The Gun that Won the West. The Winchester 1873 in 44-40 was the defining repeating rifle of the American frontier, chambered in the same cartridge as the Colt SAA Frontier Six-Shooter. Type: Rifle Action: Lever-Action Caliber: 44-40 Win Capacity: 15 Year introduced: 1873, USA Weight: 20 oz Overall length: 43.25" Status: Discontinued Intended use: Frontier Use, Hunting, General Use