Original U.S. Evans 1877 New Model .44 Caliber Repeating Carbine with Fabricated Ejection Port Cover - 28 Round Magazine

Original Item: One Only. Invented by Warren R. Evans of Thomaston, Maine production started in 1873 by "Evans Rifle Manufacturing Company of Mechanic Falls, Maine." Only 15,000 Evans firearms were manufactured in a six year period and then the company declared bankruptcy in 1879, a victim of the Post Civil War arms industry glut and stiff competition.

The amazing thing about the Evans system was the THIRTY FOUR round tubular magazine housed in the butt. If the Spencer was said to be the carbine you loaded on Sunday and shot all week, the Evans you could shoot for a whole month! It worked on the Archimedean screw theory of four separate ammunition channels, which revolved each time the lever was activate and the gun reloaded. It appeared it was a certainty for Military approval but the system was non accepted based on interference from accumulated dust. The original caliber was .44" and the cartridges were were approximately one inch long, referred to as ".44 Evans short."

Several models were produced, known to collectors as the "Old Model", the "Transitional Model," and the "New Model". The old model had no lower stock on the butt, which made the rifle difficult to hold and aim. The transitional model introduced a butt stock and new butt plate. Requests for a more powerful cartridge led to the development of the "New Model", which fired a longer .44" cartridge called the ".44 New Model", which was 1 1/2 inches long. Due to the longer cartridge, the magazine capacity was reduced from 34 to 28 rounds. A dust cover for the ejection port was also introduced, to avoid dirt getting into the magazine.

The majority of Evans repeaters produced were of the "New Model", and around 4000 carbines with the 22" round barrel were produced.

The barrel on this example is marked:

EVANS REPEATING RIFLE. MECHANIC FALLS ME. PAT. DEC.8,1867 & SEPT.16,1871 U.S.A.

This carbine is in very good condition, and has been fully cleaned and restored. The action cycles correctly with dry firing and you can see the rotating magazine through the ejection port. It is however somewhat finicky due to having a lot of wear, as all examples of this system were. The original dust cover for the ejection port cover was missing, so we hand fabricated and aged one to match. It is also missing the sliding cover for the end of the magazine on the butt plate.

The bore is in very good condition, with clear lands and grooves, and a partly bright finish. There is some oxidation and fouling in the grooves, but there are no bulges or other major issues, just some light overall wear from use. The rear sight is present with an intact sight slider, while the front sight looks to have been replaced at some point. The metalwork has a lovely aged peppery patina from decades of storage and cleaning. The wood stocks are in lovely condition, with a great color and no major damage that we can see. We have only had a few of these Evans guns, and this is definite a god one.

A very interesting piece of U.S. firearms history, ready to display!!

Specifications-

Years of Manufacture: 1870s
Caliber: .44 Evans "New Model"
Ammunition Type: Centerfire Cartridge
Barrel Length: 22 inches
Overall Length: 39 1/2 inches
Action: Lever Action
Feed System: 28 Rotating Round Tube Magazine

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