VERY RARE EARLY BROWNING MONTANA MODEL 1878 SINGLE SHOT RIFLE.

VERY RARE EARLY BROWNING MONTANA MODEL 1878 SINGLE SHOT RIFLE. SN 88. Cal. 44-90 Sharps bottleneck. According to Mr. Kontes this is the only known Browning Model 1878 in this caliber. Rifle has a 32-1/4″ heavy oct bbl with brass blade Rocky Mountain front sight and an altered Lawrence Patent Sharps rear sight with two notches that appear to be for different yardages. Top flat of bbl, above rear sight, is marked in larger letters “J.M. BROWNING OGDEN, U.T.” and “44”. Receiver is the early style, thick side with shorter action and longer tangs and a long Borchardt style lever. Breech block has a rounded top and is marked “J.M. BROWNING / OGDEN, U.T.” Bottom flat of bbl is mounted with two iron guides containing a brass tipped hickory ramrod with 2-pc jag & slotted cleaning tip. Mounted with nicely figured, uncheckered American walnut with Sharps style German silver forend cap secured with a sgl pin and straight stock with crescent buttplate. Left side of buttstock has the hand carved initials “JT” and the right side “JB”. Comb of the stock has a small burned area. Mr. Kontes states that this rifle came from Twilla, Utah and had come to light by the time the Browning Collectors Club originated. He stated that someone at the Salt Lake Gun Show told him about it and where to find it and a friend picked it up for him. PROVENANCE: John C. Kontes Collection. CONDITION: Good. No orig finish remains with the metal being a lightly cleaned silver/gray patina. Buttstock has a crack through the wrist and is missing slivers from the top edges of the forearm and overall shows heavy wear with a fine aged hand worn patina. Mechanics are fine, strong bore, slightly frosty. 4-46626 JR342 (45,000-50,000)

Auction: Firearms - Fall 2012

Please Note: All prices include the hammer price plus the buyer’s premium, which is paid by the buyer as part of the purchase price. The prices noted here after the auction are considered unofficial and do not become official until after the 46th day.

Image	Lot	Price	Description
	1334	$0.00	VERY RARE EARLY BROWNING MONTANA MODEL 1878 SINGLE SHOT RIFLE. SN 88. Cal. 44-90 Sharps bottleneck. According to Mr. Kontes this is the only known Browning Model 1878 in this caliber. Rifle has a 32-1/4″ heavy oct bbl with brass blade Rocky Mountain front sight and an altered Lawrence Patent Sharps rear sight with two notches that appear to be for different yardages. Top flat of bbl, above rear sight, is marked in larger letters “J.M. BROWNING OGDEN, U.T.” and “44”. Receiver is the early style, thick side with shorter action and longer tangs and a long Borchardt style lever. Breech block has a rounded top and is marked “J.M. BROWNING / OGDEN, U.T.” Bottom flat of bbl is mounted with two iron guides containing a brass tipped hickory ramrod with 2-pc jag & slotted cleaning tip. Mounted with nicely figured, uncheckered American walnut with Sharps style German silver forend cap secured with a sgl pin and straight stock with crescent buttplate. Left side of buttstock has the hand carved initials “JT” and the right side “JB”. Comb of the stock has a small burned area. Mr. Kontes states that this rifle came from Twilla, Utah and had come to light by the time the Browning Collectors Club originated. He stated that someone at the Salt Lake Gun Show told him about it and where to find it and a friend picked it up for him. PROVENANCE: John C. Kontes Collection. CONDITION: Good. No orig finish remains with the metal being a lightly cleaned silver/gray patina. Buttstock has a crack through the wrist and is missing slivers from the top edges of the forearm and overall shows heavy wear with a fine aged hand worn patina. Mechanics are fine, strong bore, slightly frosty. 4-46626 JR342 (45,000-50,000) Auction: Firearms - Fall 2012 Please Note: All prices include the hammer price plus the buyer’s premium, which is paid by the buyer as part of the purchase price. The prices noted here after the auction are considered unofficial and do not become official until after the 46th day.

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