Winchester 1873 Competition Carbine High Grade .45 Colt 20″ Walnut

Description

The Model 1873 earned its reputation more than a century ago, and this Competition Carbine High Grade version takes that legendary platform and sets it up for the cowboy action game right out of the box. The big story here is the action work. Winchester tuned this one with a shorter, smoother lever stroke, so you can run the gun hard against the clock without the lever throw slowing you down. Most folks spend good money sending a stock '73 off for that kind of work. Here it comes done from the factory.

Why the 1873 Competition Carbine Earns Its Keep at a Match

Chambered in .45 Colt, it pairs up naturally with the single action revolvers most cowboy action competitors already run, which keeps your ammo situation simple. The full-length magazine tube under the 20 inch round barrel holds 10 rounds, and the steel loading gate feeds smoothly when you are topping off between stages. Sights are a classic gold bead up front with a buckhorn rear, and the top tang comes drilled and tapped if you want to add a peep sight for a cleaner sight picture down the road.

High Grade Looks on a Working Winchester

This is not a dressed-down match gun. The Grade III/IV walnut wears a satin oil finish with the kind of figure you usually only see in a display case, and the color case hardening runs across the receiver, side plates, lever, barrel band, and the carbine-style strap buttplate. Add the saddle ring and barrel band and you have a rifle that looks like it rode straight out of the 1870s, right down to the polished blued barrel.

A Real Winchester Model 1873, Not a Copy

Plenty of reproductions borrow the '73 name, but this is the genuine article from Winchester Repeating Arms. At 39 inches overall and around 7.25 pounds, it swings quick, points naturally, and balances the way a carbine should. Whether you are chasing faster stage times or just want a '73 that turns heads at the range, this one covers both bases without apology.