The Winchester 1873 introduced the concept of a universal rifle and a universal cartridge to the world when it debuted in, you guessed it, 1873. From its introduction to the initial end of its run in 1919, over seven hundred thousand Model 1873s were produced—the lion’s share in the .44-40 cartridge. While the .44-40 predominated, the number of subtypes of 1873 is hard to keep track of. The 1873 came in other calibers, with full pistol grips, straight stocks, octagonal barrels, round barrels, and a number of different barrel lengths. But Cimarron Firearms, out of Fredericksburg, Texas, indulges in mainstream and niche variants of the 1873. That includes the new Cimarron US Marshal Indian Territory Carbine.

The Cimarron US Marshal IT Carbine: Precedence and Present

In its heyday, Winchester happily cataloged different stock, barrel, and sight upgrades for a made-to-order 1873. The IT Carbine is a recreation of a relatively rare bird. The standard short rifle came with a twenty-inch barrel, and the handy Trapper model came with a sixteen-inch barrel. All came with standard buttstocks that had a happy-medium thirteen-inch length of pull. Our carbine in question has an 18-inch tube and a length of pull of only 12 ¼ inches. It retains the same balance as the standard rifle while gaining the compact dimensions of the Trapper model without losing the needed barrel length to get the most out of those black powder .44-40 loads. 

The IT Carbine is a close copy of Model 1873s issued to US Marshals tasked with patrolling the lawless Indian Territory (now Oklahoma) in 1880. The Indian Territory served as a refuge for bandits fleeing the law in neighboring Texas, Missouri, and Kansas. The task of pacification was left up to the US Marshals at the behest of the territory’s infamous Hanging Judge, Issac Parker. 

Compact Dimensions

The Cimarron carbine shares the same compact dimensions as those rare originals. It is even marked by denoting its unique tribute. But at its heart, it is an 1873 through and through, made by Uberti in Italy to Cimarron’s specifications. The IT Carbine features the same slick toggle-link action, forged blued-steel receiver, and King’s Patent loading gate, making the 1873 instantly recognizable from any other lever action rifle. The stocks are plain walnut and wear the typical red lacquer finish that Uberti typically applies to all of its wood products. The buttstock is straight and wears a crescent-blued steel butt plate. A steel barrel band retains the fore-end and protects the ten-round tubular magazine underneath the barrel. The barrel itself is finished in bright blue and has a lighter round profile. 

As with most short-barreled 1873s, the Cimarron US Marshal Indian Territory Carbine wears a saddle ring sling attachment. The rifle comes with the standard sliding dustcover, lever lock, corrosion-resistant brass elevator, and pistol-style sights. The front post sight is fixed and retained by the front barrel band. The rear notch is a dovetailed ladder sight with a 100-yard battlesight. Flipping up the brass-etched ladder reveals a sliding notch that can be adjusted from 200 to 900 yards. 

In a shocking twist, the IT Carbine is not chambered in .44-40 but is made for more practical rounds: the .357 Magnum, .44 Magnum, and .45 Colt. The former options will also shoot shorter .38 Special and .44 Special ammunition and give you one extra round of capacity.  My particular rifle is in .357. As with any self-respecting 1873, the only safeties present are a passive lever-safety and a hammer-bound half-cock.

First Impressions

Uberti makes a beautiful 1873 replica that can easily be set up for cowboy action shooting, hunting, and even personal protection. Cimarron’s take is slightly improved internally over a stock Uberti. When I first took delivery of the Cimarron US Marshal Indian Territory Carbine, I went about disassembling and cleaning for an initial lube job. The 1873 has a through-screw that holds a pair of side plates together on the receiver. It was easy to remove, and the side plates themselves have a few distinctive mill marks.

The toggle lock, bolt, and brass elevator are perfectly smooth, and there are remarkably few edges. Ordinarily, Uberti guns come with edges sharp enough to gut a deer with, but not in this case. Furthermore, the moving parts and the friction points are as smooth as glass. The rest of the rifle is richly blued, and there are no inlaying gaps between wood and steel. Cimarron’s barrel stamps are a tasteful throwback to the days when makers put their addresses on their rifles. 

After swabbing the barrel, I put the Cimarron US Marshal Indian Territory Carbinee back together, got a sampling of .357 Magnum and .38 Special ammunition together, and headed for the range for an initial sight-in. I normally start this process by going to paper immediately, but instead, I set up my Caldwell chronograph and took some velocity data from a distance of ten feet.

Loading

Loading the IT Carbine was initially stiff. The magazine spring and the King’s Patent gate were new and tight. After leaving the magazine loaded for a few days, I had no issues once I got to the range. But the loading gate fought me through that first range session. I found it easier to push one cartridge halfway into the magazine and follow it up with the next before fully pushing the last cartridge home and taking a slight pinch from the gate.

I started shooting with .38 Special ammunition before graduating to .357 Magnums. But after only twenty shots of .38 Special, the Magnum cases were hard to extract. I made the rookie mistake of shooting the shorter ammunition first. The .38s left behind a ring of carbon for the longer .357s to power through. The rifle would feed beautifully, but after firing, the expanded cases would have trouble kicking out. Finally, I settled my rattled nerves, hit the bench, and shot some .357 PMC Bronze 158 grain jacketed soft points at a paper bullseye at fifty yards.

The rear sight is generous, particularly paired with the thin front sight. I had no issues seeing my aiming point, but my first five rounds sailed overhead, only nicking the top of the target. At their lowest setting, the iron sights were shooting six inches high. I took a six o’clock hold, fired five more rounds, and was rewarded with a respectable 1 ½ inch group. I managed it despite discovering that the trigger pull was heavier than it needed to be. Later, I measured it on my Lyman scale at 7 ½ lbs. That first go-round was a mixed bag. 

Higher Round Counts

It did not occur to me that shooting .38 Special ammunition first may have thrown me off until after the fact. I inspected the chamber and bore and saw nothing obvious. Nevertheless, I gave it a good scrubbing and again set out for the range. This and subsequent shooting proved to be a different story. 

As time bore on, the loading gate grew easier to use, and I stopped getting pinched. Sticking to either .357 Magnum ammunition or .38 Special ammunition fixed the extraction issues. Some .357 lever guns can be picky as to the cartridge’s overall length and shape of the bullet. But I had no further feeding issues. Even the Federal .38 Special 158 grain FBI load, which uses a lead semi-wadcutter hollow-point, fed flawlessly. Recoil with the .38s was non-existent, and going up to .357 was negligible.

The sights were barely disturbed, even when shooting offhand. Extraction of the .38 cases was effortless, and the high-pressure .357s needed a little more deliberate flick to extract, but nothing that would disturb my sights or break the stock from my shoulder. 

Hornady LeverEvolution 140-grain FTX Ammunition

I tried a box of Hornady LeverEvolution 140-grain FTX ammunition off the bench. This flex-tip round is more aerodynamic than conventional flat-point or round-nosed lever-action ammo, but it is safe to store in a tubular magazine.

It is also the most powerful round I tested, with energies just shy of entry-level.30-30 ammunition but without the recoil. The stout 73 handles it well and shot comparably to the PMC flat points in terms of groups. The difference came in trajectory. This round printed three inches high at fifty yards. At 100 yards, this round was right on the money, with a group that is just over two inches in size. That came as a surprise, as the front sight began to look too small to pick out a bullseye. But where the IT Marshal shines is not on the bench but with quick offhand shots at closer distances. 

The IT Marshal is compact and quick to shoulder. The crescent butt plate does well to keep the rifle in the shoulder, whether you are cycling Specials or Magnums. Despite its handiness, it is no lightweight. The 73 is heavier than the later Model 1892 that came along to replace it, but that is mitigated by the excellent balancing point, which is just under the brass elevator. Neither rear nor front heavy, the Cimarron aims instinctively, and the action runs effortlessly. You can go fast easily, but you must remember you have ten or eleven rounds to work with before you have to top off. The sights, which grow small out to 100 yards beyond, are fast to acquire up close, and the heavier trigger ended up being something of an asset, as I was surprised when the hammer fell with every shot. 

The Cimarron US Marshal Indian Territory Carbine: A Classic Tool

Although the action and trigger are not slicked for SASS, the US Marshal carbine represents all the desirable aspects of an 1873—namely, its smooth action and perfect balance. The Cimarron US Marshal Indian Territory Carbine was a reliable performer and surprisingly accurate despite its small sights. It is available in the popular .357 Magnum, .44 Magnum, and .45 Colt cartridges, which are more than adequate for game-getting without being too hard on the shoulder. It is easy to go down the rabbit hole of 1873 variants, but this one is likely to hit a sweet spot for those who need one that is ready for modern ammo and sized just right for any adventure. 

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Cimarron US Marshal IT Carbine Performance Data:

Cimarron US Marshal IT Carbine Specs: