Late 1868

[Lead Snowstorm]

Interesting auction I was following just closed:

https://www.gunbroker.com/Item/1051858423

Don’t see tons of 50K+ serials come up - after all there are only a couple thousand of them. An attractive gun and I probably would’ve thrown in if the block were an 1870. Might have done even as is if it weren’t for the hassle of getting a money order. In some ways I am too much a millennial I suppose…and I just did buy an 1861 so the fun money needs to be replenished.

[Dick Hosmer]

Not bad-looking as is, but a blackened 1870 block would double the appeal and add 50% to the value. Glad someone else came up with something - almost thought I'd killed the board . . . .

[Mark Daiute]

Good lord, If I had seen that I would have bid but I bet the winner would have gone a lot higher. That one slipped right by me. I think that is a beautiful example and the 1868 is my favorite. I think the winner cleaned house.

[Fred Gaarde]

Yeah, it’s really nice and it went very low.

[carlsr]

It does look nice but there are a couple obvious reasons why it went for the winning bid.
One thing I see is the witness mark, could be the angle of the photo but it looks a little out of line.
Second is the cartouche marks or lack there of and of course the incorrect dated breech block.
All that said I believe the winning bid is right in the ballpark for that rifle.

[Texcl2]

It looks like it would be a great shooter as long as the bore is nice. It has definitely been cleaned up and the difference in the action colors verse the block bother me. I have to say the 1868 rifles tie with the ‘73 carbines as my favorite rifles. They are almost always tack drivers if they have decent bores too.

[Lead Snowstorm]

This one has had a rough couple of months.

After being relisted for a non-paying buyer in the auction I linked above, it then sold for about $100 more. And then it popped back up on GB, listed by that second buyer from this spring, but for a remarkably lower price.

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/1063051101

In the meantime the rear sight ladder has been broken, the slider lost, and a crack developing behind the lock.

[Fred Gaarde]

Wow!

[John S.]

Comparing the photos for the two GB listings, the crack is the same in both sets, but the first seller did not mention it.

The rear sight has been changed as the first photos show one with unbuggered screw head for the sight leaf, and the second is badly boogered. A few marks on the side of the sight base in the first set are not there on the second, so it was switched, not broken. Aside from the interesting late production aspect it does not appear to be very exciting, although probably a good shooter if someone ever finds .50-70 brass again.

[Lead Snowstorm]

Yup, I was interested in it as a late production, potential shooter, and cheap acquisition. But figuring it would need, say, $350 of rear sight and 1870-dated block, I bid well below the BIN price taking shipping and taxes into consideration.

Besides, I had been stalking an 1899 carbine for months making “take a shot” offers, and when I lost on the 1868 I put in yet another offer (amusingly a bit lower than my highest in the past) and finally had the offer accepted.

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/1057357482

Going to be interesting to see what shows up - i.e. is it a real 1902 carbine sight, and is that really a block JSA stamped over the original cartouche?