"MARLIN MODEL 1881 HEAVY BARREL LEVER ACTION RIFLE. SN 25849. Cal. 45 Govt. (45-70). Standard grade rifle with extremely rare 32" heavy oct bbl, 28" magazine, German silver Rocky Mtn. front sight & Marlin semi-buckhorn rear sight. Mounted with very nicely figured, slab-sawed uncheckered American walnut with straight stock & semi-crescent smooth steel buttplate. Accompanied by a Marline Firearms Co. letter identifying this rifle in caliber 45-70 with 32" oct bbl. There were only 16,379 of the Model 1881 rifles ever made and of those only 42 had 32" bbls making it one of the most rare of all the Model 1881's. Reference Marlin Firearms, Brophy. PROVENANCE: Leland Clapp Collection. CONDITION: Very fine plus. Bbl retains about 90% thinning orig blue, strong in sheltered areas, turning plum over top. Magazine tube is about half silver patina with front half a plum patina with a few scattered spots of light rust. Receiver retains about 80% thinning glossy orig blue with a couple of spots of moderate pitting across top rear edge & top front edge of receiver. Lever retains traces of case colors, being mostly a silver/gray patina. Hammer retains about 75% faded case colors. Wood is sound with a couple of bruises on forearm & normal light nicks & scratches and retains just about all of its orig piano varnish. Mechanics are crisp, strong bore with good shine & moderate pitting. 4-36021 JR72 (10,000-15,000)"
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