Original Item: Only One Available. This is a very attractive example of the Maynard “Improved Model” sporting and target rifle, commonly referred to as the Model 1873. Chambered in .40 caliber centerfire, it represents the important transition of the Maynard system from its Civil War era percussion and externally primed cartridge origins to a self-contained metallic cartridge design. This example is serial number 8106 and is fitted with the correct long range aperture sight on the upper tang.

The right side of the action is crisply marked:

MANUFACTURED BY
MASS. ARMS CO
CHICOPEE FALLS.

The left side bears Edward Maynard’s patent information:

EDWARD MAYNARD.
PATENTEE.
MAY 27. 1851
DEC 6. 1859

There is no visible separate “1873” stamp on the action, which may simply have been omitted during manufacture. The firing pin base is also slightly offset, somewhat resembling the earlier percussion arrangement, suggesting that this could be an early example of the improved centerfire pattern. We considered whether the rifle may have been converted from an earlier percussion arm, but .40 caliber was not among the percussion chamberings used for these rifles, and this barrel is fitted with an extractor, another feature not used during the percussion era.

The rifle is fitted with the correct long range aperture sight on the upper tang, appropriate for this target configuration. There is also a sight dovetail in the barrel which has been neatly filled with a brass insert.

Overall condition is very good. The metal retains a substantial amount of its original blued finish, while the butt stock remains in excellent condition. We checked the rifle mechanically and found no deficiencies to note. The action operates properly and the rifle presents as a very well preserved example.

The bore is excellent, remaining bright with crisp lands and grooves. There is only minor evidence of old fouling and wear, much of which has been cleaned away, leaving the bore polished and highly presentable.

The Maynard design originated before the Civil War as one of the more advanced American breechloading systems of its day. Early Maynard arms used a metallic cartridge containing the powder and projectile, but ignition was provided externally by a percussion cap or, on some earlier models, by Edward Maynard’s tape primer system. The cartridge had a small opening in its base through which the percussion flame passed to ignite the powder charge.

One of the Maynard cartridge’s great advantages was its heavy rim, which allowed the spent case to be grasped and removed easily. The brass cases were also reusable, reportedly as many as 100 times under favorable conditions. The metallic cartridge body also provided a better gas seal at the breech than many other early breechloading systems.

The Civil War era Second Model simplified the design by eliminating the Maynard tape primer and relying entirely on conventional percussion caps. More than 20,000 Second Model carbines were produced between 1863 and 1865 for Federal cavalry use. The Maynard system proved effective, accurate, and mechanically straightforward, but by the end of the war the future clearly belonged to self-contained metallic cartridges.

Edward Maynard and the Massachusetts Arms Company responded by developing an improved centerfire system. By early 1873, experimentation had resulted in both a self-contained cartridge and a mechanism capable of firing it. The new cartridge had a broad, thick, beveled base resembling a shallow saucer and used a special Berdan primer. Its wide base made it easy to grasp once the rifle’s extractor had started the case from the chamber.

This improved system became the basis for the rifles generally known today as the Model 1873. A later Model 1882 was subsequently developed to use more conventional commercially available centerfire cartridges.

The Massachusetts Arms Company continued producing Maynard sporting and target rifles into the late 19th century. These rifles developed a strong reputation for accuracy and quality, with carefully fitted components, fine barrels, and interchangeable parts. Maynard offered rifles in a wide variety of configurations and grades, from simple gallery rifles to elaborate target and sporting examples with adjustable long range sights, engraving, checkered stocks, and multiple interchangeable barrels.

Dr. Edward Maynard was an unusually accomplished inventor whose work extended well beyond firearms. Born in 1813, he briefly attended the United States Military Academy before leaving because of poor health and establishing a successful dental practice in Washington, D.C. He became a prominent dental surgeon, educator, and inventor, developing new dental tools and techniques while also continuing his mechanical experimentation.

Maynard’s best known early firearms invention was his tape primer system, in which small charges of fulminate were embedded at intervals in a varnished paper strip. Cocking the hammer advanced a fresh primer over the nipple, eliminating the need to place individual percussion caps by hand. The system was incorporated into the U.S. Model 1855 family of arms, although it was eventually abandoned because of reliability concerns under field conditions.

His tip-up metallic cartridge rifle design, patented in 1851, proved more enduring. The Massachusetts Arms Company of Chicopee Falls became closely associated with Maynard production, manufacturing both military carbines and later sporting and target rifles. The company continued producing Maynard arms until approximately 1890, when changing production methods and the growing popularity of repeating rifles increasingly displaced single shot designs.

This rifle is a particularly appealing example of the postwar Maynard system, combining an early centerfire action with a .40 caliber target configuration, original long range tang sight, strong original finish, excellent wood, and an outstanding bore. It illustrates the evolution of one of the Civil War era’s most innovative breechloading designs into a refined sporting and target rifle of the 1870s.

Specifications:

Year of Manufacture: Circa 1875
Caliber: .40 caliber
Ammunition Type: Centerfire Cartridge
Barrel Length: 26 Inches
Overall Length: 42 5/8 Inches
Action: Tip-Up Breechloading Action with Back Action Lock
Feed System: Single Shot
Serial Number: 8106

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IMA considers all of our antique guns as non-firing, inoperable and/or inert. Title 18, U.S. Code, Section 921(a)(16) defines antique firearms as all guns made prior to 1899. This law exempts antique firearms from any form of gun control or special engineering because they are not legally considered firearms. No FFL, C&R or any license is required to possess, transport, sell or trade Antique guns. All rifles and muskets sold by IMA that were manufactured prior to 1899 are considered Antiques by the US BATF (United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms). Therefore, all of IMA's Antique guns may be shipped to all US States and most nations around the world.

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Pre-1899 Manufacture, no licenses required, allowed to ship to almost any deliverable address across the globe. Please note that for international shipping, these MUST be shipped using UPS WW Services. International customers should always consult their country's antique gun laws prior to ordering.