Produced from about 1873 to 1879, Evans rifles and carbines featured an exposed, large capacity butt-stock magazine for .44 Cal. centerfire cartridges. This is one of the company’s “New Model” carbines made from 1877 to 1879 and fitted with a dust cover for a loading aperture on the side and straight vertical edge to the front of the receiver. The hammer and cocking mechanism remained on the underside of the receiver. The carbines are batch numbered and not serial numbered, but the lever shows the recurved end typical of their late production. Flayderman estimates production at “4,000 plus” made with company’s New Model sporting rifles and military muskets.

The carbine is in excellent plus condition with nice wood, crisp markings, and 90 percent or better blue on the 22-inch barrel, with just as much, slightly thinning, on the frame, and shading into plum brown on the barrel band, dust cover, portions of the magazine tube and butt plate. The lever, cocking mechanism, and breechblock when lowered all show nice case colors. We just two small scraped spots on the right wrist to rear of the dust cover. The barrel marking is crisp: “EVANS REPEATING RIFLE MECHANICS FALLS, ME PAT DEC 8, 1868 & SEPT. 16, 1871.” The fit of the wood to metal is tight. The forestock has a few small handling marks at left rear and one small check on the right, below the rear sight, but had good edges and surface. The buttstock has one small check on the bottom right near the buttplate. The sling ring on the left side and both barrel and buttstock sling swivels are in place, as are both the front and rear sights. The rear sight is the long new model style with graduated ranges on the right side of the base and ladder, showing nice blue on the sides, but rubbing on the ladder from handling. The mechanics and bore are excellent.

These New Models had a 28-round magazine capacity. Early versions held 34 and even 38, making a record for magazine capacity, as the company did for being the only firearms company attempting mass production in Maine. They took a leaf out of Colt’s book and produced a number of very high-quality pieces for presentation to notables who might give them public exposure, and also to foreign dignitaries and military officers who might be influential in obtaining contracts, but the company went out of business in 1879.   [sr] [ph:L]

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