New (to me) 1873 Carbine

Stopped by the local gun store on Saturday and noticed a trapdoor carbine on the consignment rack. I have a few trapdoors, so I could tell that it wasn't a cut-down rifle, and for the price, any actual carbine would be worth it.

The bore is basically toast, and it looks like the whole thing was varnished at some point over some rust (especially near the end of the barrel), obscuring details such as the rear sight markings. From a few feet away, it has a somewhat pleasing overall patina.

The only modification that I can see (aside from the varnish), is that the firing pin was ground down, and the spring lost--probably to make it "safe" when it was put up on somebody's wall.

I hadn't really paid much attention to the early variations, since they are out of my collecting scope ($$ and too many fakes or parts-rifles that I wouldn't be able to detect), but I may have ended up with something like a proverbial "Barn find," though.

From what I've seen searching the net, it appears to be a non-upgraded model 1873 made in early 1875 (S/N 39668).

The stock is a long-wrist, short-comb which doesn't appear to have been sanded, with the proof P and ESA visible through the varnish, and no holes beneath the butt plate.

Other features: rough hatching the hammer, high-arch breech block, three-click tumbler, no V P Eagle on the 22" barrel, stacking swivel on the band, and the early rear sight with what appears to be unmolested slotless screws.

Just thought I'd share it, a bit.

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