Back some years ago a well know customer brings a rifle case into my shop
He says “ if you can guess what’s in it then you can have it”
As sure as I’m sitting here I almost said a ‘73 Winchester but said that’s impossible to know
He opens the case and surenuff it’s a original ‘73 Winchester chambered in 44-40
He wanted it cleaned up but not changed
This barrelhad been cut down to carbine length with a saw and a file used to cut the dovetail for the front sight to back in
It had some initials with the year 1855 on the stock and it had two emblems carved into it too
The forestock was dented heavily on the left side
I worked to reveal a 4 digit SN that read 1007 which meant it was produced in late January or early February 1874
The man contacted Cody firearms museum and immediately they wanted to buy the rifle but of course he wouldn’t sell
They confirmed all my findings on the rifle and was sending someone down to look at the rifle
Here’s what I found
The initials were the original owner and the year 1855 is when he was born
The two emblems were the ranch brands he worked for
The dented forestock meant he was a left hand shooter and rode regularly with it across his legs bumping into the saddle horn
The barrel was cut down to make it easier and quicker to get out of the scabbard
What beats all is the owner bought a big tote of junk at an estate sale and the rifle was in the bottom of the tote
I was late for a dinner date with the wife because of this rifle and my enthusiasm about cleaning it and the history it had seen
It was almost mine !!!

would have loved to see that one

I was at the Cody Museum last summer and left with my head spinning. All those guns were amazing.

my word ...

You ought to see what they keep down in the basement out of view from the public. Artifacts that would not go over well in polite society from what my stepfather told me. He was at Bill Ruger's 75th birthday party in '91 and said you wouldn't believe some of the Plains Indian artifacts--collected by Army soldiers.