Original Item: One Only. Invented by Warren R. Evans of Thomaston, Maine production started in 1873 by "Evans Rifle Manufacturing Company of Mechanic Falls, Maine." Only 15,000 Evans firearms were manufactured in a six year period and then the company declared bankruptcy in 1879, a victim of the Post Civil War arms industry glut and stiff competition.

The amazing thing about the Evans system was the THIRTY FOUR round tubular magazine housed in the butt. If the Spencer was said to be the carbine you loaded on Sunday and shot all week, the Evans you could shoot for a whole month! It worked on the Archimedean screw theory of four separate ammunition channels, which revolved each time the lever was activate and the gun reloaded. It appeared it was a certainty for Military approval but the system was non accepted based on interference from accumulated dust. The original caliber was .44" and the cartridges were were approximately one inch long, referred to as ".44 Evans short."

Several models were produced, known to collectors as the "Old Model", the "Transitional Model," and the "New Model". The old model had no lower stock on the butt, which made the rifle difficult to hold and aim. The transitional model introduced a butt stock and new butt plate. Requests for a more powerful cartridge led to the development of the "New Model", which fired a longer .44" cartridge called the ".44 New Model", which was 1 1/2 inches long. Due to the longer cartridge, the magazine capacity was reduced from 34 to 28 rounds. A dust cover for the ejection port was also introduced, to avoid dirt getting into the magazine.

The majority of Evans repeaters produced were of the "New Model", and around 4000 carbines with the 22" round barrel were produced.

The barrel on this example is marked:

This carbine is in very good condition, and has been fully cleaned and restored. The action cycles correctly with dry firing and you can see the rotating magazine through the ejection port. It is however somewhat finicky due to having a lot of wear, as all examples of this system were. The original dust cover for the ejection port cover was missing, so we hand fabricated and aged one to match. It is also missing the sliding cover for the end of the magazine on the butt plate.

The bore is in very good condition, with clear lands and grooves, and a partly bright finish. There is some oxidation and fouling in the grooves, but there are no bulges or other major issues, just some light overall wear from use. The rear sight is present with an intact sight slider, while the front sight looks to have been replaced at some point. The metalwork has a lovely aged peppery patina from decades of storage and cleaning. The wood stocks are in lovely condition, with a great color and no major damage that we can see. We have only had a few of these Evans guns, and this is definite a god one.

A very interesting piece of U.S. firearms history, ready to display!!

Specifications-

Years of Manufacture: 1870s
Caliber: .44 Evans "New Model"
Ammunition Type: Centerfire Cartridge
Barrel Length: 22 inches
Overall Length: 39 1/2 inches
Action: Lever Action
Feed System: 28 Rotating Round Tube Magazine

NOTE: International orders of antique firearms MUST be shipped using UPS WW Services (courier). USPS Priority Mail international will not accept these. International customers should always consult their country's antique gun laws prior to ordering.

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.

These antique guns are not sold in "live" condition, and are not tested for the the ability to feed or load any type of cartridge. They are sold as collector's items or as "wall hangers" not for use, and we make no guarantees regarding functionality aside from what is stated in the description. Any attempt at restoring an antique gun to be operational is strongly discouraged and is done so at the risk of the customer. By purchasing an antique gun from IMA you thereby release IMA, its employees and corporate officers from any and all liability associated with use of our Antique guns.

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.