New purchase

[PJ Hardtack]

Bought the first engraved gun I ever owned today, a Uberti-made 44-40 '73 rifle factory engraved "One of a Thousand" !!!

The seller is the 2nd owner and he feels that the rifle has never been fired. Got it for less than I'd pay for a current Uberti/Taylor's '73 "CXommanche'' that would also have taxes plus S&H costs.

Deluxe checkered wood, straight grip stock, nickel plated receiver, engraving to hell and back .... In comparing the engraving I see in the Madis book, it's an authentic pattern.

Am I going to shoot it? Hell, yes! As a 71 year old cancer survivor, I'm comfortable with my mortality and know all my toys will belong to someone else some day.

I've got pics but don't know how to post them. I can send them to anyone who cares to.

[Grizzly Adams]

Congratulations!  Sounds like a beautiful 73!  Glad you going to shoot it. 

I always say, "Eat off of the good china, drink good bourbon , and shoot fine looking rifles!  In the end they just throw dirt in your face and sell your stuff at a yard sale...."

BTW, this post needs pics.

[Abilene]

Well, that sounds like one heck of a find!  Are you sure it is nickle plated?  I've seen some Uberti 1 of 1000 '73's that were in the white.

+1 on needing pics!   

[PJ Hardtack]

I'm told by the seller that the rifle has a nickel plated receiver. According to the Madis book, that was a common finish along with a blued barrel.
The Uberti 1 of 1000 has engraving on the lever, the hammer, the dust cover, the butt plate and the muzzle. The originals weren't so extensively covered.

Also in the Madis book on page 195, there are pics of both sides of the receiver - a puma on the right and an elk on the left. The scroll work is not the same, but definitely period correct.
I found these same engravings on two other examples on auction sites, indicating that it was often used. Perhaps the sole type of engraving used on these repros?

The pics I have aren't great, and I'll happily forward them to an email address sent privately.