Winchester Navy Arms Turnbull 1873 Deluxe Grade 4 .45 Colt Lever Rifle 2014
SOLD FOR: $2,926
WOA#: WY240210TM021
Make: Winchester, made in Japan by Miroku, sent by Navy Arms to Turnbull Restoration Co.
Model: 1873 Deluxe Grade 4
Serial Number: 00051ZW73H
Year of Manufacture: 2014 (Miroku ZW Date Code)
Caliber: .45 Colt
Action Type: Lever Action with Full Length Tubular Magazine
Markings: The left shoulder of the barrel is marked “”WINCHESTER”, “Model 1873 – – Caliber 45 Colt ONLY”, and at the rear with a Winchester proof. The right shoulder of the barrel is marked “Made by Miroku – Japan – – Imported by BACO, Inc.-Morgan, Utah / Winchester is a registered trademark of Olin Corporation”. The bottom of the lifter is marked “Cal. 45 Colt”. The bottom of the receiver is marked with the serial number. The top of the chamber ring and chamber are marked with the Winchester proof.
Barrel Length: 20” Octagonal
Sights / Optics: The front sight is a brass beaded blade with a serrated rear face dovetailed to the front of the barrel. The rear sight is a U-notch semi-buckhorn elevator sight dovetailed to the rear of the barrel.
Stock Configuration & Condition: The stocks are two piece Grade 4 Deluxe hand selected full checkered American walnut with high gloss, straight grip, straight comb, case hardened nopecap, and case hardened steel shotgun-style checkered buttplate. The LOP measures about 13.5” from the front of the trigger to the back of the buttplate. The stocks rate in about Excellent overall condition. The checkering is crisp with sharp peaks. There is little to no handling wear. There are no chips or cracks.
Type of Finish: Blue & Color Case
Finish Originality: This rifle was imported by Navy Arms in the white and finished by Turnbull Restoration Co., Inc.
Bore Condition: The bore is bright and the rifling is sharp and deep. There is no erosion in the bore. In this writer’s opinion the bore rates 10/10.
Overall Condition: This gun retains about 99% of its metal finish. The bluing and case color are very strong and deep. The screw heads are sharp. The markings are very clear and prominent. There is little to no operation wear detectable whatsoever on this rifle. Overall, this gun rates in about Excellent condition.
Mechanics: The action functions correctly and is very tight. We did not fire this gun. As with all previously owned firearms, a thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance standards.
Box, Paperwork & Accessories: This rifle comes with its factory box, chamber lock and keys, gun sleeve, owner’s manual, and handouts.
Our Assessment: One of the most successful, and certainly one of the most famous Winchester rifles was the Winchester Model 1873, known as “The Gun that Won the West” for its predominant role in the hands of Western settlers. The Model 1873 had a steel frame that was much stronger than the brass framed Model 1866, allowing Winchester to develop a family of powerful new cartridges, with Colt usually producing Single Action Army revolvers in the same calibers shortly after they were developed. While the original Winchester 1873s were discontinued in the early 1920s, the advent of Cowboy Action Shooting brought a number of reproductions, most produced in Italy by Uberti. Here’s where the story gets a little complicated.
Winchester had been owned by Olin Industries since the 1930s, but in 1981 the factory was purchased and the brand name licensed from Olin by the U.S. Repeating Arms Company, formed by employees at the Winchester factory. USRAC went bankrupt in 1989 and was purchased by Fabrique Nationale in Belgium, which also owned Browning. Much of Browning’s production was performed in Japan by Miroku. In 2013, it was announced that “Winchester” 1873s were being reintroduced, made by Miroku and imported by Browning.
This example had a couple more stops to make on its way to the winning bidder. It is from a small group of rifles which were purchased in the white by Navy Arms Company and sent to Turnbull Restoration Co. to be finished with their signature case hardening and was equipped with hand-selected American walnut stocks. Were this an original 19th/20th Century 1873, it would be quite the special find. The rifle has a 20″ octagonal barrel as well as a shotgun-style buttplate, a truly rare configuration among the original 1873s.
With the Short-Stroke kit installed by Navy Arms, the result is a rifle that will shoot as good as it looks, and it looks darned good! For those who are not familiar with Turnbull, you’ll just have to see our photos to understand the vibrant colors his traditional case hardening process produces.! This is one of the finest lever guns you’re going to find, so don’t miss out. Please see our photos and good luck! – L.S.
