American Firearms

A TRUE PIECE OF THE HISTORY OF THE EARLY FRONTIER, FROM A WELL RESPECTED AND KNOWN GUNSMITH, OPERATING HIS STORE CALLED THE  SPORTSMANS DEPOT IN DENVER COLORADO. HE WAS ONE OF THREE EARLY FAMOUS DEALERS OF FIREARMS IN DENVER, THE TWO BEING, CARLOS GOVE, AND FREUND & BROS. ALL RETAILING WEAPONS, BUT LOWER WAS MAKING HIGHLY DESIRED RIFLES FOR THE EARLY FRONTIERS MEN. HE WAS FRIENDS WITH ALL THE FOUNDERS OS EARLY COMPANIES, COLT, COL. SHARPS, REMINGTON , AND S&W . AT THE CLOSE OF THE CIVIL WAR WITH THE REDUCTION OF THE ARMY, THERE WERE THOUSANDS OF RIFLES IN STORAGE. MANY BEING BOUGHT BY MEN LIKE OF J.P. LOWER . SHARPS WAS RAPIDLY BECOMING THE FAVORITE OF THE EARLY FRONTIERSMEN AND HUNTERS. HOWEVER, PRODUCTION COULD NOT MEET THE DEMAND. LOWER BOUGHT SHARPS FROM THE ARMORIES, AND CONVERTED THEM FROM PERCUSSION TO THE NEW METALLIC CARTRIDGE.  THE FAVORITE WAS THE MODEL OF 1874 RIFLE, THE MOST POPULAR CARTRIDGE WAS THE 45/70, WHICH WOULD GO ON TO BE THE UNIVERSAL MILITARY CALIBER FOR ALL SINGLE HOT TRAPDOOR RIFLES FOR THE NEXT 30 YEARS. THE ORIGINAL SERIAL NUMBER OF THIS CONVERTED 1874 IS C 41432. NOW IT IS THE MODEL OF 1874 PATTERN IN 45/70 CALIBER. J.P. LOWER’S STORE  WAS A WELL KNOWN STORE AND HE SOLD ALL HIS WORK. CUSTOMERS LIKE, TOM CUSTER, KIT CARSON EVEN BUFFALO BILL WOULD STOP . THIS 1874 IS 100% ALL ORIGINAL LOWER CONVERSION, WITH 30 INCH BARREL. SPEAKING OF BARREL, THIS BARREL IS STAMPED WITH J.P.LOWER , DENVER CO. CAN BE FOUND ON TOP  OF BARREL JUST BEHIND THE BARREL BAND, IN FRONT OF REAR RIFLE SIGHT. IT IS IDENTICAL TO ALL OTHER LOWER STAMPED EXAMPLES. THE SHARPS MECHANICAL ACTION IS 100% CORRECT. THE WOOD IS SMOOTH AND HAS A WONDERFUL ANTIQUE LUSTER, NEVER HAVING BEEN CLEANED ETC…. THE METAL SURFACES HAVE A DARKENED BLUE/GRAY PATINA WITH TRACES OF PLUM. ALL FACTORY MARKINGS ON THE RECEIVER ARE PRESENT AND CLEAR.  ALL PARTS ARE  EITHER SHARPS FACTORY OR LOWER CONVERSION, A 100% ORIGNAL RIFLE. THESE RIFLES WERE VERY POPULAR ON THE EARLY FRONTIER WHICH AS A HUNTING FRONTIER AND FROM TIME TO TIME A BATTLE GROUND WITH NATIVE AMERICANS. THEY COULD SHOOT 1,000 YARDS, AND  WERE RELAIBALE, AND IN 45/70 KNOCK DOWN POWER. THIS LOWER MODEL 1874 IS IN SUPERIOR CONDITION COMPARED TO OTHERS. THIS MODEL IS CLOSELY TIED TO THE EARLIEST FRONTIER, TRAILBLAZERS AND HUNTERS.  THE TRAPDOOR RIFLE WAS SURE, RELAIBLE AND STRONG KNOCK DOWN. SEVERAL YEARS BEFORE LEVER ACTIONS, AND THEY WERE NOT AS POWERFUL THIS RIFLE REMAINS AN EXCELLNET EXAMPLE FOR THE COLLECTOR, A REAL PIECE OF THE EARLY FRONTIER BUILDING THE COUNTRY OPENING THE WEST. With this sale goes a photograph copy of Lower’s Denver store, and  copy of Sales advertisement of Firearms.

THIS SPRINGFIELD MODEL 1866 50/70 IS AN INCREDIBLE PIECE OF THE HISTORY OF THE AMERICAN WEST.  THE WEST OF THE EARLY FRONTIER, LONG BEFORE WINCHESTER LEVER ACTIONS. AT THE END OF THE CIVIL WAR THERE WAS A HUGE SUPPLY OF TURNED IN RIFLES, AS THE ARMIES DISBANDED. THE ARMY RECOGNIZED THE FUTURE !! AND HAD THE SPRINGFIELD ARMORY UNDER THE GUIDE LINES OF THE 2nd ALLIN PATENT, BEGIN CONVERTING THEM TO CARTRIDGE RIFLES. THE EASIEST WAS TO CONVERT THEM TO 50/70 CALIBER.A VERY FEW, MADE CIVIL WAR COMBAT, BUT IT WAS THE RAW FRONTIER FOLLOWING THE CIVIL WAR WHERE VHEYY MADE THEIR FAME. ISSUED TO MILITARY UNITS BEING SENT TO THE RAW FRONTIER. THE INDIAN TRIBES WERE ON THE MOVE, AS FOR 4 YEARS THAY HAD NO REAL OPPOSITION. NOW, SEVERAL INDIAN BATTELS TOOK PLACE. FIRST THE FETTERMAN MASSACRE, ALL LED BY RED CLOUD OF THE SIOUX. THEN TWO FAMOUS BATTLES, THE HAYFIELDS BATTLE, OF AUGUST 1, THEN THE WAGON BOX FIGHT OF AUGUST 2ND. THIS MODEL 1866 PLAYED A SIGNIFICANT ROLE IN REPELLING THOSE ATTACKS IN MONTANA TERRITORY. HOWVER IT WOULD BE ONE U.S. ARMY SCOUT WHO WOULD MAKE THIS MODEL INTO HISTORY FOREVER. WILLIAM CODY WAS HIRED BY THE KANSAS & PACIFIC RAILROAD AT $500 A MONTH TO SUPPLY THE RAILROAD CREWS WITH MEAT. TO THAT END, CODY BEGAN HUNTING THE BUFFALO.WITH THIS MODEL!!! HE KILLLED OVER 4,000 BUFFALO ++, AND WAS QUICKLY RENAMED BUFFALO BILL CODY. HE FIRED HIS MODEL 1866 2nd ALLIN 50/70 FROM HORSEBACK, SURROUNDING THE HERDS. HE PREFERRED THE 1866 OVER THE SHARPS, AS HE BELIEVED THE SHARPS HAD TO BE FIRED FROM A FIXED POSITION, WITH” Y” SHAPED STICK RESTS, DUE TO THEIR HEAVY WEIGHT. HE WAS SO FOND OF THIS 1866 MODEL HE GAVE IT A NAME, LUCRETIA BORGIA,  THE FAMOUS MIDDLE AGES ITALIAN POISONER ! IN FACT CODY WAS INTERVIEWED IN 1917 JUST BEFORE HIS DEATH IN DENVER AT HIS SISTERS HOUSE. EVEN THEN HE BRAGGED ON THE 50/70 SPRINGFIELD MODEL. TODAY HIS EXACT ONE IS IN THE CODY MUSEUM, HOWEVER IT HAS A BROKEN  STOCK. THE 2nd ALLIN CONVERSION OF THE 1864 SPRINGFIELD, KNOWN AS THE 1866 MODEL WAS DISPLYED AT HIS RANCH ON A SET OF ELK ANTLERS, BROKEN STOCK AND ALL. THIS MODEL 1866 IS IN VERY GOOD CONDION!  NO DAMAGE TO THE WOOD, JUST A FEW HANDLING DINGS OF NO CONSEQUENCE, THE BARREL AND METAL PARTS ARE IN AN UNTOUCHED ! ORIGINAL PATINA FINISH THIS RIFLE HAS NEVER BEEN CLEANED OR TOUCHED, IT IS ALL ORIGINAL. ALL BARREL BANDS ARE PRESENT, EVEN THE SWIVELS. IT HAS A 100% CORRECT WORKING ACTION ! THE BORE STILL POSSESING RIFLING AND NO DAMAGE .  THE 2nd MODEL ALLIN CONVERSION TO 50/70 WAS A MAJOR FORCE ON THE EARLY AND RAW FRONTIER. LONG BEFORE ANY WINCHESTER, A SINGLE ACTION TRAPDOOR ACTION RIFLE. IT WAS SAID BY CODY A 2ND SHOT WAS NEVER NEEDED IF YOU HIT THE TARGET CORRECTLY,  IF YOU WANT TO OWN A PIECE OF THE EARLY, FRONTIER OF INDIAN BATTLES, CELEBRITIES AND BUFFALO, THIS SHOULD BE THE CHOICE With the sale goes copies of important information about Buffalo Bill, and the Model of 1866, including a drawing of Cody with the Springfield 1866 50/70