Winchester 1873 44/40, model?

[Jan Buchwald]

Hello, new to this forum.
Couldn't help buying a well used Winchester 1873 in 44/40, in need for some care. In search for a carrier spring, an extractor and a new firing pin, I met the "question", first, second or third model, how do you know the difference. Number is hard to read, but might be 284215B, I am not sure of the number 4, then the number would be 28 215B.
It is a rifle with octan barrel and, what looks to me, a carbine but.
Have no pictures for now.
Second question: Where is the best place to go for parts, know Dixie Gunworks, and have looked at Homestead

[Trailrider]

You might try VTI parts for the Uberti replicas. A lot of those will work with some fitting.

[dusty texian]

Here is another one to try. www.winchesterbob.com .  Good Luck gettin that old one shootin........Dusty.

[Jan Buchwald]

Thanks, but winchesterbob states USA orders only

[The Pathfinder]

Jan, with the B suffix it is definately a third model. Here are some of the links I use to chase parts.

http://www.hmsgunparts.com/products.asp

http://homesteadfirearms.com/parts/shopcart/commerce.cgi?product=Winchester_1873&cart_id=1325971012.1380

http://www.gun-parts.com/winchesterrifle/

http://www.tapaderaswinchesters.com/partspricelist.pdf

http://www.winchesterbob.com/model73.htm

http://www.chasjonesgunparts.com/page/page/533742.htm

http://www.wisnersinc.com/rifles/winchester/1873-1886.html

http://www.classicfirearmsandparts.com/Search.php?Manufacturer=Winchester%201873&Type=Part

Also you can usually find parts on EBAY and at Dixie. Good luck with your search and getting it up and running.

[w44wcf]

Pathfinder,
Thank you for posting those links to Winchester gun parts. I was only aware of a couple of them.
Great resources.

w30wcf

[The Pathfinder]

John, had to learn where to look the hard way. Started with a second model project gun, a round 24" barrel in 44. had no sights or most of the internals, did have a good bolt and lever, wood intact (if dinged), so gathering parts became a must. Now I've added an oct barreled gun w/ set trigger in 44 to rebuild as well, all there but not in as good a shape overall as the first one. And I had collected so many parts I just added a frame, barrel, repro wood and mag tube and voila, now I've got a project of assembling my very own '73 from scratch. All three guns are late second models from around '80 to '82.

[Jan Buchwald]

On the inside of the left link the is a small tap, does this tap have a funktion in connection with the firing pin retractor, which i suspect being homemade.

[Driftwood Johnson]

Howdy

The configuration of the dust cover is the easiest way to determine what model a 1873 is. With the first model, the dustcover rode between two raised rails that were integral with the frame. The second model had a rib screwed to the center of the top of the frame and the dustcover straddled the rib. The third model was similar to the second model except the rib was integral with the frame, rather than being a separate part screwed on. Both the first and second models had a 'thumbprint' cut into the dust cover to push it forward. The thumbprint was actually a shallow, oval shaped recess cut into the dust cover with checkering on the surface. The third model had no thumbprint, instead there were serations at the rear of the dust cover that could be gripped to push it forward.

The replica 1873s made by Uberti follow the configuration of the third model.

This photo from The Winchester 1873 Handbook by George Stone shows the three different types of dust cover, top to bottom they are First Model, Second Model, and Third Model.

[Jan Buchwald]

Thank you, third model then, very helpfull when looking for parts

[Grenadier]

Hallo Jan,

Ich helfe Dir gerne falls Du etwas kaufen moechtest, da der Verkaeufer ja nicht ins Ausland versendet.

Paul

[Jan Buchwald]

Thank you, why answering in german, I do understand german, but prefer english

[Grenadier]

 

I assumed from your name that you were German.


Es tut mir leid

[Pettifogger]

On the inside of the left link the is a small tap, does this tap have a funktion in connection with the firing pin retractor, which i suspect being homemade.

Yes.  It is supposed to push on the firing pin retractor to retract the firing pin.

[Jan Buchwald]

Grenadier, your forgiven, nope I'm danish. And thank you for your offer.

The carrier spring seems to be a hard part to find