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Item No.:	10754	Price :	$2,575.00
Item :	VERY RARE SCHUBARTH NEEDLE-FIRE FOWLING GUN, 12 GAUGE

Description :

This is an original Needle-Fire Fowling Gun made by Casper D. Schubarth and Company of Providence, Rhode Island. Schubarth produced 9,500 Model 1861 rifle-muskets in 1862 and 1863 under contract from the U.S. government. In 1861, before this contract, Schubarth designed a .58 caliber breechloading rifle based on the Dreyse needle gun design. He intended to sell it to the Union Army, but had no success. The needle fire design placed the primer on the base of the bullet in a self contained cartridge. The long, slender firing pin or "needle" punctured the cartridge, passed through the powder charge, and struck the primer on the bullet base firing the cartridge. The system was quickly eclipsed by the brass cartridge with the primer in the base. After his failure to sell the rifle to the military, Schubarth apparently made a few sporting arms using the design. They are quite rare. This is the only one that I have ever seen. I don't know that anyone has ever seen ammunition for this gun. This is a single-shot, breech loading fowler (shotgun) based on his design. It was probably made during or just after the civil War. It is about 12 gauge with a 29" round Damascus barrel. This gun is in very good to fine condition. It has no original finish remaining. The gun has a steel patina with brown speckling and some fine pitting. The Damascus pattern is just faintly visible as you look along the barrel. The butt plate has some active rust around the screws. The mechanism seems to work, but I honestly don't know how this thing works. It looks like you use the lever on the left side of the gun to release the cocking knob. Then you pull the cocking knob back until it cocks. At that point you use the bolt handle to open the breech. The cartridge is inserted and the bolt closed. Then you push the cocking knob forward. It is under spring tension. When it is all the way forward, push the up on the lever on the left side to retain it. At that point it is ready to fire. When the trigger is pulled the needle drives forward and hopefully ignites the cartridge. This is pure conjecture on my part but seems to be the way it works. The bore is in fine condition. There are a few tiny pits, but it is mostly smooth and shiny. The stock is in fine condition with a few small dings and scratches from use. The checkering is in fine condition. Interestingly, the butt appears to have a hand painted faux grain. There is a little switch or lever on the toe of the stock right behind the butt plate. A previous owner cut a slot in the receiver ring as a rear sight and installed a bead front sight. The bead extends into the bore. This may be the only existing example of a Schubarth Needle Fire Fowler. Stock no. 32450

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