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Dealers Catalogue
Description
Lot 290
FINE & RARE
WHITWORTH SHARPSHOOTER'S RIFLE.
SN C777. Cal. .450 Whitworth hexagonal. 36" round bbl with Rigby
flats at the rear, marked "WHITWORTH PATENT" on top of the
bbl. "WHITWORTH / RIFLE CO /PATENT" on the side of the rear
sight base. "WHITWORTH RIFLE CO. MANCHESTER" on the lock.
The lock, trigger guard and bbl tang, are engraved with light scrolls.
The straight English walnut stock is checkered up the wrist on the forearm.
This rifle has both military and civilian features and may have been
Confederate used. It retains a rare and original bayonet. There is a
sling button behind the trigger plate on bottom of stock and a swivel
on the front bbl back. The adjusting pinion for the rear sight is missing.
A recent letter from noted Whitworth rifle authorities Dr. D. W. Bailey
& W. S. Curtis who are currently doing a research project of Whitworth
rifles which will eventually result in a definitive reference book.
States as follows "The Whitworth rifle SN C777 described here is
a rare variation lying between the more common commercial military and
semi-military models and the true half stocked target rifles. It incorporates
many of the elements of the Whitworth fine quality early 30" sporting
rifles, but combines them with the full stocked 36" bbl banded
military style. Specifically, these are the sporting lock for the single
side nail, the bbl bar and sporting type of percussioning, the spur
trigger guard and the sporting style engraving which is considerably
more ornate than any other model. To date we have only identified 8
of these highbreds from the 556 Whitworth's recorded out of the total
factory production of some 5,500 which were made." CONDITION: Considerable
original brown on the bbl mixed with light surface rust. The trigger
guard and butt plate, show some original blue. The wood is fine with
minor dents and scratches. Action is excellent.
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