April 24-25, 2019 Extraordinary, Sporting, & Collector Firearms
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 4/24/2019
Case colored action with single set trigger and single trigger lever. Buttstock is a pistol grip style, checkered, with cheekpiece and made out of a truly extraordinary piece of American walnut. Small ebony insert at the end of the pistol grip, and a small metal oval marked "John Oberlies/1953/Dayton, Ohio" inletted on the underside of the stock. Swiss buttplate was originally nickel plated. Forearm is checkered with an ebony insert and a highly figured walnut to match the buttstock. Action is a flat spring style. Starter of brass is unnumbered. Correct false muzzle marked 31. The muzzle shows a very unusual rebated crown, in a style not seen before. The 32" barrel, half octagon, of No. 4 weight, is marked number 31 under the mainspring with no Pope rifling code. It is marked for .32-40, and the Manufactured by Winchester etc., stamp, and in unusually small letters, "Rifled by H.M. Pope, Hartford, Connecticut". According to "H.M. Pope, Hartford 1887-1901" by Warren Greatbatch, the barrel was manufactured in 1895. This rifle is pictured and discussed on pages 64 and 65 of the same book. Sights are a modified Winchester wind gauge front and a Winchester-Vernier tang rear. There is a blank inserted in a dovetail on the barrel. Factory research shows serial number applied June 11th, 1895; no other information available. CONDITION: Action retains a majority of its case color, just slightly faded, giving a very pleasant look. Buttstock shows the most minor rub and handling marks. Basically no nickel remaining on buttplate. Barrel shows almost all of its original blue with a tiny amount of wear at the edges of the octagon. Excellent bore and action. A truly outstanding rifle and in absolutely fabulous condition and still complete with false muzzle and starter. TR
Accessories
False Muzzle, Starter