The .32-20 Model 1873s made use of a solid buttplate though these were sans the cleaning rod trapdoor. A pair of magazine hangers were featured in some rifles sporting the full-length magazine. Early Model 1870 carbines were fitted with front sights though this later gave way to a post-type sight with blade arrangement. The .32-20 carbines utilized a rifle-type magazine hanger as opposed to a front barrel band.
The receiver, or gun body, housed all of the major internal components of the rifle. Chief among these was the finger lever, the assembly that made the Model 1873's "repeating" action possible. The lever operated as a large single unit also making up the trigger guard. The hammer was visible to the upper rear of the receiver. The barrel was fitted to the upper forward end of the receiver with the tube magazine mounted directly beneath the barrel. The barrel could be either rounded or octagonal depending on the Model 1873 form. The elliptical loading port was to the lower right side of the receiver while the ejection port was along the top side of the receiver. The firing pin and breech block were set in the upper portion of the receiver. The forward hand area and buttstock were of wood with the buttstock doubling as the aft handgrip. The spring-loaded tube magazine could hold up to fifteen ready-to-fire cartridges. Overall, the Model 1873 sported a fundamentally utilitarian design, something akin to the everyday man that would become its greatest customer.
The heart and soul of the Model 1873 was of course its lever-action repeating assembly. Though not a perfect design (many think it inherently weak but nonetheless effective) it was quite adequate for the task at hand. The operator pulled the lever down to which a fresh cartridge was pushed out of the spring-loaded tube magazine and raised into the firing chamber by a brass lifter. Once in position, the bolt was closed and locked with the gun ready to fire. The trigger actuated the hammer to which the firing pin struck the base of the cartridge, igniting the powder and ultimately propelling the bullet out of the barrel (muzzle velocity always varied depending on the ammunition and barrel length). Rimfire cartridges were struck at the base of their rim while centerfire cartridges were struck in the center of their base. It is noteworthy that most Model 1973s were of the centerfire cartridge type.
Nothing Beats a Model 1873
Despite the newer and lighter Model 1892s being made available by Winchester in the 1890s, the commercial market for the legendary Model 1873 remained strong. For just under $20, any American could own the rifle and many-a-frontiersman eventually did, solidifying the legacy of the Winchester name and Model 1873 family line.
The Inevitable End of the Road- Some 50 Years Later
Amazingly, Winchester ceased production of the Model 1873 as late as 1923 - some fifty years after its inception - such was the success of the rifle line in its varied forms. The Model 1873 has resurfaced through authentic replicas with the most notable copies produced out of Italy. At any rate, the Model 1873 was a versatile and effective weapon ready for whatever actions lay in its future. It became the quintessential Wild West lever-action long gun for many an American.
Little Big Horn
Evidence at the Battle of Little Bighorn battlefield suggests that some Cheyenne, Lakota or Arapaho Indians had used the repeating Winchester Model 1873 rifle (among other repeating types) against General George Custer and his 7th Cavalry while Custer's men were still using the single-shot Springfield Model 1873 .45.70 caliber carbine. While the Springfield enjoyed a greater range in which to fire, nothing beat the quick-action firing possible in a repeating rifle.
Pop Culture
Beyond its many film and print mentions, the Winchester Model 1873 owned the main title of the Jimmy Stewart Western motion picture "Winchester '73". A Winchester rifle is also part of a running joke (and ultimate ally) in the horror-comedy "Shawn of the Dead".
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