4001 RARE ROBBINS AND LAWRENCE JENNINGS BREACH LOADING

Category Firearms & Military
Auction Currency USD
Start Price 2,000.00 USD
Estimated at 4,000.00 - 6,000.00 USD
SINGLE SHOT RIFLE. Cal. 54 Rocket Ball. S# NSN. Bbl. 26 1/4" round. On Dec. 25, 1849 Lewis Jennings was granted a patent for his improvement of the Hunt rifle. Jennings improvement used a rack-and-pinion system that allowed loading in one forward and one returning stroke of the ring trigger. This rifle utilized the loaded bullets and pill priming mechanism of Hunt's earlier rifle. Robbins and Lawrence of Windsor, VT were contracted to produce the rifle. The action was expensive to produce and so unreliable that few repeating rifles were made. The majority of Jennings rifles were made as single shot breach loaders. The iron action of this rifle has simple scroll engraving influenced by Kentucky style muzzle loading rifles. Left side of action has a weakly visible Robbins and Lawrence / Windsor, VT. address followed by partially visible C.P. Dixon Agent and patent markings. Top of action is fitted with a circular pill priming feed device. Hammer has a long extension to fire a pill primer which was seated on the rear of the bullet as the action was closed. Bottom of bbl. is fitted with a wiping rod tube. Brass blade front sight with fixed rear sight mounted on the forward portion of the receiver. The straight grip walnut stock is fitted with a crescent steel buttplate. Left side of stock has added oval brass plate. CONDITION: metal has a partial varnish coating over a cleaned gray brown appearance showing general light pitting. Stock is cracked at wrist with chips around top tang and buttplate showing numerous dents and marks. Functioning mechanism. Bore is surprisingly bright with sound rifling. (01-25252/DS). ANTIQUE. $4,000-6,000.