Manufactured in 1891, the period replacement barrel has the standard two-line address/patent marking in front of the rear sight and the "45 Govt" caliber marking at the breech. The bottom of the barrel is numbered "41092" and was likely taken from an earlier rifle, possibly by a retailer, to convert this example to a more popular caliber. The matching serial number is marked on the bottom of the receiver, left side of the upper and lower tangs, and inside the forearm cap. The forearm, stock inlet, and buttplate are numbered "48916". It is fitted with beaded blade front and elevation adjustable notch rear sights and mounted with a nicely figured diamond pattern checkered forearm and pistol grip stock with multi-point checkering and a steel Model 1881 buttplate. The included factory letter lists the rifle in .40-60 caliber with a 28 inch barrel and pistol grip stock when shipped on 31 October 1891. Given the fairly consistent wear throughout all the pieces of this rifle, it is certainly possible that this rifle is the result of a period retailer assembling a "special order" rifle from various rifles on site for a customer. Provenance: The Milan J. Turk Collection

Very fine, retains 70% of the original blue finish and faint case color patterns with balance having mostly thinned a smooth grey or brown patina and a series of file cut grooves on the right at the muzzle. The wood is fine with some minor dings and scratches scattered throughout and mostly crisp checkering. Mechanically excellent.