots of the 1873 design can be traced back to the Volcanic Arms rifles and pistols.\u00a0 The next step was the 1860 Henry Rifle.\u00a0 This is the first to use what is called the toggle link action, more on it later.\u00a0 The 1866 Winchester brought the side loading gate under Kings Patent that we all recognize on the side of a Winchester.\u00a0 But those were made from the bronze\/brass frame like the Henry.\u00a0 It is the 1873 that first used an iron, and later steel, frame.\u00a0 This made a stronger and lighter rifle.<\/p>\n

The toggle link action is the heart of the 1873. It is simple, reliable, smooth and fast.\u00a0 There is a reason that a huge majority of the Cowboy Action shooters use a ’73 for competition. It is all about the smooth and fast.\u00a0 The newer Winchester designs are a lot stronger but they don’t have the super slick feel to them.\u00a0 See the pictures to see how the action moves.<\/p>\n

[one_half]<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a>

The brass you see is part of the lifter.<\/p><\/div>\n

[\/one_half][one_half_last]This is the basic function of the action:<\/p>\n