April 24-25, 2019 Extraordinary, Sporting, & Collector Firearms
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 4/24/2019
The Jenks Navy rifle was made by N.P. Ames of Springfield, Massachusetts, 1841 to 1842, with approximately 1,000 manufactured. Lock is marked "W. JENKS" and "NP AMES SPRINGFIELD MASS". Top of the barrel breech is marked "Wm JENKS USN RO P 1845". It is the Mule Ear percussion design, brass trigger guard with sling and stud mounted to lower tang, two brass bands, integral front sight, walnut stock. "R" inspected brass buttplate. Inspector stamp on left side of stock that is visible but not readable. Inside of lever is stamped "12-2". The 1,000 specimens of the Jenks rifle were made on a contract on 1841 to the Navy and all were delivered by 1844. Original barrel length was 35". From about 1858 to 1860, approximately 300 were altered by James Merrill in Baltimore and are referred to as the Jenks-Merrill carbine; barrels were shortened to 24-1/4" with two barrel bands, everything else was the same. They were marked on the breech lever "JH MERRILL". For alteration to a system to test the practicality of a combustible cartridge. The Mule Hammer was changed to a standard side hammer on these conversions. This rifle has gone through the same conversion with exception of the hammer being an original Jenks and the barrel is a bit longer. We can surmise that this was either gunsmith performed or a test or pattern for the pre-Merrill carbine as the saddle ring has been added like the Merrill but the hammer was not changed and it is still percussion, and the "RC" stamped on frame was not a factory stamp and could have something to do the research or experiment. CONDITION: Metal is basically grey patina with age spotting. Legends are sharp. Wood is very good with small crack at right wrist. Strong, rifled bore with some black powder abrasion. It is also interesting to note that there was an attempted inspector stamp on left side where the middle letter "M" was still visible but the other two letters were cut out. Very interesting and curious Navy rifle.