POTD: Winchester Model 1873 Smoothbore – Bill’s Secret Stage Weapon
Sam.S 05.19.25
Welcome to today’s Photo of the Day! This 1908 Winchester Model 1873 might look like a standard lever-action rifle at first glance, but it’s one of the rarest variants ever produced. What makes it extraordinary is its factory smoothbore barrel in .44 WCF caliber—a special configuration that represents just 0.2% of all Model 1873s ever manufactured. This particular example carries exceptional historical significance. Factory records confirm it was shipped on September 23, 1909, directly to “Buffalo Bill’s Wild West” in Shawnee, Oklahoma, charged to Cody, Bailey, and Lillie of New York. This places the rifle in the famous “Two Bills Show”—the legendary combined production of Buffalo Bill Cody and Pawnee Bill Lillie that captivated audiences nationwide.
The smoothbore wasn’t a manufacturing mistake but a deliberate design for exhibition shooting. These “trick guns” were used by sharpshooters to break glass or resin balls thrown in the air. The smoothbore helped pattern the shot, but audiences believed the performers were hitting targets with standard rifle ammunition—making their feats seem even more impressive. The rifle features the third model receiver with integral dust cover guide and serrated dust cover, Winchester factory oval proofs, and “sporting sights” with a German silver blade front and buckhorn rear. The tang is drilled for a peep sight, indicating its purpose as a precision shooting tool. This firearm represents the twilight era of Buffalo Bill’s legendary show, which continued until 1913 and featured iconic Western figures like Annie Oakley, Sitting Bull, and Calamity Jane. More than just a weapon, it’s a tangible connection to the theatrical performances that shaped America’s enduring image of the Wild West.
“Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Shipped Winchester Model 1873 Rifle.” Rock Island Auction Company, https://www.rockislandauction.com/detail/4094/3022/buffalo-bills-wild-west-shipped-winchester-model-1873-rifle. Accessed 12 May 2025.
