Uberti USA 1873 Hunter Series: Big-Bore Pistol-Cartridge Power

These rifles are based off the long-established Winchester 1873 lever-action rifle. This toggle-link action was itself an evolution of the earlier Henry lever-actions, but using a steel frame instead of a bronze/brass material. This allowed Winchester to use more powerful cartridges, and the 1873 was an instant success. Decades later, even the introduction of the timeless Model 1892 design did not end the 1873’s production, which initially ran out in 1923—a full five-decade run.

Now, more than 100 years later, the design has been in production by various manufacturers such as Uberti for a very long time. While many shooters would prefer the 1892, others like the 1873 because they think it’s smoother—a benefit in high-speed cowboy action shooting—and they also appreciate its associations with the Wild West.

Where the 1873 Hunter Rifles differ from their precursors is found just forward of the receiver. Uberti designers took advantage of their half-octagon barrel profile to install a conventional Picatinny rail. With this factory mounting solution, shooters can install a scout-style, long-eye-relief magnified scope or a conventional red dot optic for hunting applications.

That’s a much more practical solution than the older off-center side-mount scopes that some people jammed onto Winchester lever-actions, and the added eye relief should help shooters take advantage of the rifles’ quick handling capabilities. If you prefer traditional buckhorn sights, those are actually what the rifle ships with. Uberti’s website says “for hunters preferring optical sights, the 1873 Hunter Rifle comes with a Picatinny rail included in the box. This can be easily mounted by tapping out the buckhorn sight and screwing it on the tapped octagonal part of the barrel (all hardware included).”