Winchester Model 1873

If you read enough gun magazines or watch any outdoor-themed TV shows, you’ve no doubt noticed that there’s no real shortage of firearm models that are designated “iconic” or “legendary.” And, hey, most of those guns are very much deserving of such superlatives. There are just a select few firearms, however, that have risen to such a level that they receive a moniker all their own. One of them, of course, is the “Gun that Won the West,” more commonly known as the Winchester Model 1873.

Now, nearly a century after being discontinued by the Winchester Repeating Arms Company, shooters once again have the opportunity to purchase a Model 1873 that comes complete with the Winchester name stamped on the barrel. The “new” Model 73 is available in two variations-the Model 1873 Short Rifle and the Model 1873 Sporter Case Hardened.

You can learn more about the 1873 Short Rifle in the video below, hosted by Associate Online Editor Shawn Skipper.

Technical Specifications:

Caliber: .357 Mag. (.38 Spl.)

Action Type: lever-action, center-fire repeating rifle

Receiver: blued steel

Barrel: 20", round

Rifling: six-groove, 1:183⁄4" RH twist

Magazine: tubular under-barrel, 10-round capacity (11 rounds of .38 Spl.)

Sights: Marble’s gold bead front, semi-buckhorn rear elevator adjustable for elevation; drift adjustable for windage

Trigger: single-stage, 3-lb., 14-oz. pull

Stock: oil-stained walnut: length of pull, 13", drop at heel, 3"; drop at comb, 1¾"

Overall Length: 39"

Weight: 7 lbs., 4 ozs.

MSRP: $1,300 (Short Rifle), $1,580 (Case Hardened)

For Further Reading:

• Review: Winchester's "New" Model 1873

• A Look Back (and Forward) at the 1873 Winchester

Multimedia: