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Winning Bid US $600 First bid $600 Quantity 1 # of bids 1 Time left Auction has ended   Started 2025-02-11 00:00:00 Ended 2025-02-28 22:59:51

RARE, Brown MFG Co., Model: 1871 Merrill patent, P1853 Enfield conversion. (Brown-Merrill rifle), Cal: .58 CF (.58 Berdan?), MFG: 1871-73 (Conversion), S/N: 538, bolt action single shot rifle, 35 '' barrel.

HISTORY: The 1871 Merrill patent is a conversion system for P1853 Enfield rifles, to turn them into a bolt action breech loading rifle. This design was remarkably advanced for its time with dual rear locking lugs, extracting & ejecting spent cartridges, & cocking the hammer when the bolt is cycled. Merrill did not state why he chose the P1853 musket for his conversion, but it is believed since many of them were surplused after the Civil war, it was a cost efficient & abundant option. The conversion added the Merrill Bolt & action to the barrel of the musket, the lock & screw bases were removed & the holes in the stock were filled with flush walnut inlays. The production of these rifles was done by John Hamilton brown, of the Brown MFG Co., Newburyport, Mass. The first production rifles were .58 RF, so they could use un-modified Enfield barrels. The US would trial the rifle in 1872, these would be in 50-70. After the trial it was not recommended for military adoption, but Brown would manufacture them privately for commercial sale. However, these were purchased by various state militias. This rifle has a .58 caliber barrel, but the bolt is constructed to fire CF cartridges. The .58 Berdan cartridge was designed for converted .58 Cal Springfield muskets around this time, making it a likely chambering for the rifle at the time. The rifling in the barrel matches Springfield rifling found on muzzleloaders & the trapdoor. Making me believe this has a Springfield barrel, not an Enfield. Only one to two thousand of these rifles are thought to have been made, with no carbine versions known. The Brown MFG Co. would last from 1869-73 when it went bankrupt. The machinery was all sold to a former Colt employe, John Marlin. He then used it to start the Marlin Firearms Company, which is still going strong today.

CONDITION: The straight wrist wood stock is very good with nicks, dings, scratches & wear from use/age. Both sides of the stock have Walnut Inlays where the old lock work was when it was a P1853 Enfield. There are a few small cracks around the wrist. The bottom of the wrist is marked with a line of British proofs. The belly of the stock is marked ''GOODMAN'' for Cooper & Goodman, they assembled P1853 rifles for BSA. The right cheek of the stock is marked with a roundel cartouche that reads ''BIRMINGHAM SMALL ARMS TRADE'' around a crown over ''SBA'' over ''T''. The metal has mostly worn gray with spotty brown patina. The top of the bolt body is marked ''BROWN MFG. Co. NEWBURYPORT.MASS'', ''PATENTED OCT.17.1871''. the S/N ''538'' is stamped into the wood of the barrel channel. The bore is very good. Its bright with spots of roughness. The barrel holds a barleycorn front sight with a stepped base/ladder, V-notch rear sight marked 1 to 4 on the base & 5 to 8 on the ladder. The right side of the rear sight base is marked ''PW & S''. The barrel alignment is off with both sights slightly turned clockwise from center. stock carries a brass buttplate. Rifle has one front sling loop. Rifle also have its cleaning/clearing rod. Antique, no FFL Req. - Value: 1200 to 2400

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Price

RARE, Brown MFG Co., Model: 1871 Merrill patent, P1853 Enfield c... Item # 4339 This auction is over. No new bids can be placed. Price: US $600

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