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Winchester mod 1878 info wanted UPDATE

tccox
Buddy has one and asked about its history. Cal is 38 WCF. SSn is 315038B. It seems to be all there and I would not hesitate to shoot it with period ammo.

OK: I can't post pictures but it is as good as any Winchesters posted here. There is no original blue and screw heads are not all buggered up. I would say it is in average condkition for its age.

Would it be to his advantage to have it lettered?

Anyway, he will be at the gunshow in Oxford MS tomorrow AM. Hope to see yall there, Tom

UPDATE
Luckily, There were people at the gun show who had better eyes than I do. He had a bunch of lookers and even had some dealers interested but they would'nt come up with serious money. He sold it on the floor for a cool thousand. Apparently there are a lot of people who know a lot about old Winchesters. Tom
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Comments

5 comments

Date Votes
  • rufe-snow
    Model 1878, he's sitting on a Gold Mine. Only one ever made. Tell him not to let anybody, steal it.
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  • tccox
    Rufe, when I say mod 78, that is what is on the handle. It does say mod 1878, does that sound right? I know nothing about these guns and don't really care!!!

    If I can read correctly it has Pat dates of 1866 and 1869. Is that of any significance?? Tom
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  • Spider7115
    quote:Originally posted by tccox
    Rufe, when I say mod 78, that is what is on the handle. It does say mod 1878, does that sound right? I know nothing about these guns and don't really care!!!

    If I can read correctly it has Pat dates of 1866 and 1869. Is that of any significance?? Tom

    Tom, I believe Rufe is trying to tell you that it has to be a Model 1873, not 1878.
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  • Bert H.
    quote:Originally posted by tccox
    Rufe, when I say mod 78, that is what is on the handle. It does say mod 1878, does that sound right? I know nothing about these guns and don't really care!!!

    If I can read correctly it has Pat dates of 1866 and 1869. Is that of any significance?? Tom


    The upper tang is marked Model "1873" vice 1878, and the patent dates on the barrel are 1866 and 1860. If you can not clearly read the dates, you either need new glasses, or the barrel is in poor or dirty condition.

    The Model 1873 designation stamp on the upper tang was sometimes deeply struck, and the "3" will look like an "8" to the casual observer.
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  • Spider7115
    Sometimes "if you snooze you lose". A few years ago, I was at a show in Norfolk, Va. There was a dirty old 1873 Winchester for $1,000 and everyone walked past it. I looked at it closer and could see some etching beneath the grime so I offered $800 cash and the seller accepted.

    Thanks to Bert's help, it turned out to be factory engraved and I sold it for over $2,000 on Gunbroker.

    Ya just never know.
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