Large frame, lever action rifle manufactured by the Bullard Repeating Arms Company of Springfield, Massachusetts circa 1886. The rifle has a 28-inch round barrel with full-length magazine and is chambered for either the 45-70 or 45-85 cartridge. The barrel has a dove-tail mounted Express front sight with colored bead and a factory blank in the rear sight dove-tail. A Lyman folding combination rear sight is mounted on the receiver tang. The distinctive elongated receiver has a loading gate on the bottom and sliding dust cover with integral rail. The receiver design permits single shot loading with a full magazine. The left side of the receiver is roll-stamped: "BULLARD REPEATING ARMS CO./SPRINGFIELD MASS. U.S. PAT. AUG. 16. 1881" in two-lines. "Cal/45" is stamped on the top of the frame in front of the ejection port. The serial number, "1051", is stamped across the top of the receiver immediately behind the hammer. The barrel, magazine, forearm cap, receiver, loading gate, dust cover, breech block and crescent buttplate have a high polish blue finish. The lever, trigger and hammer are color casehardened. The forearm and stock are straight grain American walnut with a high polish varnish finish. Designed by James H. Bullard, a top mechanic for S&W, the Bullard rifles were a high quality, well designed, firearm but could not compete with Winchester and Marlin lever-action rifles. Total production of Bullard rifles was 10,000-12,000 firearms manufactured between 1886 and 1890.

Very fine. The rifle is all original and retains 85% of the blue and casehardened finish. The barrel and magazine have nearly all of the blue finish, wear is limited to small spots of age discoloration on the underside of the magazine and on the top of the barrel. The forearm cap retains most of the blue finish. The receiver has nearly 85% of the high polish blue finish with some thinning on contact points. The buttplate shows the usual handling wear and retains about 60% of the high polish blue; the balance has faded to a dark patina. The hammer and lever retain nearly all of the vivid case colors. The stock and forearm are in fine condition and retain nearly 90% of the varnish finish; wear is limited to a few minor handling marks. The action functions perfectly. This is a very fine example of a scarce Bullard Large Frame, Lever-Action Sporting Rifle.