April 24-25, 2019 Extraordinary, Sporting, & Collector Firearms
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 4/25/2019
Face of the action is marked "52" and is engraved with a scroll pattern normally found on Model 52 rifles. Double set triggers are fitted, as is a Pope lever. Buttstock is in the pistol grip style, nicely checkered, and is typical for the Pope model style. Buttplate is a nickel plated with minor loss to the plating. Buttplate and buttstock appear unnumbered and it is believed that the buttstock is not original to the action, as there are gaps showing between the action and the wrist and upper and lower tangs. Buttstock is made out of fancy American walnut with very nice figure. Barrel is marked in tiny letters "H.M. POPE." and is 30" long, part octagon. Under the forearm is Pope barrel number 184 and underneath that is "25/0", date "8-11-10", and "H.M. Pope". Pope started work in Jersey City in 1908 and his serial number range started at 100. Forearm is believed to be original to the rifle as the number 400 is shown where it butts the action. Forearm is of the two screw design, nicely checkered, and the checkering appears recently cleaned. Forearm is factory fitted with a Stevens-Pope palm rest on a nickel base. Front sight is globe style for interchangeable disks and the rear sight is a Pope style with a correct but very unusual sight base. Stevens scope, No. 338, is fitted. Accompanying this rifle is a small ammo pouch with edelweiss designs. CONDITION: Action retains significant amounts of color, some vivid. Barrel with almost all of the original blue still present, showing little to no wear. Non-original buttstock has only the most minor of handling marks and is in wonderful condition although the checkering appears to be recently recut. Buttplate has only minor imperfections in the nickel. Forearm is in excellent condition with negligible handling marks but the checkering also appears to have been recently recut. There appears to have been a very minor crack on the left hand side at the front. Tang sight shows some discoloration and oxidation. Scope tube has most of its blue present. Optics are good but need cleaning. Fine action, excellent bore. This rifle is truly a show stopper and a great example of Pope's work in the Jersey City period. TR