Exceptionally Rare Dreyse Faucet Breech Needle Fire Sporting Carbine circa 1830s

9mm. 18.75" octagonal barrel. SN: 15482. Blued finish, iron mountings, checkered European hardwood stock with raised cheek rest. Single shot breechloading needle rifle with faucet breech. Left side of barrel marked CAL:0.34.6 GRAN Pluv near the breech, under the breech operating lever, indicating the caliber and powder charge. The barrel is additionally marked STAHL, indicating steel and with the serial number. The last two digits of the serial number, 82, are found on the screw heads, the reverse of the cocking piece and on the reverse of the breech lever. The rear sight consists of a fixed and folding leaf, while the front sight is a dovetailed blade. The rifle is equipped with classic Germanic sporting sling mounts, including a small swivel under the barrel and a large button along the toe line of the stock. While the triggerguard is of iron, the rifle was produced without a buttplate and has a lovely slightly rounded shotgun style butt. Cocking the action unlocks the operating lever, allowing it to be lowered, thus rotating the faucet breech to allow the loading of the self-contained Dreyse paper cartridge.

The gun's design is based upon the earlier Dreyse-Collenbusch muzzleloading needle fire pistol that was introduced in the 1820s. By 1834 the system had been improved to be a breechloading design based upon the faucet breech concept. Little information is available about these early Dreyse rifles and the rather low powder charge of nominally 5 grains of black powder has caused some authors to deduce that these were gallery guns. However the presence of sling mounts and an adjustable leaf rear sight suggests that the real purpose was similar to the English Rook Rifle, with the purpose being the taking of small game and eradication of pests. An exceptionally rare rifle, that is practically never seen for sale in the United States.

This lot is located in Cincinnati.

Very good. Bore partly bright with scattered oxidation and crisp rifling. Metal with some original blue that has flaked, faded and worn and mixed with a mostly smoothly oxidized plum brown patina. Markings remain clear and crisp. Action is mechanically functional, although the tip of the needle appear to have broken off. Wood shows scattered bumps, dings and mars, with crisp checkering at the wrist, showing some wear.

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Arms, Armor and Militaria

Exceptionally Rare Dreyse Faucet Breech Needle Fire Sporting Carbine circa 1830s

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