Manufactured c. 1869-1873 by Brown Manufacturing Company of Newburyport, Massachusetts, of which "a minimum of 500 and likely more" of the sporting rifles were made according to 9th Edition of "Flayderman's Guide" although it does not make any mention of a heavy barrel variant as offered here. "No44" is marked on top of the barrel at the breech along with the serial number which is repeated on top of the receiver. The left side of the receiver is marked "BROWN MFG. Co. NEWBURYPORT. MASS/BALLARD'S PATENT/NOV. 5, 1861." Dovetailed German silver blade front sight and dovetailed folding notch and ladder rear sight. Most of these rifles were purchased by the sporting goods firm of Williams Read & Sons of Boston, Mass. after the closure of the factory.

Very good, retains 30% thinning original blue finish and strong traces of case colors turning to a smooth gray patina, with scattered heavy surface freckling, cracks visible on either side of the frame behind the breech block, and defined markings and edges in the metal. Wood is also very good as sanded and revarnished, with a small indented section on top directly behind the frame from a previously mounted tang sight, a crack visible on the bottom rear of the forearm, and a few non-structural cracks on either side of the wrist. Mechanically excellent.