Make: Winchester, Experimental Prototype by Klein & Carr
Model: 1873 Rifle, Rimfire Conversion
Serial Number: 127316A. The “A” suffix in the serial number denotes a design/production change by Winchester during the manufacturing process of the Model 1873.
Year of Manufacture: 1883
Caliber: .22 Long
Action Type: Lever Action with Full Length Tubular Magazine. Originally a takedown, the takedown pin has been peened to prevent disassembly (see Our Assessment)
Markings: The top of the barrel is marked “MANUFACTURED BY / KLEIN & CARR / PAT. JULY 17. 1883” in front of the rear sight. The lower tang is marked “127316A”. The upper tang is marked “Model. 1873”.
Barrel Length: 24" Octagonal
Sights / Optics: The front sight is a German silver blade in a slotted base dovetailed to the front of the barrel. The rear sight is a "V"-notch buckhorn elevator sight dovetailed to the rear of the barrel. The top tang is drilled, tapped, and filled for a peep sight (none included).
Stock Configuration & Condition: The stocks are two-piece smooth walnut with a capped forend, straight grip, straight comb, and steel shotgun-style buttplate. The stocks have scattered nicks, dings, scuffs, and scratches. There is a crack at the left-rear of the forend. There is some discoloration around the edges, more notable at the rear of the buttstock. The LOP measures 13 1/8" from the front of the trigger to the back of the buttplate. The buttplate has gone to a moderate patina with scattered surface erosion and a shallow but long vertical scratch. Overall, the stocks are in about Very Good condition as Antique.
Type of Finish: Blue
Finish Originality: Original to conversion. The inner magazine tube is of a later Winchester type (the two types are interchangeable).
Bore Condition: The bore is dark gray. The rifling is worn, but visible. There is scattered erosion and pitting in the bore. In this writer's opinion, the bore rates about a 5 out of 10.
Overall Condition: This rifle retains about 15% of its metal finish. The remaining finish is scattered and mostly in protected areas or around raised features. Most exposed surfaces have gone to a fairly uniform light patina with edges worn to white. There is infrequent surface erosion, most notable on the left of the barrel and magazine tube, and around and behind the magazine bracket. The barrel assembly has minor play to the receiver. There are some scattered nicks and scratches including tool marks around some screw heads. The takedown pin has been peened on both sides (see Our Assessment). The markings are clear. The screw heads range from sharp to slightly disfigured with usable slots. Overall, this rifle is in Very Good condition as Antique.
Mechanics: The action functions correctly, however the barrel assembly has minor play to the receiver, somewhat common for this model. The hammer has a half-cock safety position and the lever safety functions properly. There is a dust cover on a rail integral to the receiver, typical of the Third Models. We have not fired this rifle. As with all used firearms, thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance standards.
Box, Paperwork & Accessories: This rifle comes with a Winchester Records letter which indicates that serial number 127316 was received in warehouse June 27, 1883 and shipped July 6, 1883 on order 5331. It’s listed as a Rifle, Caliber 38, with notes "Complete except Barrel, Carrier block, Piston, Retractor, Extractor and Magazine followers" as well as "Forearm Octagon".
Our Assessment: The famous Winchester lever action repeating rifle, known as "the gun that won the West", had its beginnings in the Volcanic Firearms Company and the later designs by Benjamin Tyler Henry.The Model 1873 had a steel frame that was much stronger than the brass framed Model 1866, allowing Winchester to move away from .44 rimfire and develop the powerful new .44-40 WCF cartridge, as well as a family of other new potent rounds, with Colt usually producing Single Action Army revolvers in the same calibers shortly after they were developed. The Model 1873 has an almost mythical status among firearms collectors, Old West enthusiasts, and fans of the Western film genre, even inspiring the 1950 movie "Winchester '73" starring Jimmy Stewart.
This is a particularly rare and interesting piece. It’s one of ten “Experimental” Winchester ‘73 rifles converted for the use of .22 Long cartridges by the firm Klein & Carr, a gun shop located at 819 Market Street in San Francisco. While the .22 rimfire cartridge had been around for some time by 1883, Winchester had yet to offer their Model 1873 in .22 caliber. Klein & Carr held the patent for improvements to the Winchester breech mechanism that would allow it to chamber cartridges of small caliber for gallery use. Thus ten such ‘73 rifles, including this one, were ordered by Klein & Carr in the summer of 1883, noted in the Winchester shipping ledger as "Complete except Barrel, Carrier block, Piston, Retractor, Extractor and Magazine followers" as well as "Forearm Octagon". Klein & Carr proceeded with the conversion and finishing of those rifles using their own proprietary parts, and they must’ve been to Winchester’s satisfaction, for by early 1884, Winchester had secured (likely purchased) the rights to Klein & Carr’s patent, and the Model 1873 chambered in .22 caliber was offered in the Winchester catalog by September 1884. The original design for the Winchester ‘73 in .22 used a tapered pin to retain the barrel and forend assembly, and was thus able to be taken down by simply driving out the pin. It was soon found that the pins had a tendency to "walk" themselves out, creating an unsafe condition. Winchester would eventually peen the pin on both sides to prevent removal and dropped this feature from production.
This specific rifle was inspected by author James D. Gordon and mentioned by serial number in his book "Winchester's New Model of 1873 A Tribute". As would be done later by Winchester, this rifle has had its takedown pin peened to prevent disassembly and has had its inner magazine tube replaced with a later style. The rifle shows honest wear given its age, but retains good markings and mechanics. As a documented 1 of 10 “Experimental” Winchester ‘73 shipped to Klein & Carr, this is a wonderful piece that would add to even an advanced Winchester collection.
RIFLE