"MARLIN MODEL 1881 LEVER ACTION RIFLE. SN 22820. Cal. 40 (40-60). Extremely rare special order deluxe engraved '81 with ultra-rare 30" oct to rnd bbl with full magazine, Lyman front sight & a Marlin semi-buckhorn rear sight. It has a Lyman #15 tang sight with articulated eye piece. Mounted with extremely beautiful, very highly figured French walnut with checkered forearm & serpentine grip buttstock with a semi-crescent smooth steel buttplate. Receiver is beautifully engraved by Conrad Ulrich, with the fabulous vignette of a bull moose shoulder mount on left side & a running bull moose in a forest scene on right side, all surrounded by very tasteful foliate arabesque patterns with simple line borders. Front & rear edges of receiver & over top have multiple styles of border with very tasteful foliate arabesque patterns on top of receiver & on bolt dust cover. Bottom of receiver has a border outline around serial number with an arabesque pattern. According to the book Marlin Firearms, Brophy, there were only 780 of these scarce rifles ever made with 30" bbls and of those extremely few with the oct to rnd feature. Rifle will letter in 40-60 caliber with 30" half oct bbl & pistol grip stock with shipment 27 Jan. 1889. Records show that it was fitted with half magazine which is apparently a mistake in the records as there is no provision whatsoever for the half magazine feature. CONDITION: Extremely fine. Bbl & magazine tube retain 96-98% strong orig blue with some slight thinning. Receiver retains most of its orig case colors, somewhat faded. Forend cap also retains most of its orig case colors, somewhat faded. Lever & hammer retain dark case colors faded to silver on outside face of lever. Wood is sound with minor nicks & scratches and retains most of its orig piano varnish. Mechanics are crisp, bright shiny bore. 4-35137 JR42 (65,000-100,000)"
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