Taylors & Company 1873 Lever Action Rifle .45 Colt 20″ Octagon Barrel

Description

Few rifles carry the weight of history like the Model 1873, the lever gun that earned its reputation across the American frontier. Taylors & Company teamed up with Uberti to recreate it the right way, with a smooth toggle-link action, a 20 inch octagon barrel, and a checkered walnut pistol grip stock that feels like it came straight out of the 19th century. What sets this Sporting model apart is the white heat-treated steel frame and barrel, a bright silver-toned finish that stands out in a rack full of blued rifles and gives it a look you will not see on most reproductions.

Why the Taylors 1873 Still Earns Its Keep

Chambered in .45 Long Colt with a 10+1 capacity, this rifle pairs naturally with a single action revolver in the same caliber, which is exactly why it is such a common sight at cowboy action matches. The 1873 action was designed around pistol-caliber cartridges from the start, so cycling is short, quick, and smooth, and the soft-shooting .45 Colt makes long practice sessions easy on the shoulder. The blade front and buckhorn rear sights keep the sighting picture traditional and simple, well suited to steel targets and plinking at typical revolver-cartridge distances.

Handling and Build of the 1873 Sporting Rifle

At 7.59 pounds with a 38.87 inch overall length, the octagon barrel puts pleasant weight out front that steadies your hold and soaks up what little recoil the cartridge produces. The checkered pistol grip stock gives your firing hand a more relaxed wrist angle than a straight stock, a feature borrowed from the original Special Sporting rifles of the period. Fit and finish are where Uberti earns its reputation, with clean wood-to-metal fit and crisp machining throughout.

Whether you are building a matched cowboy rig, adding a classic to the safe, or just want a lever gun with genuine character, this 1873 delivers the goods without cutting period-correct corners.