EVANS LEVER ACTION “OLD MODEL” .44 CALIBER RIFLE

$1,450.00 SOLD

Quantity Available: None

Item Code: 172-5808

The Evans lever-action repeaters were designed by Warren R. Evans, a dentist from Thomaston, Maine, as high-capacity arms. With the help of his brother George, they perfected the rifle and started the "Evans Rifle Manufacturing Company" of Mechanic Falls, Maine in 1873. Their rifles and carbines were marketed by Merwin & Hulbert. The Evans Repeating Rifle Company went bankrupt in December 1879.

In design, the Evans guns are similar to Spencers. However, the Evans has a rotating magazine in the buttstock holding four rows of cartridges which are loaded through a small door in the butt plate. Each time the trigger guard/loading lever is cycled, the magazine feeds the next cartridge to the breech in a helical pattern. The fluted magazine making a quarter turn each time the lever is operated. The magazine has a much higher capacity than the Spencer, fitting 34 cartridges.

The first model of the rifle, commonly called the “Old Model,” was in production from 1874 to 1876. Approximately 500 were produced. A “Transition Model” appears by early 1876 and continues to 1877 with nearly 1700 guns manufactured and a “New Model” carbine was manufactured from 1877 to 1879.

This is an example of the “Old Model” with 28” octagonal barrel. There is a mortise at the muzzle where the blade once was mounted. The original rear sight has been replaced with a flip-up peep sight. Stamped on the left facet near the breech is “EVANS REPEATING RIFLE / PAT. DEC. 8, 1868 & SEP. 16, 1871.” Bore is dirty but retains good rifling. Barrel has a smooth, dark surface overall.

The receiver and round magazine are one piece, the magazine tube extending back to the butt plate. Marked on the underside of the receiver with serial number “75”. Loading lever/trigger guard on bottom also operates the sliding dust cover over the ejection port. The old model was chambered for a 1” long .44 caliber cartridge. All cartridges were loaded through a small hole (with sliding cover) in the butt plate. All mechanical actions work very well.

Two-piece walnut stock; a forearm piece under the barrel and a one-piece shoulder stock mounted on the top of the magazine tube. There are two cracks and a chip where the butt plate meets the top corner of the shoulder stock. These, and a slight separation of the stock from the butt plate at the bottom, suggest that all was caused by a hard blow to the top of the butt plate. On the fore stock there is a 1” chip at the receiver that leads to a 3” crack. Otherwise, the wood tone and finish are very nice.

A very interesting magazine fed rifle.  [jet] [ph:L]

DISCLAIMER: All firearms are sold as collector's items only - we do not accept responsibility as to the shooting safety or reliability of any antique firearm. All firearms are described as accurately as possible, given the restraints of a catalog listing length. We want satisfied customers & often "under" describe the weapons. Any city or state regulations regarding owning antique firearms are the responsibility of the purchaser. All firearms are "mechanically perfect" unless noted, but again, are NOT warranted as safe to fire.

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