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

Want a lever gun with practical hunting features, but you don’t want one of the new-fangled tactical-style rifles that comes plastered with M-LOK slots? The Uberti USA 1873 Hunter series might be the compromise you want. 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.