. *Special Order Winchester Second Model 1895 Lever Action Sporting Rifle
Serial# 5451, ".30 U.S." (.30-40 Krag) caliber. 27 7/8" round rapid taper barrel, the bore with very good rifling and some light pitting. The barrel has a Lyman blade front sight with an ivory bead on the integral ramp and a Marble's rear sight with a folding blade. A Lyman series 21 aperture sight is mounted on the left side of the frame. The varnished dark walnut stocks have a straight grip, a Schnabel forend and a steel crescent buttplate. They are checkered in the factory "I" pattern and have a Winchester sling eye in the buttstock, a second sling eye is in a dovetail on the bottom of the barrel. Information from the Cody Firearms Museum confirms only the caliber, the type, a shipping date of "1-7-1898" and the "New System". This serial number was assigned in 1896 and this frame would have been made shortly after the factory discontinued the "old system" with the flat side frame. A four page letter from George Madis that details his examination of this rifle is included. He concluded that this was a rare rifle because it was a transition model and that it was all original as made by Winchester. The frame and barrel bear the Winchester proofmarks which Madis stated are unusual on 1895's serial numbered under 50,000. He believed these marks indicated that the rifle was shipped in 1898 from the warehouse back to the production department for further work, where it remained until the proofmarks were instituted. About 70% blue remains on the frame with most of the wear on the magazine and lever, the barrel retains about 95% blue and the buttplate is mostly gray. The Lyman receiver sight has about 30% blue. The stocks have about 90% finish and show several light scratches with the checkering in very good condition.
|
Colt Lightning Slide Action Rifle Made for the San Francisco Police Department
Serial# SFP21, .44-40 caliber. 26" round barrel, bright bore with strong rifling and a little very fine pitting. The factory barrel sights include a German silver blade front and an elevator adjustable rear. The factory serial number "83986" is on the side of both tangs and the bottom of the lower tang is engraved with the police department number "SFP21". The frame retains over 90% bright factory blue with light scratches on the sides of the frame and a little thinning on the tangs and triggerguard. The hammer retains most of the original case colors. The barrel and magazine retain about 95% original blue with a little thinning in spots. The walnut stocks have some extra finish applied but have not been sanded, they still have some raised grain evident and show relatively few small dings and bruises. This rare Lightning is one of 401 such rifles made in 1898.
|
Rare Presentation Pre-War Factory Engraved Holek Semi-Auto Rifle
Serial# 117, 8 x 57mm (the caliber is not marked, have your gunsmith verify). 20 1/2" round barrel, excellent bore. This Czech rifle has a ramp front sight and a fixed open rear sight on the front receiver ring. The long receiver is extensively border and rose and scroll engraved, including the magazine floorplate. A "SRBa STYS.PRAHA/ LOVEC 4x" scope is mounted in quick detachable claw mounts. The scope ahs a three post reticle with a pointed center post. The scope is offset to the right to allow for case ejection and the claw mounts have a tunnel to allow the iron sights to be used. The dark walnut stocks are finely checkered and have a cheekpiece for a right-handed shooter. The trigger, internal parts of the firing mechanism, and extractors are gold plated. The rifle retains 95% blue with two small patches of fine pitting on the receiver that are not too noticeable because they are in the engraving pattern. There is also a small patch of light pitting on the metal ring at the front of the forestock and at the very rear of the magazine floorplate. The magazine must have been stored separately as it has some heavy pitting at the back that is not visible when it is in the rifle. All of the internal parts show little evidence of firing. The firing pin is broken at the very back and the 3/16" long piece is included. This could be silver soldered to the pin or the pin could be extended with weld. The stocks retain 95% finish and show several small bruises with most of the checkering in fine condition. There is a tiny chip at the toe and on the buttplate. The scope tube shows light oxidation on the eyepiece bell and has bright blue elsewhere with clear optics. The top of the receiver has a gold inlaid inscription in Fars; and this was believed to be made for Iranian royalty (research is underway to translate this inscription). The rifle is in its original leather bound canvas covered wood trunk style case with green baize lining. The case shows light wear and some exterior stains but is very sound and rates very good condition. The lid is stenciled "J.D.G.". Included in the case are a Brittania metal oil bottle, the original cloth and leather sling and the key for the case.
|
English Hammer Double Rifle by James & William Tolley
Serial# 7585, .450 Black Powder Express caliber. 27 1/4" barrels with bright, very good bores. The barrels are marked "J. & W. TOLLEY" and "59 NEW BOND ST. LONDON W.", and they have a fixed 100 yard rear sight with folding leaves for 150 and 200 yards. The lockplates and frame are border engraved with both locks marked "J.& W. TOLLEY". This has a Jones under lever opener and back action locks with rebounding hammers and safety bolts. The checkered straight grain walnut stocks have a splinter forend, a half-hand pistol grip and a 14" length of pull over a 5/8" thick grooved horn buttplate. The buttstock is made from two-pieces of wood with a seamless joint that is almost undetectable. The barrels and buttstock have sling eyes. The rifle retains almost all of an attractive refinish with a matte black on the barrels over a few small patches of light pitting, the barrel markings are light but legible. The frame and locks have good case colors with the factory markings and engraving in fine condition. The stocks have very good checkering and have only a couple of tiny blemishes. The .450, 3 1/4" black powder Express cartridge generally used bullets weighing from 270 to 400 grains with black powder charges from 105 to 150 grains. The right side of the frame is engraved with the manufacturer's recommended load of "CHARGE 4 DRAMS" (which would be about 110 grains). The rifle locks up tightly and would be fun to hunt with as it only weighs 9lbs 4oz. One original Kynoch cartridge and 37 new unprimed .450 basic cartridge cases by Bell are included.
|
Pre-War German Hammerless Double Rifle by "A. COLLATH SOHNE FRANKFURT A/O"
Serial# 19533, 7 x 57Rmm caliber. 24 7/8" barrels, good bores. The barrels are also marked "D.R. PATENT" under the maker's name, "WITTENER-EXCELSIOR" and "TESCO/ LAUFVERSCHRAUBUNG". The barrels are proofed for smokeless powder and jacketed bullets. The gun has a scalloped boxlock frame with a concealed third fastener, double triggers and extractors. The frame is beautifully relief engraved with oak leaves and large game animals on each side. The barrels have a full length matted rib with a fixed rear sight in a dovetail and two bases for a claw mount scope. The checkered walnut stocks have very highly figured wood in the buttstock which has a pistol grip and a cheekpiece for a right handed shooter. The gun has a 14 3/8" length of pull over a horn buttplate, a horn triggerguard and a sling in non-detachable swivels. This rifle has been professionally refinished, the barrels retain all of their blue. The stocks with light wear on the finish and checkering and a few light blemishes. All of the barrel lettering is in fine condition and all of the engraving on the frame is in excellent condition. This is a great little double rifle for the American hunter, it weighs just over 8 pounds.
|
*Winchester "North West Mounted Police" Marked Model 1876 Saddle-Ring Carbine
Serial# 44438, .45-75 caliber. 22" round barrel, good rifling with light pitting. Straight gripped walnut stocks with a 18" long forend. The rear barrel sight is a factory military "Spanish Meter" style folding leaf. This has mostly smooth metal with a gray/brown patina on the barrel and top and bottom of the frame, the sides of the frame are mottled dark plum. The left edge of the dust-cover has some very fine pitting. All of the factory markings on the metal are in very good condition. The stocks retain most of a good looking old refinish with relatively few light handling marks. It is known that the carbines delivered between March and August of 1885 to the North West Mounted Police were in the approximate serial range of 43,900 to 46,200. Factory records indicate this was shipped on April 8, 1885 but do not indicate any special markings. The stock markings appear to have slightly different fonts than shown in the reference works. {Ref., Flayd: 5K-062}
|
Haenel Mannlicher Model 1900 "Rare" Semi-Auto Rifle
Serial# 30, 8mm Mauser caliber. 22" barrel, mostly bright bore. Manufactured Pre- W.W.II. This rifle retains approximately 95% blue. The checkered walnut stock with cheek-rest and Schnabel tip made of horn grade a strong very good with some light stains. The horn tip has a repairable crack. The floorplate and triggerguard are engraved. The floorplate retains about 30% blue, the triggerguard is mostly a mottled silver/ brown patina. This features an open folding leaf rear, raised dovetail bead blade front sight and a non-intrusive rear of action mounted folding peep sight Model 103 by Lyman. This is held in place with a set of screws on both sides. An article by A.H. Funke from about 1910 states this as being the first high power semi-auto sporting rifle manufactured. This is a system design G. Roth patented. The proof mark is "(crown) N". The pre-W.W.I price for this rifle was $150.00. Very few were made and only a handful have survived.
|
*A Fine Flintlock Kentucky Rifle by "J. Brooks" with a Full Length Tiger Striped Curly Maple Stock
This rifle is 59" in overall length with a 43" octagonal barrel. The .44 caliber bore is dark with strong rifling. The lockplate is signed "I. ROOP" and the barrel has the rifle maker's name engraved in script "J. BROOKS". The left flat of the breech has the stamped initials "GS", and the top of the wrist has an oval silver escutcheon engraved with script initials "JH". The rifle has double set triggers and brass furniture. The engraved brass patchbox is particularly attractive with a bird's head type finial. Several patchboxes on Brooks rifles are pictured in Kentucky Rifle Patchboxes & Barrel Marks by Roy F. Chandler, including two with similar bird's head finials. The stock has a shallow cheekpiece with an inlayed and engraved eight point silver star, a checkered wrist, a decorative groove and incised line carving at the ramrod channel, belly of the buttstock and the cheekpiece. The toe is purposefully rounded over and the bottom of the buttplate bent around it and screwed to the toeplate. This is an old period alteration. All of the iron has a black patina with some scattered fine pitting on the barrel. The stock retains all of a good looking old refinish, has good edges and shows no repairs. The wood ramrod is an old replacement. The unusual patchbox makes this a very good looking Kentucky. Two of Brook's earlier rifles with more ornate stock carvings, one with a similar patchbox, are illustrated in Joe Kindig's book Thoughts On The Kentucky Rifle In Its Golden Age.
|
|
