Thomas Turner .577 Snider Enfield Single Shot Rifle 36 1/2″, 1860s Antique

SOLD FOR: $1,275.72

LSB#: LSB251220TO015

Make: Thomas Turner

Model: Snider, Enfield

Serial Number: 945

Year of Manufacture: Circa 1860s Antique

Caliber: .577 Snider

Action Type: Single shot, Breech loaded, Hammer Fired Rifle.

Markings: There are British proof marks scattered from the barrel to the breech. The lock plate is marked “Thomas Turner, Fisher Street, Birmingham”. The barrel is marked “25/945”. The stock is marked “RM Enfield”

Barrel Length: 36 1/2”

Sights / Optics: The front sight is a shallow barleycorn blade on a square base. The rear sight is a v-notch blade when down and a sliding v-notch blade on a ladder when flipped up.

Stock Configuration & Condition: The stock is a one piece smooth walnut, 3 barrel bands, capped forend, straight wrist, straight comb, and brass buttplate. The LOP is 14″ from trigger to buttplate. There are scratches and compression dents throughout. There is oil darkening around the metal. There are no cracks. Overall this stock is in Very Good condition for an antique.

Type of Finish: Brass, Blued

Finish Originality: Original

Bore Condition: The bore is bright and the rifling is pronounced. There is very minor erosion and pitting in the bore. In this writer’s opinion the bore rates 8/10 for Antique.

Most antique firearms have bores that will show erosion. This is not only due to age but also 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 disregarded the bore’s condition for collector’s firearms.

Overall Condition: This rifle retains about 40% of its metal finish. Much of the bluing has turned to a brown patina. The hammer has bluing loss from use. There is light corrosion staining throughout. There is thinning bluing on leading edges. The brass is lightly tarnished and age darkened. There are scratches and handling marks throughout. The screws are lightly tooled but serviceable. The markings are clear. Overall this rifle is in Very Good condition for an antique. 

Mechanics: The action functions correctly. We did not fire this rifle. As with all used firearms, a thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance requirements. There is some battering of the hammer and firing pin. 

Box, Paperwork & Accessories: None

Our Assessment: The Snider-Enfield rifle represents one of the British Empire’s earliest successful conversions from percussion muzzleloading muskets to metallic cartridge breech loading rifles. Adopted by the British military in the mid 1860s, the system was designed by American inventor Jacob Snider and adapted to existing Enfield Pattern 1853 rifle muskets. The conversion utilized a side-hinged breechblock that allowed soldiers to open the action, insert a cartridge, and close the breech before firing with an external hammer. This significantly improved the rate of fire and reliability compared to earlier muzzleloading arms and allowed the British government to modernize large numbers of existing rifles at relatively low cost.

The rifle is chambered for the .577 Snider cartridge, a large caliber black powder metallic cartridge developed specifically for the Snider system. The cartridge fired a substantial lead projectile and provided effective performance for the infantry tactics of the era. Snider rifles served extensively across the British Empire during the late 1860s and early 1870s before being gradually replaced by more advanced repeating and bolt action designs. Commercial gunmakers in Birmingham such as Thomas Turner produced rifles and components associated with the Snider system, supplying both military and civilian markets during this transitional period in firearms development.

This example shows the honest wear expected of a rifle from the 1860s while remaining a well preserved antique arm. The metal surfaces retain roughly 40 percent of their original finish with much of the remaining blue having aged to a brown patina along with scattered corrosion staining and handling marks. The brass buttplate shows typical tarnish and age darkening while the walnut stock remains structurally sound with scratches, compression dents, and oil darkening around the metal but no cracks observed. The bore remains bright with pronounced rifling and only minor erosion and pitting, rating approximately 8 out of 10 for an antique black powder rifle. The action functions correctly though some battering is noted on the hammer and firing pin. Please see our photos for a better understanding of condition and good luck with your bids! MF