"MARLIN MODEL 1881 LEVER ACTION RIFLE EARLY TRANSITION . SN 443. Cal. 40 (40-60). Standard grade rifle with 28" oct bbl, full magazine, half nickel front sight with screw & broken Winchester-style 3-leaf carbine express rear sight. Top flat has early "J.M. MARLIN" 2-line address with arrows at each end. Buttstock has square junction at tang corners & frame is not rebated. Top of receiver & part of dust cover were filed flat during period of use, apparently to accommodate lower sight and that area now has a patina that matches rest of receiver. Serial number was observed on left side of upper & lower tangs under the wood, on face of buttstock under metal & inside buttplate. Tang screw is a replacement and there is a small plug in wood back of top tang. Carrier is of the early solid type. PROVENANCE: Leland Clapp Collection. CONDITION: Good. Bbl retains 65-70% dark orig blue with edge wear & scattered fine pitting. Magazine tube is a mottled silver/brown patina. Receiver has traces of orig blue in sheltered areas being mostly a mottled silver/brown patina with cleaning marks on bottom. Lever spring screw is missing. Stock is missing a chip at toe with a couple of gouges in forearm & usual handling & use marks. Forearm retains 60-70% orig varnish & buttstock about 75% orig varnish, both with a fine hand patina. Hammer is not solid in safety notch, otherwise mechanics are fine, strong bore with some shine, dark in grooves with minor pitting. 4-36008 JR66 (2,500-4,000)"
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