Winchester 1873 .32 WCF 1889, 97% BLUE, HIGH CONDITION

Winchester’s Model 1873 remains one of the defining American lever-action rifles, and high-condition antique examples are increasingly difficult to find. This Third Model rifle, serial number 304517B, was built in 1889 and chambered in .32 WCF, also known as .32-20 Winchester. Introduced in the early 1880s, the .32 WCF became a useful small-game, predator, target, and general-purpose cartridge, especially appealing in an era when rifle and revolver cartridges often overlapped.

What separates this rifle from the ordinary Model 1873 is condition. Many surviving 1873s show the honest wear of hard frontier and field use. This rifle instead retains the kind of original factory finish that collectors look for: approximately 97% dark factory blue on the barrel, magazine tube, and receiver, strong original case color on the lever and hammer, and excellent original varnish on the wood. The fit remains tight and proper; the screws are excellent, and the mechanics are crisp and sound.

The rifle is equipped with factory-correct sling swivels, a Lyman No. 4 ivory bead front sight, a blank in the rear dovetail, and a Lyman No. 1 tang-mounted peep sight. The bore is bright with strong continuous rifling and light pitting, rating approximately 7.5 out of 10—very respectable for a black-powder rifle now well over a century old.

The wood shows light handling marks consistent with careful age and storage, with no cracks or repairs noted. The crescent steel buttplate retains attractive mottled and thinning case color, further reinforcing the overall originality of the rifle.

For the Winchester collector, this is a particularly appealing 1873: antique manufacture, desirable .32 WCF chambering, excellent mechanics, strong bore, correct period sights, and plenty of original factory finish. It is the kind of rifle that presents beautifully in a collection while still retaining the honest character of a 19th-century Winchester.