The Model 1873 Short Rifle is the standard-grade version of Winchester's lever gun in .45 Colt. It wears a 20-inch blue barrel with a 1:26-inch twist, a tubular magazine that holds 10 rounds, Grade I oil-finished wood and plain iron sights, and it adds a tang-mounted manual safety that the originals never had. Overall length is 39 inches, and it weighs 7.25 pounds.

Where the competition carbine is tuned for speed, this one is the rifle for a Utah shooter who wants the 1873 look and feel for the range, a ranch truck or casual lever-action matches without paying for high-grade wood. The .45 Colt chambering lets you share ammunition with a single-action revolver, and the modern safety suits a household where the rifle may be handled by shooters used to one. Utah's general any-weapon deer hunt runs October 17 to 25 in 2026; whether a pistol cartridge is legal in your unit is a question for the current Big Game Field Regulations Guidebook.

Key features

• .45 Colt lever action, 10-round tube
• 20-inch blue barrel, 1:26-inch twist
• Grade I oil-finished wood stock and forend
• Tang manual safety
• 7.25 pounds, 39 inches overall

Your Utah FFL dealer takes delivery, runs the check and hands you the rifle; Utah adds no waiting period.