Remington-Hepburn No. 3 Sporting .45-70 30″ Falling Block Rifle Antique

SOLD FOR: $3525

LSB#: 230531JE012

Make: Remington

Model: Hepburn No. 3 Sporting Rifle

Serial Number: 4214

Year of Manufacture: 1880-1888

Caliber: .45-70 GOVT (Black Powder Only)

Action Type: Single-Shot Falling Block Rifle with Extractor

Markings: The top of the barrel is marked “E.REMINGTON & SONS, ILION, N.Y.”. The bottom of the barrel is marked “45.70” in front of the forend. The barrel under the forend, bottom tang, and rear face of the forend are all marked with the serial number “4214”. The left side of the frame is marked “HEPBURNS PAT. / OCT 7TH 1879” along the lower edge.

Barrel Length: 30” Heavy Octagonal

Sights/ Optics: The front sight is a blade in a slotted base which is dovetailed into the barrel. The rear sight is a “V” notch elevator sight dovetailed into the barrel.

Stock Configuration & Condition: The stocks are walnut. The forend is smooth and has a metal tip. The buttstock has a checkered round bottom pistol grip, straight comb, and a steel buttplate. There are some small cracks and a few little minor losses present. There are some scattered nicks, scuffs, scratches, compressions, and dings. There are areas of dark discoloration. The LOP is 14” from the trigger to the rear of the buttplate. The plate has some finish loss, thinning, scabbing, and areas of erosion. Overall, the stock is in Very Good condition.

Type of Finish: Blue & Case Colored

Finish Originality: Original

Bore Condition: The bore is light gray and the rifling is worn. There are some scattered marks in the metal and areas of erosion. Most antique firearms have bores that will show erosion. This is not only due to age but to the use of black powder. When fired, black powder reacts corrosively. NRA Antique Firearm Conditions Standards are quite lenient for bores. In some cases, the NRA standards disregard the bore’s condition for collectors firearms.

Overall Condition: The rifle retains about 75% of its metal finish. There are some scattered areas of oxidation. There are some scratches on the barrel, most noticeable on the bottom. There are some scattered spots of light erosion, discoloration from previous oxidation, and light scabbing. There are some scattered areas of patina. There are areas of pitting and erosion, the most noticeable are on the barrel at the muzzle. There is operational wear. The markings remain clear. The screwheads are lightly tooled and remain serviceable. Overall, the rifle is in Very Good condition.

Mechanics: The action functions correctly. We did not fire this rifle. As with all previously owned firearms, a thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance standards.

Box Paperwork and Accessories: None.

Our Assessment: This is a custom Remington-Hepburn Match Rifle which was originally manufactured between 1883-1907. This gun is based on a design concocted by Lewis L. Hepburn, the Superintendent of Remington’s mechanical department and member of the Creedmore International Shooting Team, who patented the design in 1879. The rifle was available in a few configurations and a host of calibers could be ordered. This model, the No. 3 Sporting, could be had with 26, 28, or 30 inch barrels. The gun proved a popular target rifle and a number of variants were introduced before it was pulled from the market at the beginning of the 20th century. This gun is a .45-70 No. 3 with a 30″ heavy octagonal barrel. Is has survived well and will display rather nicely. It is estimated that only 8,000 to 10,000 of these No. 3 rifles were made and this is the first one we have been luck enough to see in a few years. This is a fantastic addition to an Antique or Remington collection. Please see our photos and good luck!

Some are hot, some are not, but thankfully most can be shot!
-Red