Tell me about the 1873 rifle.

[waco]

Kind of day dreaming about a new lever gun in 45 Colt. Watched a couple YouTube vids on the Cimerron 1873. Beautiful looking rifle. I really don't know anything about the workings of an 1873. What can you tell me about them good, bad, or indifferent?
The ones I have seen had beautiful color case hardening, nice walnut and good fit and finish. With the crazy prices for lever guns right now these didn't seem too overpriced for how they look. Not real sure how strong they are.

 

[dannyd]

What do want to do with the rifle that's the question to ask.

I had a Long Hunter 1873 Deluxe pistol grip race gun for shooting SASS. 1700 dollars (2011) great gun for cowboy, but not much anything else.

When I stopped shooting SASS had three rifles 1873, Rossi 1892 and Henry Bigboy.

Traded the 1873 because the action is not that strong and I had no reason to shot fast anymore; use the Rossi for plinking and the Bigboy to test long range 357 and 38 special loaded out to 200 yards.

Youtube has some good videos on how the inside work and go together.

 

[waco]

What do want to do with the rifle that's the question to ask.

Plinking, target practice.

 

[RicinYakima]

Plinking, target practice.

It is just fine! The issue is that it locks by two links going over center and depends upon the strength on one pin. The 45 Colt has the most head thrust of all the little cartridges. However, it is a less than 15,000 psi action, so no Ruger loads. IMHO

 

[waco]

However, it is a less than 15,000 psi action, so no Ruger loads. IMHO

Good to know. Thank you Ric.

 

[waco]

I have a nice little Marlin 1894 in 44 Mag I bought back in the late 90's if I want to hot rod stuff.

 

[RicinYakima]

You can load it to very respectable levels with 4227 and 4198 and stay below 15,000.

 

[smokeywolf]

waco, the model '73's action was designed to handle black powder pistol cartridge loads. It does that very well. The 45 Colt cartridge was not one of the original chamberings because the original balloon head case had a minimal rim which would not allow for reliable extraction from a rifle chamber.
The '73 is known for its butter smooth action and ease of maintenance due to simple and straight forward engineering.

I have a model '73 that's a bit of a unicorn; a "deluxe" takedown in 22 short.

 

[Jeff H]

A 'plinking load" in 45 Colt is probably/could also be a decent personal defense load.

I've always thought the 92 was smaller and lighter (never handled a 73) and I would not hesitate to grab a 92 if I needed protection from bipedal vermin/varmints. I figure if a'73 is faster, and someone needs a real reason to own one, that should work.

Otherwise, if it's cool to you, you just like the look or the feel or the nostalgia, that works too.

The VAST majority of rounds I've EVER fired have been more in the vein of goofing off than anything, so that's a legitimate "use" too, I think.

 

[Ian]

I'd recommend a .38 Special, though it will be a little barrel heavy in a long rifle configuration. I don't own one because there is far too much drop in the stock for my Scandinavian/Scot/Cherokee cheekbones....like 2" too much drop. If I tuck the butt under my arm and prop the point of my chin on the comb I can see the front sight.

Also be advised that a .45 Colt rifle in the 1873 configuration kicks a lot more than you think it would.

 

[Rushcreek]

My late buddy Kiowa(CAS) referred to the Henry,66, and 73 as "Elbow Actions" from the way they work.
His Uberti 73 was a very fine rifle- smooth as silk and accurate.

 

[Snakeoil]

The are called toggle link or simple toggle actions. Think of a Luger with the to toggle hidden inside.

I had a saddlering carbine that was Uberti if I remember right. It was my first CAS rifle. Shot the bejezus out of it and it never let me down. Only thing that wore was the cam that locks the lever in position. It's a replaceable part.

I bought a Marlin 1894 Cowboy rifle when they came out. Put a perch belly stock on it from George Peterson of Treebone Carving and sanded the checkering off a replacement Marlin forend. That rifle was truly a CAS racegun. Although I always shot CAS for fun, not to win. After getting the Marlin the '73 just collected dust in the cabinet. I did shoot it a few times after getting the Marlin, but would short stroke it because the Marlin has a much shorter lever throw. I kept it in case we got a new shooter that needed a rifle. I was happy to loan. That's how I got it. It was a loaner at my first CAS shoot and I bought it at the next shoot. But I stopped shooting CAS and sold the carbine a couple years ago to make room for other guns I'd shoot. Doubt I'll ever sell the Marlin. Too much of me in the gun.

I do have an original '73 in .44-40. Octagon barrel rifle. I have a letter for it from Winchester. It was made in 1885. Another gun I'll probably die owning. I've never fired it.

 

[RicinYakima]

Also be advised that a .45 Colt rifle in the 1873 configuration kicks a lot more than you think it would.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

 

[462]

While not an 1873, my .38 Special Uberti/Cimarron 1866 has the same action, and it is so much smoother to cycle than my
.357 Mag. Rossi/EMF 1892 -- both have 24 1/4" octagon barrels. Also, the 1873 is much easier to disassemble and re-assemble than the 1892.

Having said that, the desire for something in .45 Colt hasn't waned a mite, and an 1873 (rifle, not carbine) shares the top of the list with a single action revolver.

Go for it and enjoy it.

 

[oscarflytyer]

I have a clone 1873 - Cimarron/Uberti - Deluxe Sporting Rifle. 24" Octagon bbl/pistol grip. Cyling is butter smooth. It is in 44 WCF. I LOVE IT! No recoil, hoot to shoot, never going to hot rod it (bad idea in a '73 anyway). Especially fun to shoot along with the Uberti SA revolver.

If you want a 45 Colt, I would say go with the '92 vs the '73. I also have a Browning '53 in 32 WCF and an original Winchester '92 in 44 WCF. (I would also love to have a '73 in 38 WCF!). I would rate the '73 the most fun to shoot, but they are all 3 a ton of fun.

 

[Walks]

I have a pair, in .44WCF. I got the 1st one when I started Cowboy Shooting in 1987, a 24" bbl'd rifle. The .45Colt wasn't an option, neither was the quasi-pistol grip they offer now. All Uberti's were made the same. The importer could skimp on the Colt SAA clones, but not the M1873.
I don't think the .45Colt became an option until about 1990, but don't quote Me on that. All My 1866/1873 clones are smooth as glass. They get that way after a year of 2,000+rds. Quit Cowboy Shooting in 2009, couldn't handle the changes.

Keep it clean, load it light for longevity. I broke Mine down every year for a very through cleaning.

About 20yrs ago Hodgdon put together a Cowboy Action load Pamphlet.
Has a great load for .45Colt, light loads for plinking.
Std Rem or Win 250/255gr loads are what the Guns were built for.
Should be available on their website.

Good Luck, they're a pleasure to shoot, Rifle or Carbine.

 

[L Ross]

Love 1873's originals and clones, in original calibers. Those cartridges were part of the smooth feeding because they taper. Not to be disagreeable to Smokeywolf, but the .44 w.c.f., the .38 w.c.f.,and .32 w.c.f. while indeed being loaded with BP, were rifle cartridges first and adopted to handguns later.

A case full of decent BP will push a 200 grain bullet to about 1,325 fps. You can duplicate that in smokeless at 73 safe pressures with a case full of H-4198 or Reloader 7. I'm down to a Rossi 92 carbine and a Uberti 73 24" bbl. in .44 w.c.f. rifles and a 7 1/2" SAA clone in the Gen. 1 configuration. The SAA with a full charge of Swiss 3fg is a surprising hand full, but pleasant in the rifle.

 

[hporter]

My Uberti 1873 44 w.c.f. rifle with a 24" barrel is a joy to shoot. I chose the 44 w.c.f. because I wanted to shoot BP in it most of the time, and thought the tapered case would keep the action cleaner. That, and I already had two Uberti 1873 Colts in that caliber.

I love the 45 Colt cartridge. But I had read a lot of "internet wisdom" (wink wink) about the 45 Colts not sealing the chamber well with BP. I have personal experience with sooty 45 Colt cases with low velocity Unique powder charges, so I went with the 44 w.c.f. If I planned to shoot only smokeless powder, I probably would have bought the 45 Colt because I usually have one with me when we go shooting. They are kind of like a pocket knife - can't leave the house without one.

I recently tried the case full of Reloader 7 in my 1873 rifle. My rifle shot very well with it.

Good luck - I hope you find a rifle that pleases you.

 

[smokeywolf]

Not to be disagreeable to Smokeywolf, but the .44 w.c.f., the .38 w.c.f.,and .32 w.c.f. while indeed being loaded with BP, were rifle cartridges first and adopted to handguns later.

Not a bit disagreeable, L Ross and you're absolutely right. Those early Winchester cartridges being outgrowths of the 44 rimfire that Ben Tyler Henry came up with to make the not so successful Volcanic into the very successful Henry.

 

[Ian]

I have that Hodgdon pamphlet if anyone needs info.

Not a bit disagreeable, L Ross and you're absolutely right. Those early Winchester cartridges being outgrowths of the 44 rimfire that Ben Tyler Henry came up with to make the not so successful Volcanic into the very successful Henry.

Interesting history back then. Rollin White patented the bored-through cylinder and offered rights to Sam Colt but Colt in a fit of egotistical, myopic idiocy, blew him off, so White sold it to Horace and Daniel who, unfortunately, didn't do much with it other than make rimfire derringers. Henry and Winchester did their thing together and then apart and eventually the 1866 Winchester was born. Being exempt from White's patent, cartridge leverguns became prolific after the Civil War. Many retrofits were made to the Colt percussion revolvers (Mason/Richards and others) to convert them to fire metallic cartridges. I think most of these conversions were licensed by White. The Colt 1872 Open Top revolver was a last effort to use up all the 1860 Army parts and make a true, metallic-cartridge revolver. This was after Sam Colt's death and I'm not sure about the patent agreement to produce them. Finally, in 1873, the U. S. Patent office refused to renew Rollin White's patent due to it being too good of an idea to restrict any further (or something like that) and Colt's 1873 Army revolver was born. The rest is history. The point being to explain a littie more about LRoss's point that the metallic cartridge's initial high point of development was indeed primarily during the period of 1866-1873 when RIFLES were the most common application.