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Scarce Fantastic Nickel Plated Smith & Wesson Model 320 "Buntline Special" Revolving Rifle with Shou

Currency:USD Category:Firearms & Military / Long Guns - Rifles Start Price:10,000.00 USD Estimated At:20,000.00 - 40,000.00 USD
Scarce Fantastic Nickel Plated Smith & Wesson Model 320  Buntline Special  Revolving Rifle with Shou
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Scarce Fantastic Nickel Plated Smith & Wesson Model 320 "Buntline Special" Revolving Rifle with Shoulder Stock, Scope and Factory Letter

Manufactured from 1879 to 1887, the Model 320 revolving rifle is one of the rarest Smith & Wesson firearms produced with a total production of 977 and only 85-90 feature nickel finish. These firearms were serial numbered from 1 to 977 and out of the 977 manufactured, 514 had the 18 inch barrel. Only 840 of these were sold in the U.S. and the remaining 137 were exported. This scarce and unusual revolving rifle was sometimes referred to as the Smith & Wesson "Buntline Special" in the combination of a long barreled revolver with attaching shoulder stock. This Model 320 was manufactured using the frame, cylinder and basic action of the New Model No. 3 revolver with some minor differences in the hammer and trigger, and with the barrel being made of two pieces. A slot is cut into the butt and a hole drilled in the back strap to accommodate the shoulder stock. The rifle features an 18 inch barrel with a globe front sight with cross hair aperture and a nickel plated 23 3/4 inch long tube scope with blue finished mounts. The rifle is chambered for the 320 Smith & Wesson cartridge. The top of the rib is marked with the two line address/patent dates. The matching serial number appears on the butt, cylinder, barrel and barrel latch. Nickel finish with casehardened hammer and trigger guard. The barrel is fitted with a checkered hard rubber red mottled forearm with the Smith &Wesson monogram on the underside. The grips are matching with Smith & Wesson monograms in a circle at the tops. The shoulder stock features nickel plated attaching iron and a checkered hard rubber buttplate with the Smith &Wesson monogram. A blue finished stock tang peep sight is included. Also with the revolving rifle is a set of reloading tools in a two piece green box with the "Directions for Using Smith & Wesson Revolving Rifle Reloading Tools" label on top of the box. The included Smith &Wesson factory letter states that the firearm was shipped on March 3, 1895 to J.P. Lovell & Son of Boston, MA. The letter confirms the 18 inch barrel and checkered mottled hard rubber grips and forearm. Although the factory records were incomplete as to not list the type of finish, the nickel plating on this example is factory original. Blue was the standard finish for Model 320s, making nickel finished examples even more scarce.

Manufucture: Smith & Wesson
Model: Revolving-Rifle
BBL: 18 inch solid rib
Stock:
Guage: 320
Finish: nickel
Grips: hard rubber
Serial Number: 589

Excellent. The revolving rifle retains 97% original nickel finish with limited flaking. The forearm and grips are excellent showing a few minor handling marks with overall crisp checkering. The scope retains most of the original nickel finish and has clear optics. The hammer and trigger guard retain much of the original case colors. The stock is excellent showing some minor handling marks and the attaching iron retaining 97% original nickel finish. Mechanically excellent. Accessories are excellent. A phenomenal and equally rare nickel plated 18 inch Smith and Wesson 320 rifle and probably the only known specimen with a period scope.