Browning Brothers Model 1878 40-70 Sharps Straight

[shrapnel]

I’ve been set up here at the Cody Gun Show for a couple days and happened to notice a lot of cool guns here. There’s one that’s just the most incredible, one of the rarest guns you could ever find. It is a Browning Brothers high wall that the Browning Brothers made in Utah before they sold the patent rights to Winchester to make the model 1885 Winchester.

It is a heavy barrel, with double set triggers, and with a cleaning rod under the barrel. Chambered in 40-70 Sharps Straight, I have already ordered brass and dies to get this gun shooting very soon…

 

[kansasdad]

Amazing old rifle @shrapnel but it won’t trip @TomTerrific’s trigger with the uncrisp lettering!

Zooming in to the description I see that it is a single shot. How is the cartridge inserted? And I’m curious how the triggers feel and operate.

 

[shrapnel]

Amazing old rifle @shrapnel but it won’t trip @TomTerrific’s trigger with the uncrisp lettering!

Zooming in to the description I see that it is a single shot. How is the cartridge inserted? And I’m curious how the triggers feel and operate.

It is a falling block that loads from the rear once you drop the lever to lower the block.

This is the design that Browning made to bring Winchester west to talk to him about manufacturing the rifle commercially as a Winchester 1885 Highwall.

This is the gun that started a long and commercially profitable business between Winchester and John Browning…

 

[Straight Arrow]

Congrats on acquiring another priceless rare firearm. Hope I'm still around when the Shrapnel Bozeman Trail Wild West Gun Museum opens in the Gallatin Valley!

 

[mdhunter]

That’s incredible. Congrats on another fine find!

 

[Caseknife]

Chunk of change, but a piece of history!

 

[BAKPAKR]

I am looking forward to photos with gophers!

 

[shrapnel]

I am looking forward to photos with gophers!

Hopefully soon! I ordered dies and brass, need to find .403 caliber bullets…

 

[grizzly63]

Hopefully soon! I ordered dies and brass, need to find .403 caliber bullets…

I bet Fury Bullet Co. can help out with that.

 

[Wyoming270]

Its amazing how many wonderful 1800s firearms were made for the western states and just stayed in private hands ever since. Lot of the family legacy ranches have the guns that were the working guns 100 and 150 years ago. The state capital still has one of the early gatling guns that they ordered from the factory. The state museum has a different gatling gun in fairly original condition.

The buffalo bill center of the west there has a mind blowing collection of original fumctioning firearms. I spent a week in there, hoping to see all 5 seperate museuems. I started on the gun museum and wasnt even halfway through when the week was over.

 

[Wyoming270]

Chunk of change, but a piece of history!

I know your not being derogatory, but I always find it funny when People always are quick to comment when someone invests a lot into antique firearms, yet ive known a lot of guys not into anything outdoors related, who barely every did anything more than crack beers and tune a tv to football, dedicate all of their money to a 401k and then cry when it tanks when they are 62. Used to work with a guy who told me I over spent when I bought a browning over under. Yet he lost $95k in 3 months in his 401k.

My point here is think outside the box on investments. The ones that can be bought and sold without a brokerage firm tend to pay the highest dividends.

 

[Wyoming270]

Amazing old rifle @shrapnel but it won’t trip @TomTerrific’s trigger with the uncrisp lettering!

Zooming in to the description I see that it is a single shot. How is the cartridge inserted? And I’m curious how the triggers feel and operate.

Its actually the case of lettering that is perfect on an old gun tends to be a key sign its a fake.

I see falling block actions where explained to you a few posts up. If you want a modern one you can buy a ruger #1 for about 1/4 of the price of the browning featured in this thread.