GUN SPRING 2018
The live portion of this session begins on Wednesday, March 21, 2018.
RARE JENNINGS BREECHLOADING SINGLE SHOT RIFLE.JENNINGSBREECH LOADER10254Cal 54. Standard rifle with 26" rnd smooth bore bbl, ramrod tube under the bbl containing a brass & hickory cleaning rod that is probably a replacement. It has pin front sight on a dovetail and fixed rear sight on the frame over the chamber area. Left side of frame has the Robbins & Lawrence markings along with "C.P. DICKSON AGENT / NEW YORK / PATENTED 1849". Receiver & rear end of the bbl are nicely engraved in foliate arabesque patterns. Hammer shank & buttplate tang are engraved to match. Breech cover & pellet priming receptacle are present. Mounted with uncheckered straight grain American walnut buttstock that has straight grip & crescent buttplate with an engraved 2-1/4" by 3/4" nickel silver oval inlaid in the left side. According to Flayderman's Guide to Antique American Firearms there were probably less than 1,000 of these rare rifles produced in 2 varieties 1848-1851. The first model was a repeater and the model described here was a factory conversion or one built at the factory from Jennings Repeater parts. This rifle used the "Rocket Ball" cartridge which was grossly underpowered and unsuitable for either military or sporting use which led to the demise of this design, but propelled the Chief Engineer, B. Tyler Henry into prominence. He later invented the Volcanic line of arms which evolved into the Model 1860 Henry Rifle, which then became the Winchester dynasty. Many of the existing Jennings rifles were converted to muzzle loader. Very few are found today in orig configuration. CONDITION: Fair to good. No orig finish remains with the metal an overall cleaned gray patina with areas of pitting over the bbl. Receiver is lightly pitted around the breech opening and nipple areas with the remainder a gray/brown patina. Buttplate & trigger guard are matching patina. Trigger guard has welded repairs. Stock has a repaired chip at the toe and another in right side of top tang with a gouge in the left wrist and shows a hand worn patina. Hammer is not solid at full cock, otherwise mechanics are a little loose but functional. Bore is moderately pitted. 53168-1 JRL (3,000-5,000)