132-Year-Old Winchester Rifle Found in Great Basin National Park

by
posted on January 15, 2015
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **

Photos courtesy of U.S. National Forest Service

Now here's a Throwback Thursday for you: Word came out yesterday that, back in November, a team of archaeologists conducting surveys in Nevada's Great Basin National Park discovered a 132-year-old Winchester rifle—apparently resting peacefully against the very tree that it had been left propped up against over a century ago. The rifle in question has been identified as a Model 1873, known to many as "The Gun that Won the West."

Reports indicate that the scientists made the discovery by sheer coincidence—spotting it by chance while passing by the tree that was nestled in. Years of exposure left the rifle looking an awful lot like the weathered tree trunk it was leaning on, providing natural camouflage. The rifle was chambered in .44-40, and was unloaded. Precisely how long the battered old lever-action spent against the tree remains anyone's guess—but the staff at the National Park was, at the least, able to date when it had been manufactured through its serial number. A call to the Cody West Firearms Museum revealed that the rifle had been manufactured and shipped in 1882. Whether it was abandoned that same year or at a far later date is impossible to know.

The Park intends to preserve the rifle in its current condition, and will make it available for viewing. In all likelihood, its story will remain a mystery.

Hit the video below for more photos of the discovery.

Latest

W H2026 09 Knowhow 6.8Set9.25.4
W H2026 09 Knowhow 6.8Set9.25.4

Things I’ve Learned About Public-Land Elk

Every generation has a story starting with, “I remember the good old days.” Elk hunters have a similar dialogue and although elk numbers are at some of their highest in modern history, public-land hunting still represents a sea of challenges. With decades of elk hunting in my rearview and an ongoing education, a few lessons I’ve learned from elk hunting may aid you in your public-land elk pursuits.

Colorado Ballot Battle Heats Up

The required number of valid signatures to put a “Right to Hunt and Fish Amendment” on Colorado’s Nov. 3 ballot was reached on Sept. 4. If approved by voters—according to Ballotpedia’s summary—it would add the “…right to hunt, fish, and take fish and wildlife through traditional methods” to the state constitution.

#SundayGunday: CZ 600+ ST3 American

On this week's #SundayGunday, we are taking a look at the new-for-2026 design of the CZ 600+ ST3 American, the ST3 being the long- and magnum-action model. Built by the legendary Czech company for the American market, this is a rifle adapted perfectly to hunting on this continent.

How Can Hunters Travel Out of State With Suppressed Firearms?

Getting federal and state agencies out of the way of the citizens who wish to use suppressors to make their guns more polite to their ears and to their neighbors’ is an ongoing, complex and multifaceted effort. There is, however, progress being made thanks to the Trump administration.

A Shared Memory Between Life’s Chapters

Check out this memorable hunting story from member William Scott Aldridge.

Hardware Review: Browning BAR MK 4 Hunter

First, the Browning Automatic Rifle addressed in this article is not the renowned 1918 BAR of military fame. I’ve actually seen an American Rifleman editor hunt hogs with a reproduction 1918 BAR. While it was a spectacle to behold, it’s probably not the optimal choice for the deer woods, but hey, who am I to judge? The Browning BAR we’re talking about in this article is the iconic hunting rifle.

Interests



Get the best of American Hunter delivered to your inbox.