Winchester 1873 .357 Mag
Model: 534200137
Winchester 1873 .357 Mag
Model: 534200137
Full Specifications
About This Firearm
The Winchester 1873 earned the "Gun That Won the West" label from its role as the dominant lever-action repeater of the frontier era, and this current production version — made by Miroku in Japan — is a faithful reproduction of that design chambered for .357 Mag and .38 Special. At roughly $1,500 street price, it is the most expensive rifle in the .357 Mag lever group. What you are paying for is Miroku's fit and finish: the brushed polished blued steel, Grade I black walnut straight-grip stock with oil finish, and crescent metal buttplate are noticeably above Henry production quality. The toggle-link action is the original 1873 mechanism, not the stronger 1892 design — a distinction that matters for anyone researching +P ammunition compatibility.
The specs place it mid-field on weight at 116 oz (7.25 lbs) — substantially lighter than the Henry Big Boy's 138.88 oz but heavier than the Rossi R92's 90 oz. Both the 1873 and the Rossi R92 run 10-round tubes with 20-inch barrels, but the 1873 uses a half-cock safety while the Rossi uses a manual thumb safety — different design philosophies from different eras and lineages. The 1873's receiver has no optic rail and no mounting provision; this is an iron-sights rifle by design. The Marble Arms gold bead front sight and semi-buckhorn rear are period-appropriate and functional for 100-yard field use.
The original 1873 Winchester was made in New Haven, Connecticut. Today's reproduction has been made in Miroku's Kochi, Japan factory since 2013, where Browning and Winchester have sourced reproduction lever guns since the 1970s. Miroku's toggle-link action cycles smoothly out of the box, unlike the Rossi R92 which often requires a gunsmith action polish ($75-150) to match it. The 1873 is the right buy for someone who wants an authentic historical pattern over a modern interpretation, and is willing to pay the premium Miroku's craftsmanship commands.
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Strengths & Limitations
- Miroku's manufacturing quality is the main reason to choose this rifle over Henry or Rossi. Reviewers consistently describe the stock-to-metal fit, bluing uniformity, and action smoothness as a level above what domestic or Brazilian production delivers at this caliber.
- The toggle-link 1873 action is historically correct and is the action required for SASS-sanctioned cowboy action shooting. The Rossi R92 is based on the 1892 action — a different design — and only the Winchester 1873 uses the original toggle-link pattern.
- Accepts .38 Special without modification. The same cartridge, lower recoil, and substantially lower cost per round make high-volume practice practical even on a premium rifle.
- At roughly $1,500 street, it is considerably more expensive than the Rossi R92 or the Henry Big Boy — both of which shoot the same cartridges from the same barrel length with the same 10-round capacity. The premium buys Miroku craftsmanship and historical fidelity — if those don't matter, the price gap is hard to justify.
- No optic provision and no mounting rail. The half-cock safety is the original 1873 design, which some modern shooters find less intuitive than a transfer bar or manual thumb safety.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How reliable is the Winchester 1873 toggle-link action compared to more modern lever designs?
The 1873 toggle-link action is less mechanically strong than the 1892-pattern action used in the Rossi R92 and Marlin 1894, which is why standard .357 Mag loads are recommended over +P or heavy handloads. Within those pressure limits, the action is considered very reliable — the Miroku-built 1873 has a documented production history since the 1970s with consistent quality control. Parts that typically see the most wear (carrier, lever-link pins) are available through Winchester's parts network.
Is this rifle made in the USA?
No. The current production Winchester 1873 is manufactured by Miroku Co., Ltd. in Kochi, Japan and imported by Winchester (Olin Corporation). Miroku has produced lever-action reproductions for Winchester and Browning since the early 1970s. The Japanese manufacture is considered a feature by many buyers — Miroku's quality control is a primary reason the rifle commands its price premium over domestic alternatives.
Does the Winchester 1873 reproduction shoot the same ammunition as the original 1873?
The original 1873 was chambered in bottleneck cartridges like .44-40 WCF, .38-40 WCF, and .32-20 WCF. The current reproduction is chambered for .357 Mag and .38 Special — a rimmed straight-wall cartridge the original never fired. The receiver geometry follows the 1873 pattern, but the chambering is modern. Standard .357 Mag and .38 Special work correctly. Avoid +P loads — the toggle-link action is not rated for elevated pressures.
