Anyone know what rifle Buffalo Bill is holding in this photo? Looks to be a Lever Action. Photo was taken in 1880. I realize that the chances of it being a S&W are slim, but I really do not know much about the old rifles.

Definitely not a S&W - they didn't make lever actions. I'd say it's a Winchester 1873, but it could possibly be an 1866. As a showman he may well have a customized rifle that was a little different than what could have been bought off the shelf at that time. But it's for sure a lever action.

It's an 1873 Winchester.

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Gunsmithing since 1961

It has to be a winchester. I dont think the henry's had wood forearms at that point

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Dyin ain't much of a livin

I vote a 73. Front part of the action does not look long enough to be an 1876.

Ya hafta wonder what ol Sittin' Bull was thinkin' when that picture was taken'.

Wagh! Me glad me injun and don't have to wear stupid whiteman moccasins!!

That is definitely a Winchester, either an 1873 or maybe a 1876. Oddly enough, it looks good in a photo but that was not Cody's favorite gun. Cody had an 1863 Springfield that he had converted to fire .50-70 (2nd Allin Conversion). Cody called the gun "Lucretia Borgia" after a beautiful and murderous woman in a Victor Hugo play. Lucretia Borgia was the gun that earned Cody the name Buffalo Bill. What is left of Lucretia Borgia is on display at the Buffalo Bill Historical center. THe stock was broken on the butt. If I can, I will dig out the photo of Cody with Lucretia Borgia.

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Vaya con Dios

A close up of this Winchester for you Winchester guys to determine if it is an 1873 or what. Not so very good blow up from the original picture.

Howdy

If you know what you are looking for you can see the rectangular bottom of the cartridge elevator in the photo. That makes it definitely a toggle link Winchester. Clearly not a Henry, they never had wooden forearms, except for a very few prototypes. Difficult to determine from the photo if the frame is brass or iron, but it looks most likely to be iron to me, so that rules out a '66. Most likely either a '73 or a '76. Difficult to tell the scale from the photo. The '76 was considerably larger because it was chambered for larger cartridges. But the proportions look right for a '73 to me.

That's a '73 Winchester. There are those on this Forum who will tell you I gave that Winchester to Cody. They are incorrect - It was a loan for the photo op and he gave it back and it's in my gun room right now. So there! Ed.

Does anyone know if replicas are made of the 1873 Winchester or the "Lucretia Borgia"? I've got some family ties to William Cody that I'm trying to track down. The guns are just the fun side of that .

Not sure what to make of this?

mechengr, That's tongue-in-cheek humor for Dan Meigs benefit! If you watch this Forum lomg enough you will recognize Dan. He's the Moderator with the Golden Horse shoe hidden you know where! Ed.

mechengr:

Navy Arms and Uberti offer several variations of the Model 73 and I believe there may be others.

Don't know about the Lucretia Borgia.

Ned

I actually know one person with a .50-70 Trapdoor, its original and the guy still shoots the darn thing. The amazing part is he is over 80 years old. He is a former judge in these parts and during deer season he goes out and sits down in one place and waits for a whitetail to pass by. I know four or five years ago he plastered one. He has alot of old guns, but that big .50-70 is his favorite. You might be able to find one used, there are still some making the blackpowder cartridge circuits from here to there. We used to have a gun shop that specialized in nothing but old guns, but he is closed up now only by appointment for his stuff do to the economy. I know I need to give him a call about a .43 Spanish Rolling Block that has been on his shelf for a while because I want to get into that sport too and I can't afford the big .45-70 Sharps replicas.

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Vaya con Dios

[QUOTE=David LaPell;135812906]I actually know one person with a .50-70 Trapdoor

Hi, my first post here. I have a .50-70 trapdoor of the type ascribed to Buffalo Bill. It's a Model 1870 and was made between 1871 and 1872. I believe that Geronimo had a cut-down version of the same. Mine was given to me by an old gent when I was a kid. I played cowboys and Indians with it and fortunately didn't mar it too much. Still has the bayonet and ram rod. I now shoot it with my reloads once a year for fun. There were only between 10K and 11K made, and there used to be an online site selling them

I go along with the 73. On closer inspection looks to have the Octagonal barrel. Think I can see Eds prints on it too!!! So there maybe truth in what he says LOL

I own a Uberti 1873 in 44WCF and its the most accurate levergun I have ever owned. Call it a copy or whatever, but its a superb rifle on its own merrits.

"I hope the check don't bounce...."


mark

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Liberals made the USA

David, isn't Lucretia the one he used to kill Yellow Hand in the duel from charging horseback?

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Jim
S&WCA #819

As part of the Army's "Final Solution" to the Indian problem, in the 1870s it gave away many of the obsolete .50-70 trapdoors and ammunition for them to encourage buffalo market hunting, thereby depriving the Indians of their main source of sustenance.

Others here have correctly identified it as an 1873 Winchester with an octagonal barrel. The most visible difference between and 1873 and the 1876 is the rear of the action. In the 1873 it extends past the trigger-guard and into the lever area. In the 1876 it barely extends into the trigger-guard area. And of course the 1876 is just larger as well.

There are many marketers of the replica 1873 Winchesters, all of which are made by Uberti, and two other companies of whose names escape me. The Ubertis have the widest distribution and the most reliable reputation.

You can go here to see the differences in the Uberti reproduction 1873 and 1876 rifles: Cimarron Firearms - Old West Guns and Cowboy Action Shooting Firearms

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Have guns...will shoot'em.