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VERY RARE 1ST MODEL 1878 BURGESS MILITARY CARBINE,

Currency:USD Category:Firearms & Military Start Price:4,000.00 USD Estimated At:8,000.00 - 12,000.00 USD
VERY RARE 1ST MODEL 1878 BURGESS MILITARY CARBINE,
ONE OF ONLY 2 KNOWN. Cal. 45-70. S# 69. Bbl. 22 7/8" rnd. Blued bbl. secured by 2 bbl. bands, 2 position musket style rear sight & pinched blade front sight, "G. W. MORSE / PATENTED OCT. 28TH 1856" forward of rear sight & at breech “45CAL 70GR C.F.”. Rear tang marked: "A. BURGESS / PATENTED JANY. 7TH 1873 / PATENTED OCT. 19TH 1875". Sam Maxwell in his 1976 text “Lever Action Magazine Rifles” pages 93-97 describes in detail this prototype military rifle of which only 2 examples are known. This is the lowest serial numbered, the other being S# 245. Both prototypes were made from existing actions & both are pictured & described in his text. Both are identical other than S#. There is an additional military carbine described & pictured but 3rd model, S# 1184 w/out bayonet stud & it is the only other military carbine extant according to Maxwell. Since his text, S# 1287 another 3rd model made identically w/ bayonet stud surfaced, so census is 4 total military carbines, two 1st models military w/ bayonet attachment, one 3rd model w/ bayonet stud & one 3rd model w/out bayonet stud. Whitney was ahead of their time making this model in the new US military cal. 45-70. However, Whitney & even Winchester failed in the Army’s 1878 trials w/ their lever guns. Linked online is Maxwell’s text & photos of known carbines w/ detailed explanations of manufacture & features. UNATTACHED ACCESSORIES: Sam Maxwell's "Lever Action Magazine Rifles" & associated paperwork. CONDITION: fine overall, original, matching & complete w/ exception of missing steel nosecap (a copper replacement accompanies). Markings are mostly discernible w/ top line of bbl. patent & bottom line of frame patent weak as can be seen in photos. Frame retains about 60% blue finish, scratches, staining, light pitting; exposed areas of bbl. retains about 20% blue finish w/ balance mottled plum/brown. Hammer & trigger retain much of their muted case colors. Bands & loading door retain much of their fire blue. Stocks are sound w/ scattered storage dings & nicks, left side top at frame has a large chip missing. Mechanically functional w/ bright shiny crisp bore. (01-19005/JS). ANTIQUE. $8,000-12,000.