MR1706 RARE SHARPS BORCHARDT MODEL 1878 FACTORY SECOND SADDLE RING CARBINE IN CALIBER 45-70; There were only 384 Model 1878 Saddle Ring Carbines made. This is a rare “A-series” carbine showing large boxed “A” stamps on both sides of the action and It’s one of only three known Factory Seconds to have the four-digit serial number stamped/x’ed out. The action retains about 90% of a very old reapplied rust blue showing some thinning and toning to deep gray-brown along with a few light dings and the breechblock toning to a mottled gray-brown. The 24 inch barrel shows most of the original finish starting to turn slightly brown with some scattered light speckling. The very good plus bore is bright and fairly shiny showing just a little scattered very light pitting with strong rifling throughout. The front sight appears to be period replacement having a slightly reshaped copper blade and the rear is the original Lawrence patent folding ladder sight. The smooth walnut buttstock and forend remain in very good plus condition as lightly cleaned long ago showing a small crack at the upper tang and some scattered old dings, with a neatly filled hole along the toe line and at the front bottom of forend. There is a boxed “P” stamp at the bottom rear of forend and the end grain of the buttstock and inside toe of the coarsely checkered steel buttplate are stamped “232”. Complete with the original saddle ring intact. An interesting and very rare carbine.
ANTIQUE $ 5,375.
