GunSerialsWinchester Model 1873 (Model 73) serial numbers by year
Known as “The Gun That Won the West,” this lever-action rifle helped make Winchester famous. It was offered in several forms, including shorter carbines and long military-style muskets, for nearly fifty years.
- Produced:
- 1873–1919 (production); last guns assembled and sold by 1924
- Action:
- lever-action
New to gun terms? Start here
- Model:
- The name of the gun design, such as Model 94. A model name that looks like a year does not tell you when your gun was made.
- Serial number:
- The number stamped on an individual gun. Include letters that are part of the number. A separate letter stamped above it, like the Model 97's C, D or E, is a different marking.
- Receiver:
- The main metal body just behind the barrel. The receiver ring is its front section, where the barrel joins it.
- Tang:
- A strip of metal extending from the receiver into the stock. The lower tang runs underneath, behind the trigger.
- Stock:
- The part you hold against your shoulder, usually made of wood on older Winchesters.
- Forearm or forend:
- The part under the barrel where your forward hand holds the gun.
- Action:
- The mechanism that loads and removes cartridges. Names such as lever action, pump action, and bolt action describe how it works.
- Caliber or gauge:
- The ammunition size or type a gun is designed to use. This marking is different from the model and serial number.
- Takedown:
- A version designed to separate into major sections for storage. A takedown joint is where those sections meet.
- Proof mark:
- A factory testing mark, such as Winchester's oval WP stamp. It is not a serial number or a date code.
- Peep or aperture sight:
- A rear sight with a small hole to look through. A hooded front sight has a cover around it.
What year was your Model 73 made?
Need help finding the serial number?
Look up a serial number and print a one-page record sheet: the date and its sources, the status by age, the model in brief, and the auction price range.
Does the barrel say Made in Japan, or does the serial number have letters in the middle? Then it is a modern reissue with its own numbers. How to tell an original from a reissue.
Winchester Model 73 value: what it sells for at auction
Enter your serial number above to highlight the price categories that fit the estimated date and see recent sales of this model in those categories.
These prices come from 627 Winchester Model 1873s sold individually at Rock Island Auction Company (350), Morphy Auctions (60), Poulin Auctions (137), Redding Auction Services (47), and Amoskeag Auction Company (33) between Sep 2023 and Sep 2026. The age-group rows use the auction companies' categories: antique, curio and relic, or modern.
The typical price is the middle price, also called the median. Half sold for more and half for less. The middle 50% range leaves out the lowest quarter and highest quarter of prices. The wider 80% range leaves out the lowest tenth and highest tenth.
We leave out listings described as deluxe, special-order, engraved, restored, or commemorative, and other exceptions in the value guide. Commemoratives are priced on their own page. Wear, repairs, original parts, and factory upgrades can make a particular gun worth more or less. These figures are a comparison, not an appraisal of your gun.
| Category | Sales | Middle 50% of prices | Typical price | Middle 80% of prices |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Antiquemade before 1899 | 548 | $1,650 – $3,819 | $2,337 | $1,348 – $6,462 |
| Curio & Reliccollector category, usually 50+ years old | 79 | $1,645 – $5,320 | $2,938 | $1,292 – $10,575 |
Antique: Rock Island Auction Company typical $2,350 (299 sales); Morphy Auctions typical $2,040 (54 sales); Poulin Auctions typical $2,722 (122 sales); Redding Auction Services typical $1,475 (44 sales); Amoskeag Auction Company typical $1,815 (29 sales).
Prices by version
Sales whose listing names a version, grouped by that version, such as rifle or carbine (a shorter rifle). These rows combine all ages.
| Version | Sales | Middle 50% of prices | Typical price | Middle 80% of prices |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rifle | 491 | $1,566 – $3,355 | $2,115 | $1,292 – $5,748 |
| Carbine | 92 | $2,350 – $6,100 | $3,660 | $1,762 – $16,450 |
| Musket | 44 | $2,294 – $5,769 | $3,280 | $2,128 – $7,444 |
Prices by caliber
The cartridge or gauge can change what a Model 1873 sells for. These rows use the 410 sales whose listing names one, with old and new names for the same cartridge counted together (the .30 WCF is the .30-30). They combine all ages.
| Caliber | Sales | Middle 50% of prices | Typical price | Middle 80% of prices |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| .44-40 | 176 | $2,086 – $5,875 | $3,231 | $1,544 – $11,456 |
| .38-40 | 90 | $1,528 – $2,644 | $1,762 | $1,410 – $5,082 |
| .32-20 | 85 | $1,410 – $1,998 | $1,645 | $1,175 – $3,231 |
Recent Model 1873 auction sales
A sample from each age group: sales near its typical price and the newest. Look up a serial number above to see only your gun's group. A lot number identifies an item in an auction.
| Sold | Gun | Auction company | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 2026 | Antique · Model 1873 · Carbine · 44-40 Win | Redding lot 190 | $2,350 |
| Aug 2026 | Antique · Model 1873 · Musket | Poulin lot 4048 | $2,318 |
| Aug 2026 | Antique · Model 1873 · Rifle | Amoskeag lot 260 | $1,331 |
| Aug 2026 | Curio & Relic · Model 1873 · Rifle | Poulin lot 4040 | $3,050 |
| Jul 2026 | Curio & Relic · Model 1873 · Rifle · 38-40 Win | Redding lot 188R | $2,300 |
| Aug 2026 | Curio & Relic · Model 1873 · Musket · 44-40 WCF | Rock Island lot 3021 | $4,700 |
Prices are in US dollars and include the buyer’s premium, the auction company’s fee added to the winning bid, where the house charges one; Redding charges none. They are not the amount the seller receives. A dealer’s offer or private sale price may differ. The full picture, model by model →
Where the serial number is
On the lower tang, the metal strip underneath and behind the trigger, on original-production rifles.
Why the sources give different years
The dates for the Winchester Model 1873 come from factory record books held at the Cody Firearms Museum, George Madis's reference books, and Winchester's customer-service list. These sources can give different years for the same serial number. Original records usually provide stronger evidence than later estimates. Check the notes to see whether a source dates numbering, assembly, or another step.
Madis vs. factory dates shows examples from models whose tables disagree on this site.
Sources for this model: Madis/legacy year-end table · CFM/Polishing Room antique cutoff · WACA polishing-room research antique cutoff · Winchester customer-service list (2012)
How long from numbering to shipping? Half the Model 1873 guns in our sample shipped within 68 days →
How accurate are these tables?
We compared numbering dates from published factory letters with the table years. Each table is checked only against serials it covers, so the sample sizes differ. Here is how often each table matched the year in those records:
- George Madis's published tables and Winchester's own customer-service list (2012) (they print the same year-end figures): 45 of 58 recorded years match the table year (54 match or differ by no more than one year).
These checks describe the letters in our sample, not every gun made. Exceptions to number order and gaps or errors in records can affect individual dates.
Winchester Model 1873 serial numbers by year
The full Model 1873 serial number chart, one table for each source available here. Each row gives the numbers that source assigns to a year. Both the first and last numbers are included.
A row marked “sources differ” is a serial range that another table on this page dates to a different year. A row marked “approximate” is a figure we trust less than the rest of its table: a boundary the sources put a few serials apart, or a figure a later record corrects.
George Madis's published tables
George Madis compiled Winchester reference books years after production. His tables estimate the last serial number reached each year.
Cited as: Madis/legacy year-end table
| Year | Serial numbers |
|---|---|
| 1873 | 1 – 126 |
| 1874 | 127 – 2,726 |
| 1875 | 2,727 – 11,325 |
| 1876 | 11,326 – 23,151 |
| 1877 | 23,152 – 23,628 |
| 1878 | 23,629 – 27,501 |
| 1879 | 27,502 – 41,525 |
| 1880 | 41,526 – 63,537 |
| 1881 | 63,538 – 81,620 |
| 1882 | 81,621 – 109,507 |
| 1883 | 109,508 – 145,503 |
| 1884 | 145,504 – 175,126 |
| 1885 | 175,127 – 196,221 |
| 1886 | 196,222 – 222,937 |
| 1887 | 222,938 – 225,922 |
| 1888 | 225,923 – 284,529 |
| 1889 | 284,530 – 323,956 |
| 1890 | 323,957 – 363,220 |
| 1891 | 363,221 – 405,026 |
| 1892 | 405,027 – 441,625 |
| 1893 | 441,626 – 466,641 |
| 1894 | 466,642 – 481,826 |
| 1895 | 481,827 – 499,308 |
| 1896 | 499,309 – 507,545 |
| 1897 | 507,546 – 513,421 |
| 1898approximate | 513,422 – 525,922 |
| 1899approximate | 525,923 – 541,328 |
| 1900 | 541,329 – 554,128 |
| 1901 | 554,129 – 557,236 |
| 1902 | 557,237 – 564,557 |
| 1903 | 564,558 – 573,957 |
| 1904 | 573,958 – 588,953 |
| 1905 | 588,954 – 602,557 |
| 1906 | 602,558 – 613,780 |
| 1907–1909 | 613,781 – 630,385 |
| 1910 | 630,386 – 656,101 |
| 1911 | 656,102 – 669,324 |
| 1912 | 669,325 – 678,527 |
| 1913 | 678,528 – 684,419 |
| 1914 | 684,420 – 686,510 |
| 1915 | 686,511 – 688,431 |
| 1916 | 688,432 – 694,020 |
| 1917 | 694,021 – 698,617 |
| 1918 | 698,618 – 700,734 |
| 1919 | 700,735 – 702,042 |
| 1919–1923 | 702,043 – 720,610 |
- 1887: The older published table prints 225,922 for 1887, even though that is a jump of only 2,985 from the year before. The figure is shown here as published, not quietly corrected to 255,922.
- 1898: Published figures for the last serial disagree. The factory records at the Cody Firearms Museum give 525,750, George Madis's tables give 525,922, and research into the Cody records by the Winchester collectors' association gives 526,158. If your serial is 525,751 to 526,158, confirm antique status with a factory letter from the Cody Records Office before you rely on it.
- 1899: Where this row starts depends on the disputed 1898 cutoff. The factory records at the Cody Firearms Museum give 525,750, George Madis's tables give 525,922, and research into the Cody records by the Winchester collectors' association gives 526,158. If your serial is 525,751 to 526,158, confirm antique status with a factory letter from the Cody Records Office before you rely on it.
- 1907–1909: No last serial is published for 1907 or 1908. This row covers 1907 to 1909, and the published figures cannot narrow it any further.
- 1919: The year-by-year table ends at 702,042 in 1919.
- 1919–1923: The published year-by-year table stops at 702,042 in 1919. Numbers above that run up to 720,610, the last serial supported by the factory records at the Cody Firearms Museum. Production largely ended in 1919. The receivers that were left over were assembled and shipped into the early 1920s, and no year-by-year breakdown was published for them.
Factory records (Cody Firearms Museum)
Drawn from Winchester's original factory records. Numbering records date when serial numbers were stamped. The gun could be finished or shipped later; see this model's notes.
Cited as: CFM/Polishing Room antique cutoff
| Year | Serial numbers |
|---|---|
| 1873–1898approximate | through 525,750 |
- 1873–1898: Published figures for the last serial disagree. The factory records at the Cody Firearms Museum give 525,750, George Madis's tables give 525,922, and research into the Cody records by the Winchester collectors' association gives 526,158. If your serial is 525,751 to 526,158, confirm antique status with a factory letter from the Cody Records Office before you rely on it.
Winchester collectors' association research
Figures published by the Winchester Arms Collectors Association from the surviving factory records and its own surveys of real guns.
Cited as: WACA polishing-room research antique cutoff
| Year | Serial numbers |
|---|---|
| 1873–1898sources differ | through 526,158 |
- 1873–1898: Published figures for the last serial disagree. The factory records at the Cody Firearms Museum give 525,750, George Madis's tables give 525,922, and research into the Cody records by the Winchester collectors' association gives 526,158. There are three published figures and no original record that settles the question. If your serial is 525,751 to 526,158, confirm antique status with a factory letter from the Cody Records Office before you rely on it.
Winchester's own customer-service list (2012)
A list Winchester prepared to answer owners' questions. It combines records and estimates, as the list itself explains.
Cited as: Winchester customer-service list (2012)
| Year | Serial numbers |
|---|---|
| 1873 | 1 – 126 |
| 1874 | 127 – 2,726 |
| 1875 | 2,727 – 11,325 |
| 1876 | 11,326 – 23,151 |
| 1877 | 23,152 – 23,628 |
| 1878 | 23,629 – 27,501 |
| 1879 | 27,502 – 41,525 |
| 1880 | 41,526 – 63,537 |
| 1881 | 63,538 – 81,620 |
| 1882 | 81,621 – 109,507 |
| 1883 | 109,508 – 145,503 |
| 1884 | 145,504 – 175,126 |
| 1885 | 175,127 – 196,221 |
| 1886 | 196,222 – 222,937 |
| 1887 | 222,938 – 225,922 |
| 1888 | 225,923 – 284,529 |
| 1889 | 284,530 – 323,956 |
| 1890 | 323,957 – 363,220 |
| 1891 | 363,221 – 405,026 |
| 1892 | 405,027 – 441,625 |
| 1893 | 441,626 – 466,641 |
| 1894 | 466,642 – 481,826 |
| 1895 | 481,827 – 499,308 |
| 1896 | 499,309 – 507,545 |
| 1897 | 507,546 – 513,421 |
| 1898 | 513,422 – 525,922 |
| 1899 | 525,923 – 541,328 |
| 1900 | 541,329 – 554,128 |
| 1901 | 554,129 – 557,236 |
| 1902 | 557,237 – 564,557 |
| 1903 | 564,558 – 573,957 |
| 1904 | 573,958 – 588,953 |
| 1905 | 588,954 – 602,557 |
| 1906 | 602,558 – 613,780 |
| 1909 | 613,781 – 630,385 |
| 1910 | 630,386 – 656,101 |
| 1911 | 656,102 – 669,324 |
| 1912 | 669,325 – 678,527 |
| 1913 | 678,528 – 684,419 |
| 1914 | 684,420 – 686,510 |
| 1915 | 686,511 – 688,431 |
| 1916 | 688,432 – 694,020 |
| 1917 | 694,021 – 698,617 |
| 1918 | 698,618 – 700,734 |
| 1919 | 700,735 – 702,042 |
| 1919–1923 | 702,043 – 720,610 |
- 1919–1923: The published year-by-year table stops at 702,042 in 1919. Numbers above that run up to 720,610, the last serial supported by the factory records at the Cody Firearms Museum. Production largely ended in 1919. The receivers that were left over were assembled and shipped into the early 1920s, and no year-by-year breakdown was published for them.
What to know about Model 1873 serial numbers
- George Madis's tables contain known errors. For an exact date, use the factory records at the Cody Firearms Museum or the Winchester collectors' association instead of Madis's tables.
- Manufacture largely ended by 1919. The guns that were left were assembled or shipped into the early 1920s. Do not read the year a gun shipped as the year its serial number was stamped.
- Some Model 1873 numbers are followed by an A or a B. That letter is not part of the serial number when you search the factory records at the Cody Firearms Museum.
- Sources disagree about the last serial number of 1898. George Madis's tables give 525,922. The factory records at the Cody Firearms Museum give 525,750. Research into those records by the Winchester collectors' association gives 526,158. Every published reading agrees that 525,750 and below were made before 1899, so those numbers clear the pre-1899 antique cutoff. Numbers from 525,751 to 526,158 are disputed. For one of those, get a factory letter from Cody before you call the gun an antique.
- George Madis's tables give a range of 1 to 720,609 and a total of 720,609 rifles. Both figures are disputed. The factory records at the Cody Firearms Museum support 720,610 as the last serial number and as the total.
- Modern reproductions are not antiques.
- Winchester's own customer-service list is a retyped compilation, not the original records. The list itself says that no complete original serial record from 1866 onward is known to exist, and that some of its figures are estimates.
Winchester rifles usually made without serial numbers
These models usually have no serial number. Their pages explain the exceptions and how their features may help estimate age.
Need more detail? Check for factory records
The Cody Firearms Records Office can check for surviving records for your serial number. For a fee, it can issue a letter reporting what they say. Some records contain only dates; others also describe the gun’s original features.
The office’s May 2024 coverage sheet lists these Model 1873 serial numbers: 1–720,610. Check current availability with the office before ordering; a listed range does not guarantee a record for every number.
Order a factory letter from the Cody Firearms Museum →What a factory letter shows, and when one is worth ordering →
What special-order features the Model 1873 records describe →