Quiz

[Bill Hollinger]

Who can identify this rifle? Where it was made, when was it made, caliber, model???

Information

Warning: This is a relatively older thread This discussion is older than 360 days. Some information contained in it may no longer be current.

[RCS]

It is an Evans rifle made in USA and chambered for a special 44 center fire cartridge (I think that I have one in my cartridge collection)

[browningautorifle]

I was just posting that on the other page...

[Bill Hollinger]

Yeah sorry guys this was an easy quiz. I'm not as good at this as Rick B. or RCS.

This rifle is a late 1870s "New Model". The dust cover indicates this. It is .44 Evans. There were somewhere around 10,500 made. The factory was in Mechanic Falls, Maine by a dentist named Warren Evans.

[RCS]

Bill, I have a 44 Evans cartridge that was made by Winchester on the headstamp. Will take a photo soon

[browningautorifle]

They equate this one to the Spencer, but I think the Spencer was infinitely more successful because this seems to have fallen by the wayside...

[Bill Hollinger]

That would be cool Robert. The Evans .44 has a unique tapered rim from the bottom. It is more of a chamfer or bevel than a taper I guess. The only case out there that is a good candidate for reload is the .44 Russian. The taper then needs added along with the shortening of the case. They are kind of called the .44 Evans R

The Spencer has a hammer where the Evans does not. That is what threw me for a loop when I first encountered this rifle. I first spotted one at Calico Ghost Town out by Barstow, CA.

[RCS]

The 44 Evans for the second model is a long cartridge (case length 1.54) almost twice the length of the 44 Russian. I think the 30-40 case or something close could be reworked and also have the rim dia reduced too. Maybe you could single load a 44 Russian ? it is an excellent cartridge and I use in my Navy Arms repro in the enclosed photo.

[Bill Hollinger]

Wow, isn't that nice looking Robert.

The second model was the "Transition Model". It also shot the .44 Evans Short. The "New Model" shot the ".44 New Model" cartridge which was 1-1/2" long.

Old Model, .44 Evans Short cartridge
Transition Model, .44 Evans Short cartridge
New Model, .44 New Model cartridge

The only reason I put this on the OT forum is because the New Model was the only model that was used by the military. It is a true milsurp

[HOOKED ON HISTORY]

I am forever amazed at the depth of knowledge here.